Below are a number of other ways that we help groups make good decisions (apart from meeting facilitation, professional development training, team building, and talks/keynotes).
New Organization Start-Up
Starting a new organization? We can help you get off to a great start!
We can help you define your vision, mission, and goals (by any name and with any level of detail you choose). When starting a new organization it is critical to know just where you are headed; we can help you define that. We would encourage you to look at "the competition" to see who else currently does things similar to you, why your specific approach is needed, and help define "your niche." We would offer ways to involve key stakeholders and widespread constituents alike so that there is considerable "buy-in" at the start.
We can help you with establishing your operating rules - offering several options regarding how to handle membership, board appointments, standing committees, meeting guidelines and provide pros and cons of various approaches. We can draft by-laws for you based on your desires and help you get off to a good start practicing what's written.
We can help with work plan development, budget development, even fundraising. We can help define the specific things that the organization intends to accomplish, and how. We can help you establish a budget. And we can write language for you that describe your proposed work in ways that compel the interests of potential funders.
Strategic Planning
Board members and staff of high functioning organizations are busy people. It's hard to find time for in-depth strategic planning. We have designed a one-day format to help busy people and their organizations consider strategic issues and prepare a written plan. with maximum efficiency.
We can do multiple, shorter sessions if your group cannot get away for a whole day or longer, multi-day sessions if your group wishes to spend more than one day on strategic planning. Often in advance of strategic planning sessions, we survey board members, staff, stakeholders, and/or customers to help decision makers understand deeper views and wider perspective on the issues.
For your investment of time and money, here's what you get:
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Shared understanding of major issues facing your organization
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Shared appreciation for the environment in which your organization operates
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Clarity on what distinguishes your organization from others
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Clear sense of where the organization is heading and specifics on how to get there
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Enthusiasm for working together to achieve common goals
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Specific "to do" lists to begin implementation immediately
...and a written Strategic Plan
Shortly after your strategic planning session, we will provide you with a Draft Strategic Plan based entirely on information shared and decisions made during the session. You will have an opportunity to review and edit the plan and then we will prepare a final version suitable for internal and external publication, as you like. The plan will be well-written, well-organized, and nicely-formatted.
Secretariat Services
Many groups hire us to provide Secretariat Services which includes the following:
- We set up and maintain a group website for posting of meeting schedules, past meeting notes, and other group information. Click here to view a sample website that we set up for a client.
- We establish and maintain a group List Serve.
- We serve as the group's point of contact. Our phone number is used for outsiders wishing to contact the group and we set up a special e-mail address with the name of your group that anyone can write to in order to reach the group.
- We maintain an accurate contact list of all participants.
- We handle all group correspondence such as advance notice of meetings, distribution of meeting notes, and distribution of special briefs and points of information.
- We arrange meeting facilities and refreshments.
- We handle group finances associated with meetings such as payment for facilities and refreshments.
Mergers and Collaborations
Is your group or organization considering collaborating or even merging with another? In many such instances it can make all the difference to have a skilled, neutral facilitator.
Sometimes two or more organizations jointly hire us to facilitate their collaborative efforts. We have helped organizations establish joint programs and even merge entirely.
We typically work with a joint task force of sorts and begin by establishing operating guidelines for our work and a clear sense of what we are trying to achieve together. Typically, the organizations are treated as equal partners and we play the role of "neutral broker." Over a series of meetings we can help you design your collaboration. We can also offer advice on how to engage constituents of each organization. We can bring you to the point of a signed agreement on a formal collaboration or merger if that is your desire.
Research and Report Preparation
Facilitating good group decisions isn't all about facilitating meetings; it's also about facilitating the sharing of good information. We are experts at gathering data and presenting it in user-friendly ways.
We often perform research for leaders and groups such as best practice research, numeric data collection and analysis, and survey design and administration. We often produce indicators reports, policy briefs, multi-media presentations, and other reports.
We can manage virtully any research and writing process for your group from start to finish.
While we offer research and reporting services to assist on any topic, we have particular expertise in
Mediation
Where "facilitation" is typically working with a group of people to make good decisions, "mediation" is typically working with just two people, or two parties, that are in some sort of adversarial relationship.
Clients hire us to mediate conflicts; that is, work with the adversarial parties in a confidential process to help them see each other's perspective and find resolution. We bring all parties together in a manner that feels safe and encourages communication. We help people learn about their own and others' underlying interests, which often are very different from stated positions.
People make their own decisions in mediation. We do not impose our issues or make decisions for them. Agreements arising from mediation are much more likely to be upheld than those imposed by a boss or a judge.
Benefits of Mediation:
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Mediation is confidential
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Parties control the decisions and outcomes
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Parties have the opportunity to express their thoughts and feelings
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The process is faster and less expensive than litigation
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Resolution can often be reached in one session. More sessions can be scheduled as needed
If there is a conflict in your group that is getting in the way of productivity and efficiency, consider hiring Good Group Decisions to help the parties understand each other, confront their conflict, and resolve it peacefully.