A Strategic Communications Plan Would Have Avoided Conflict A lack of communication by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) appears to have been a key factor in U.S. District Judge Gloria Navarro’s decision to dismiss charges filed by the federal government against Cliven Bundy earlier this year. A clearly written and followed strategic communications… read more →
John Godec was asked to give a facilitation skill training to the IAP2 via webinar. As this training was for a sold out group of members, we thought that you would enjoy having this training for yourself. This is part 3 in the series. If you missed the earlier two parts, you may want to… read more →
Dear Valued Associate, This week is one of my favorite annual work events. Every year around this time I get to spend several days with a bunch of extremely smart graduate students on the brink of launching their careers. They’re committed, enthusiastic, not yet jaded and teaching them always gets my juices flowing – it’s a… read more →
John Godec was asked to be part of the IAP2 webinar training on the topics of facilitative mediation, emotions and outrage. He talks about what a facilitator does to deal with people’s emotions. Since this training was for a sold out group of members, we thought that you would benefit from having this training available.… read more →
Recently, John Godec was asked to be part of the IAP2 webinar training. It was his great honor to present facilitative mediation, emotions and outrage to a sold out group of members. Since it was a sold out group and a dynamic discussion, we thought that you, our dear reader, would appreciate having this training… read more →
Dear Valued Associate, I hope spring has come to your house in the northern hemisphere. We honor this season in the desert by the semi-annual changing of the ceiling fan direction (blowing up in winter, down in summer) and (of course) blade dusting. Dilly, dilly! I haven’t quite reached the age of needing Velcro sneakers and… read more →
Power Balance Requires a Facilitator Role The subject of Power is so vast that it’s hard to tackle from any angle. Power is the warp and weft in the tapestry of human history. Power grabs, power imbalances, abuses of power, struggles against power. The subject is just as ubiquitous today as it was during the… read more →
Dear Valued Associate, Human behavior and dealing with the emotional states of people are uncomfortable topics for most professionals. C-suite types, scientists, lawyers, planners, engineers, etc., typically don’t do emotion and they get queasy when we bring it up. Emotions are apparently to be discussed only in the privacy of their own home – and even then, reluctantly,… read more →
I really do try to steer clear of the pure politics of public policy issues but it’s impossible to ignore the Valentine’s Day massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, the gutsy response of the #NeverAgain surviving students and now the blowback of people demonizing those courageous,articulate kids online and in traditional media. And I’ll admit… read more →
Digital communication has truly transformed public participation but it’s not an automatic or comprehensive solution to working with the public. It does not solve everything. Thus, it is important to choose your digital tools wisely in order to promote the collaborative process. What’s In Your Toolbox? When I look at my digital toolbox I think… read more →