More Than 50 Ways to Build Team Consensus

Bruce Williams has more than thirty five years of international consulting experience, and is noted for his expertise in group facilitation and in planning and team building methodologies. Williams′ specialty is facilitating participative, interactive group workshops whether they are focused on strategic planning and consensus building or instructional methodologies for the classroom. He has conducted successful workshops on brain compatible learning and school change facilitation, and he frequently presents in the areas of cooperative learning, higher order thinking skills, and authentic assessment. With seven years′ experience in teaching English as a second language in Japan and Korea, Williams is highly experienced in working with diverse populations. Thirty-six years′ experience in adult training also make him a valuable resource in facilitating school change. In addition to conference workshops in 2002 in Australia and New Zealand, he has been invited three times to present workshops for teachers in Singapore. In April of 2004, Williams was the keynote speaker for 400 principals and teachers in Beijing.

"The book is handy, easy to use, and chock full of practical ideas that can be immediately implemented. It does not bog readers down in theoretical explanations, though it gives just enough background or rationale for each activity to ground them in the ′big picture.′"

• PrefaceAcknowledgmentsAbout the AuthorIntroduction to Building Team ConsensusI. Purposeful Vision1. Visualizing the Common Direction: Simple Things to DoHopes and Desires ConversationSnapshotsBrainstorming ClosureTV Personality in Three YearsCommon Direction Written SummaryPast, Present, and Future Images2. Creating Visible Documentation: Things That Take EffortCardstormingMeeting Products DocumentationArtifactsReportWall Decor of Meeting ProductsArticle3. Illuminating the Total Framework: For the CommittedJourney WallGlobal Events ConversationNewsletterOrganization Principles WorkshopPurposeful Vision ChartAll the StakeholdersII. Participative Processes4. Generating Total Participation: Simple Things to DoCreating the Real QuestionEventful HappeningsSticker DotsLanguageTV News SpotQuestions Not DictumsCarousel Solutions5. Organizing the Meeting Focus: Things That Take EffortOne Concrete ProductTime Flow PictureMeeting SpaceMaterialsMeeting Plan Forms6. Tapping the Group Agreement: For the CommittedGuidelines for a Consensus OutcomeWorkshop FlowThree-to-One ScenariosCooperative Writing WorkshopMapping the Road to AgreementAgreement: State and RestateTesting for ConsensusIII. Individual Commitment7. Eliciting Detailed Assignments: Simple Things to DoTask VolunteersWhat/Who/When CardsTimelinesAttendanceAssignment Chart8. Expanding Personal Recognition: Things That Take EffortSpecific PraiseIndividual CelebrationsTraining, Coaching, or Project FeedbackUse of People’s NamesPersonalized Job Tools9. Occasioning Individual Accountability and Absolution: For the CommittedShort Weekly Meetings“I Am Nervous About” ConversationsImplementation Lesson ConversationA Victory Party Before the VictorySymbol of CommitmentIV. Collaborative Teams10. Intensifying Team Identity: Simple Things to DoTeam Member ListTeam NameTeam Flag or SymbolTeam MottoTeam SongTeam Rituals or Rites11. Increasing Supportive Connection: Things That Take EffortWinning Team StoryLeadership RotationIcebreaker Opening ConversationDyad or Triad BrainstormingMaking the Differences VisibleTeam Victory Celebration12. Enhancing Group Reflection: For the CommittedProcessing PartnersContent ProcessingMeeting ProcessingTeamwork ProcessingLogs or JournalsCareer Motivation ConversationConclusionBibliographyIndex