Category Archives: Facilitation Stories

Stories about Facilitation and Authentic Participation

Reflecting on the Past Created an Aha! that Changed the Future

Our underlying images of ourself and the world have a profound effect on our mental health and our behaviour. Messages that come to us in all kinds of ways can change those images. When those images change, our behaviour changes. … Continue reading

Posted in Facilitation Stories, ToP Tools, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Healing Wounds by Sharing the Journey

(Photo is not of this story, but it is a creative Journey Wall.) Around 30 years ago, two community service organizations were serving a similar niche in an overlapping geographical area. One of these organizations was very large, with a … Continue reading

Posted in Facilitation Stories, ToP Tools, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Addressing a Culture of Conflict within an Organization

This post was originally posted as “Organizational Transformation through Facilitation” in June, 2015. I think it may be informative in 2025, so I am reposting it. Once I had a client whose understanding of their mandate and mission was to … Continue reading

Posted in Facilitation Stories, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

One Story of Integrity as a Facilitator

The memory of this story was catalyzed by a LinkedIn Post by a colleague who talked about her experience of the power of personal integrity as a facilitator in choosing work. Many years ago, after a successful facilitation with a … Continue reading

Posted in Facilitation Stories | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

“No Time for Planning a Meeting”

I have heard this more and more often. Huge demands for productivity in meetings, but less and less time allotted to them. Here is a story of a team’s discovery about the impact of taking time to prepare a meeting. … Continue reading

Posted in Facilitation Stories, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Addressing Distrust in a Public Consultation with a Focused Conversation

A school district needed to address the fact that some schools were very old and needed very expensive renovation, and that there were new neighbourhoods in the city that needed new schools.  The budget was limited and not everything could … Continue reading

Posted in Facilitation Stories, Useful Conversations | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

History of Developing the ToP Action Planning Process for Strategic Planning

In 1988, non-profit organizations were required to have a strategic plan in order to get their funding from the province for the next year.  Wayne and I facilitated ToP strategic planning for each of 12 regional non-profit organizations that were … Continue reading

Posted in Facilitation Stories, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Listening to Polarized Viewpoints and Creating Consensus

Currently we are more and more aware of social issues facing our society – such as addictions as in alcohol, gambling, and illegal drug use; as well as unemployment and job loss, housing, etc.  Many social issues trigger emotional responses … Continue reading

Posted in Facilitation Stories, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Using the Organizational Journey Map

This Map is copyrighted: Copyright Canadian Institute of Cultural Affairs, 1998 Usually the best way to use the Organizational Journey Map is to work with a group in the same room that represents all the levels of the organization, or … Continue reading

Posted in Facilitation Stories, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

From SWOT to SWTO

Most people remember the acronym SWOT for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats. One time I had a client ask to do a SWOT before they renewed their strategic plan.  It was a difficult time right after a provincial election that was … Continue reading

Posted in Facilitation Stories | Tagged , | Leave a comment