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 →
Dear Valued Associate, Being glued to your television (or other device) watching the hot curling finals can be exhausting and I thought you might need a break – so here it is. Here’s hoping that you stick all of your Salchows and Lutzs this month. Stay curious, Godec Expert Facilitation OK, let’s just say really… read more →
OK, so this may not be the most politically correct headline for a blog today, but I will stand by it. For over 20 years, before cell phones made the effort moot, Ma Bell and later AT&T used this slogan to get people to call long distance. It turns out to be more than just… read more →