Planning Archives | Barbara Pedersen

Structure and flexibility in strategic planning

barbara pedersen September 3, 2025September 3, 2025 business, business planning, Dialogue, Discussion, Diversity, facilitation, Planning, process, strategic planning, team building, team work

Facilitating strategic planning with nonprofit and corporate organizations is a large part of my business. At the heart of my strategic planning approach is the Technology of Participation (ToPTM)’s participatory strategic planning methodology. ICA Associates in Toronto, Canada taught me

Nodding while facilitating and the unexpected consequences

barbara pedersen September 1, 2025September 1, 2025 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

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

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

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,

Facilitation is inspired by urban recreation planning

barbara pedersen April 3, 2025April 3, 2025 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

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