Review of "The Skilled Facilitator"

I wanted to read parts of the book The Skilled Facilitator by Roger M. Schwartz, because it was suggested to me as an in-depth work, and Schwartz is an expert in facilitative leadership and facilitation in organizations. In a chapter on Guidelines for Using Experiential Exercises, Schwartz looks at experiential exercises in a critical way. This chapter is interesting to me because Schwartz gives cautions about using them, whereas other authors I've read have been more in their favor. He warns that they should be "consistent with the core values and principles of group facilitation", and that the "exercise needs to generate valid information", among other things (p. 374).

His main point, I think, is that the exercises shouldn't be forced, artificial, and rely on deception--for example an exercise where participants are asked to solve a puzzle that is missing a piece. He is also saying that experiential exercises really need to be tailored and valid for each specific group, and should provide actual useful information for the group to improve its functioning. Schwartz says: "In some situations, members learn more when the experience comes from the group's real tasks, and they experience the full consequences of group process." (p. 376) So, many experiential exercises probably may not fit this bill in an extensive, developmental facilitation approach for an organization.

This critical perspective of ineffective experiential exercises has made me think again about what the purpose of percussion-based experiential exercises is. Can a group drumming really engender changes in group behavior and effectiveness? Does a debriefing technique (such as the one I'm studying--funneling), really make an impact as far as carrying the learning forward into a person's work or life? Does the experiential exercise really have an impact?

Some ways that I think that group drumming/percussion-based experiential exercises ARE effective:

- they allow group members to function as a group (playing the group rhythm), but in a way that is out of their usual experience
- they increase feelings of well-being and stress relief (the benefit of the HealthRhythms approach)
- they allow a kinesthetic and musical experience in a low-stress setting; basically, participants can use their musical intelligence and have fun
- they allow groups to have a memorable, unique experience

Looking at this list, and having read several books now on facilitation for changing group behavior and improving group process, I can't help but feel that group drumming is only a small piece of the puzzle. From what I've seen and experienced in the group drumming sessions I've facilitated, it is fun and energizing, and can engender positive group feelings. But it's only one of many tools, and really has to be aligned with an overall learning goal to be effective.