Fun

Oops. A facilitator’s mishap is a good reminder that I can adapt

barbara pedersen business, collaboration, complexity, consulting, Conversation, design, Dialogue, Discussion, Diversity, facilitation, Fun, hybrid sessions, in-person facilitation, Inclusion, listening, nonprofit, online facilitation, Planning, process, Simplicity, storytelling, strategic planning, team building, team work, virtual, virtual facilitation, Visual facilitation

I enjoy successfully facilitating strategic planning, team building, conflict resolution, idea generation, focus groups, and other sessions. To keep things balanced, here’s my recent facilitation blooper and a timely reminder. I arrived at a hotel for a 1½-day, in-person strategic

Read more

Facilitation is inspired by urban recreation planning

barbara pedersen Belonging, collaboration, community, Conversation, design, Dialogue, Discussion, Diversity, Equity, facilitation, Family, Fun, Inclusion, intersectionality, listening, online facilitation, outdoors, Planning, process, Simplicity, strategic planning, summer, Talking, virtual facilitation, Visual facilitation
Children, adults, and pets at an accessible playground

Inspiration for facilitation comes from many sources. In this post, I apply themes from urban planning to facilitation. “If you build it, they might not come.” When I read this sentence about accessible public recreation spaces, I immediately thought, “If

Read more

Everything you want to know (or say) … and are afraid to ask (or say.)

barbara pedersen business, community, complexity, consulting, Conversation, design, Dialogue, Discussion, Diversity, facilitation, feedback, Fun, in-person facilitation, Inclusion, lessons, listening, Planning, process, Simplicity, stories, storytelling, strategic planning, team building, team work, virtual, virtual facilitation
Everything you want to know (or say) … and are afraid to ask (or say.)

I use a simple yet impactful facilitation activity that encourages participants in meetings and sessions to express their concerns, hopes, and fears without worrying about being disregarded, looked down upon, ridiculed, or punished. It’s called “everything I want to know

Read more

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

Read more