Group Facilitation, Training and Coaching for Individuals and Organizations.

I’ve designed these services to strengthen the facilitative leadership and the collaborative capacity of leaders and organizations.

Professional Group Facilitation

Participative Strategic Planning - Sierra Circle Consulting engages leaders, boards, and management teams in a unique and effective strategic planning process that builds consensus and ownership, and energizes commitment to implement action plans from individuals and teams. 

Collaborative Action Planning - I facilitate those responsible for implementing a project, producing a special event or designing a campaign in a short-tem practical planning process. They decide together how to accomplish their task using a collective integrated process that includes getting the big picture, what they envision  success looks like, task team planning, a calendar of actions and specific individual assignments.

Strategy Implementation Support - Don’t leave implementation to chance; build it into your ongoing work. We provide monthly check-signals meetings with action team leaders to keep momentum high and ensure implementation moves forward.

Meeting Facilitation - I design and facilitate participative community forums, annual review meetings, focus groups, staff conferences and other organizational events. This frees leaders from having to “run” the meeting so they can focus on content and share ideas and insights as one of the group.

“Thank you for your wisdom, insights, and enormous skill working with San Joaquin county. I don’t know of anyone else who would have been directed or skilled enough to keep the “wild horses” from running totally amok through/over the process. Again, thank you!”  Nathana Humphreys, San Joaquin A+ Committee.

Large-Scale Change Meetings - The Technology of Participation (ToP®) methods are foundational to my work. When appropriate, I also facilitate these processes: Appreciative Inquiry, Open Space, and Future Search Conferences.

Transformative Training

ToP® Facilitation Methods -  This seminar will give you three sure-fire methods to fully engage groups in creative dialogue, consensus decision-making, and collaborative action planning. It is a pre-requisite to other ToP® courses.

ToP® Participative Strategic Planning - In this seminar you will learn how to use the basic ToP® methods in an unique non-linear framework that moves a group through five steps to develop a shared vision and breakthrough strategies, building consensus at each step of the way. Go here for more detail on these ToP® training workshops. 

“My experience in the two day public seminar was so posistive: The methods are simple, straightforward and powerful in helping diverse groups to produce tangible results in a short timeframe. They generate and focus energy on achieving common goals.’ Laura Peck, OD Consultant, Kaiser Permanente

 ”These two days shifted my image of ‘facilitation’ from that of enabling to that of facilitating to theat of CATALYZING!” A participant’s comment on a survey conducted by University of St. Thomas

Custom-Designed In-House Training and Presentations for organizations or professional association meetings and conferences.

• “The Magic of Meetings” - Learn the 5-steps and key elements of designing meaningful productive group meetings. 
• “The Human Side of Change”- Explore the dynamics of change, the transition that people go through when change occurs, and learn the key actions for successfully guiding the human side of organizational change.
• “Healthy Team Dynamics” - The basic dynamics that work groups must have to transform themselves into “real” high performing teams.
• “How to Design and Lead Participative Events” - What it takes to have events that are both effective and fun.

Management Development Off-site Retreats - These retreats are designed to meet the objectives and outcomes you desire such as leadership or team development, strategic planning, or to reward and celebrate outstanding achievement.

Catalytic Coaching and Mentoring

Facilitative Leadership Coaching -in one-on-one or small group settings I work with executives and managers to provide techniques, guidance and support to help them develop a facilitative style and build a more participative culture in their organization.

ToP® Methods Coaching - online and telephone support for ToP Trainers Network members who want to go deeper into methods application with support from a Mentor Trainer.

Also online and telephone support for group leaders, consultants, facilitators, and trainers who use the ToP® methods in their organization or with clients who want to improve and expand their facilitation skills or support in designing participative events.

Strategic Action Coaching - support for people who work alone (solo entrepreneurs & independent professionals) or with a small group to align their vision, mission and strategies. You will see the big picture, get clarity and focus on your direction, put wheels under your hopes and dreams, and maintain the motivation and momentum to work your plan.

“After only a half-day intensive coaching session with Pat, I went to Singapore confident that I was thoroughly prepared and came back with a signed contract. She’s a real pro!” Nadine Newlight, Principal, Real Foods Club

For more information about responsible participation and facilitation go to my Free Stuff page to find resources, book reviews, and articles that I and my colleagues have written.