Posts Tagged ‘strategic facilitation’
Facilitating Beyond the Crisis in Thinking
. Typically, my posts try to capture original thoughts related to facilitation and process. This week, however, has been one of rich discovery and learning from the words of others. In this post, I am lacing together the knowledge of others in a synthesis of ideas to reinforce my practice foundation ...Read More
Facilitating Meaningful Differences between Vision and Mission
. As a facilitator I work with a range of social sector organizations on strategic and business planning processes. In my work, I often encounter ambiguity about the difference between a vision and mission statement. In some cases, I will hear an executive director or board chair say something like, “Our ...Read More
Facilitating for Simplicity and Clarity
. I have been using Twitter in my practice for about six months now. My account @facilitationpro is primarily a place where I promote and cultivate the practice of information scanning and knowledge management. To stay current in the fields of performance improvement, nonprofit management and trends in philanthropy, I scan ...Read More
Five Principles of a Solution-Focused Facilitation Process
. In my consulting I have made it a practice to discuss with clients my philosophical approach and the foundational theories that I use to in facilitation. I find this is often time well spent because it helps to create a shared space for our working relationship. One “shared space” discussion ...Read More
Facilitating Conversations on Collaboration
. In my last post I asserted that the nonprofit organizations of tomorrow are being born out of the economic crisis of today. In this current economic turmoil, there are many voices counseling the nonprofit world to increase “collaboration.” Unfortunately, many of these experts are using “collaboration” as euphemism for “merger ...Read More
Facilitating Nonprofit Strategy in Economic Uncertainty
. I recently read, yet one more so-called expert advice column promoting the ultimatum of “merge” or “die” as the pathway for many nonprofits. In this iteration, the ultimatum arises out of the knee jerk reaction caused by the recent economic downturn. Citing duplication of service and competition for scarce resources, ...Read More
Empowerment Education in Facilitation
. Raise you hand if in the last three months you have sat in a meeting that was dominated by process model of information presentation ==> discussion ==> and decision; followed by information presentation ==> discussion ==> and decision, in a pattern that was repeated until the end of the meeting? ...Read More
Facilitating for Government & Governance
. Over the course of my career I have studied with many talented facilitation mentors from both the organizational development world and the world of community organization. Studying and, more importantly, practicing in both worlds has helped me develop an understanding that there are two facilitation disciplines that require different sets ...Read More
Facilitating Knowledge Creation & Management
. As groups and teams work together on planning or performance improvement initiatives there is often a secondary agenda of creating and capturing knowledge. So, for example a healthcare team wanting to improve patient services might meet to develop a series of rapid cycle tests using the Plan, Do, Study, Act ...Read More
Facilitating Community Engagement: Skills and Competencies
. I have been fortunate enough through my career to have sat as a member of community coalitions and advisory groups that were highly effective. In my Master's degree program I studied community engagement processes and been mentored by some very skilled community leaders. I have also had the fortune of ...Read More