Making group work easy

Schiola sets out a step-by-step method that teachers and school administrators can use to plan and lead group gatherings that accomplish something. The approach starts before anyone sits down: the leader defines why the meeting is being held, the group agrees on how it will work together, and the agenda is built around those decisions. Because this structure carries over easily, it can be reused from one meeting to the next.

The book also covers the moments that tend to derail a group. It explains how to respond when discussion becomes disorderly, when the group cannot agree, or when a member refuses to cooperate. Readers will also find decision-making techniques that bring every participant into the conversation, along with methods for ranking several competing tasks in order of importance.

By combining advance preparation with strategies for handling problems as they arise, the book aims to prepare readers to facilitate meetings effectively, whatever their level of experience.