outdoors Archives | Barbara Pedersen

We forgot the chili. (Everyday lessons for facilitation and strategic planning)

barbara pedersen June 10, 2026June 10, 2026 business, business planning, consulting, Conversation, design, Dialogue, Discussion, facilitation, holidays, in-person facilitation, lessons, Life Work Balance, nature, outdoors, Planning, process, Simplicity, stories, storytelling, strategic planning, summer

My husband and I have camped and hiked for five decades in mountains, prairies, and woodlands. We’ve stayed in backpacking tents, tent trailers, and motorhomes. We consider ourselves experienced campers. Yet a few small mistakes on a recent three-day camping

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

Facilitation inspired by nature

barbara pedersen September 23, 2021September 23, 2021 consulting, Conversation, design, Discussion, facilitation, landscape, nature, online facilitation, outdoors, Planning, reading, silence, strategic planning, virtual, virtual facilitation

I hike, bike, and camp in the mountains to relax, to have a change of pace from the routine of daily life, to recharge creativity, and to challenge myself. While I purposely do not think of work, I find that

SUCCESS – it’s not always what you see. A garden analogy for facilitating teams and organizations

barbara pedersen July 19, 2021July 19, 2021 consulting, Conversation, design, Dialogue, Discussion, facilitation, Fun, gardening, lessons, listening, nature, nonprofit, online facilitation, outdoors, Planning, Simplicity, strategic planning, summer, Talking, technology, virtual, virtual facilitation, Visual facilitation

I am a member of a local community garden and last week, saw this sign drawn by a gardener on a whiteboard in our garden shed. Stay encouraged, be positive. SUCCESS – it’s not always what you see. I immediately

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