fierce conversations

Nodding while facilitating and the unexpected consequences

barbara pedersen Belonging, business, collaboration, complexity, consulting, Conversation, design, Discussion, Diversity, Equity, facilitation, feedback, fierce conversations, hybrid sessions, in-person facilitation, Inclusion, Indigenous people, intersectionality, lessons, listening, online facilitation, Planning, process, silence, strategic planning, Talking, team building, team work, technology, virtual, virtual facilitation, Visual facilitation
woman nodding her head and smiling

I nodded while facilitating and learned a lesson I won’t forget. Some time ago, I facilitated a small online focus group to gather community input for a nonprofit initiative. As I listened carefully to each participant, I unconsciously nodded my

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barbara pedersen business, business planning, collaboration, community, complexity, consulting, Conversation, design, Dialogue, Discussion, Diversity, facilitation, feedback, fierce conversations, hybrid sessions, in-person facilitation, Inclusion, intersectionality, listening, online facilitation, Planning, process, Simplicity, storytelling, strategic planning, Talking, team building, team work, Trends, virtual facilitation, Visual facilitation

This week, an organization I worked with most recently in 2021 asked me to facilitate a strategic planning process. This opportunity, coming from the success of a project four years ago, made me reflect on my approaches with clients. Here

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Experience. Renewal. Celebration

barbara pedersen Belonging, business, business planning, collaboration, community, consulting, Conversation, design, Dialogue, Discussion, Diversity, facilitation, fierce conversations, Fun, governance, hybrid sessions, in-person facilitation, Inclusion, lessons, Life Work Balance, listening, nonprofit, online facilitation, Planning, process, reading, Simplicity, stories, storytelling, strategic planning, Talking, team building, team work, technology, Trends, virtual, virtual facilitation, Visual facilitation
Experience. Renewal. Celebration

I recently celebrated 30 years of my facilitation business and coincidentally recertified as a Certified Professional Facilitator with the International Association of Facilitators (IAF). These milestones got me thinking about experience, renewal, and celebration. I hope my musings help anyone

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Using outcomes to create clarity through chaos.

barbara pedersen Belonging, business, business planning, collaboration, community, complexity, consulting, Conversation, design, Dialogue, Discussion, facilitation, fierce conversations, Fun, Future forecasting, governance, hybrid sessions, in-person facilitation, Inclusion, lessons, listening, nonprofit, online facilitation, Planning, Simplicity, stories, storytelling, team building, team work, virtual, virtual facilitation, Visual facilitation

“Clarity through chaos.” “We came together and found we had a common goal.”  I value this feedback from participants in two sessions I facilitated recently. Their success started when the group and I met before the session and articulated clear

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