Extreme Facilitation:
Guiding groups THROUGH controversy and complexity
Suzanne Ghais's concept of Extreme Facilitation is an approach focused on guiding groups through intense and challenging situations to generate clarity, innovation, and productive outcomes.
Ghais outlines 5 essential elements of what an ‘extreme facilitator’ is:
An architect of a custom process
having a deep understanding of the group; and
a wide range of possible facilitation techniques to get the group to collaborate;
while having a strong personal presence to engender curiosity, creativity and persistence with the group; and
the ability to see, believe in, and help make room for all of the group’s capacities to achieve outcomes together.
This book is an excellent resource for facilitators and leaders alike to better understand:
What makes a quality extreme facilitator;
what is good preparation for extreme facilitations; and
how to conduct an extreme facilitation to help groups navigate complex problems and make decisions efficiently with authenticity, confidence, presence, trustworthiness, and calm.
The term extreme refers not to the intensity of the individual’s emotional or mental states, but to the overall level of complexity, urgency, or difficulty of the group’s work.
In March of 2024, I had the opportunity to interview Suzanne, about this book that I return to again and again for inspiration and ideas. I was also lucky enough to ensure that the interview had relevance for facilitation across the public sector as well by inviting the Founder, and the co-leads of the Government Facilitation Community of Practice, to ask questions pertinent to the vocation of facilitating, for the public sector. You can view this interview (here).
Extreme facilitation: Guiding groups through controversy and complexity is, in my opinion, an excellent guidance for anyone who facilitates outcomes in challenging times. By reading through the book, you will find ideas for techniques that you can use, and the foundational philosophies and insights that Suzanne has gained across her work as an international peace negotiator, facilitator, coach, and mediator.
It is an excellent resource to also help you to grow your presence as one who can facilitate outcomes for others. I strongly recommend this book, as it has helped me on my facilitation path, again and again.
For more information about Suzanne, her work in producing a more peaceful and productive world, as well as her current projects and thinking - subscribe to her webpage: www.sghais.com
