lessons Archives | Barbara Pedersen

Saying yes or no. Passion, Purpose, Performance, Profit – a balancing act!

barbara pedersen April 21, 2025April 21, 2025 Belonging, business, business planning, collaboration, community, complexity, consulting, Conversation, design, Discussion, Diversity, facilitation, feedback, in-person facilitation, lessons, nonprofit, Planning, strategic planning, team building, team work, Visual facilitation No Comments

Self-employed facilitators, trainers, and consultants work with great passion and a strong belief in the benefits they can bring to individuals, organizations, and communities. At the same time, we must remember we run businesses and need to make money. Occasionally,

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

barbara pedersen January 1, 2025 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

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

Feedback about me.

barbara pedersen September 26, 2024 Belonging, ChatGPT, collaboration, community, complexity, Conversation, Dialogue, Discussion, Diversity, Equity, facilitation, feedback, hybrid sessions, in-person facilitation, Inclusion, intersectionality, lessons, listening, online facilitation, Planning, process, reading, silence, Simplicity, stories, storytelling, team work, virtual facilitation, Visual facilitation

I rarely ask for feedback or evaluation specifically about me at the end of a session I have facilitated. I refer to sessions where the group determines the outcomes and invites me to facilitate the discussion and decision-making processes. These

Experience. Renewal. Celebration

barbara pedersen June 12, 2024June 12, 2024 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

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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