Whether getting together in person for problem-solving, planning, or idea-sharing, many employees are thrilled with the opportunity to engage in active discussion when management is truly interested in their input. I’ve seen the positive impact of these employee gatherings first-hand in my work as a facilitator and trainer. Individual, team, and organizational benefits of effective
“When I grow up, I want to be a facilitator.” I never said those words to my parents and teachers but that’s ultimately what happened. For the past 30 years, I’ve been developing and refining my skills as a facilitator, and it’s an ongoing endeavor. It’s about people and purpose Facilitation is “a powerful way of working
While I typically speak about employee/volunteer engagement with people currently active in the workforce, the prospect of being with an audience of retirees was too good to pass up. My recent session for Penn State Lehigh Valley’s SAGE Lecture Series was designed with a dual purpose: 1) share the current state of workplace engagement and 2) tap into
Move aside attention deficit – not the clinical kind but the one found in the workplace where people are overwhelmed and/or distracted by constant communication from too many directives, emails, text messages, phone calls, social media, etc. A serious consequence of this distraction is intention deficit, or more aptly, intentional deficit. It’s not that managers
From important historical figures and contemporary business leaders, here are my favorite quotes on how working together makes a difference. “The value in human interaction is greater collective wisdom as a result of improved communication and collaboration.” Michael Katz “In speaking, we humanize ourselves. In listening, we bring our worlds together. In learning, we create
I recently shared why it’s important to commit time for strategic marketing planning. Based on my combined experience as a marketer and planning facilitator, here are my top three tips for developing a successful planning session. 1. Be Mission-focused. The basis for your strategic marketing plan is rooted in your organization’s mission. If your marketing
It’s a common lament among many marketers today – their work is more reactive than proactive. While they acknowledge the need for formal marketing planning, they’re overwhelmed and pressed for time dealing with customers, co-workers, information overload and other work demands. So they wrestle with whatever marketing projections and data are needed to compile an annual
As promised in my last post: in honor of the International Facilitation Week being observed this week, here are some of the facilitator tools I use most often. For asking the right questions: One of my favorite resources is Questions that Work: A Resource for Facililtators by Dorothy Strachan. This book is not only loaded with important questions,
Trust me, I never said that to my parents and teachers. But that’s what’s happened as my career evolved, and I’ve spent most of my 25 years with Quality Service Marketing developing and refining my skills as a facilitator. What is facilitation? “It’s a powerful way of working that gives everyone a chance to be an active part of
How do you manage working with others when you’re responsible for a project they’re involved with, yet you’re given limited or no authority to get the work done? While I do not recommend this approach, I’ve observed it in many organizations due to reasons that involve internal politics, lack of role clarity, and unshared commitment