Our Approach: Group Facilitation at DSC
Developing stronger communities through bringing people together is what we do. Wherever you find yourself as a leader, team, agency, civic or community group, we can help you build on your strengths and engage participants through process design, facilitation, multi-party mediation, training and advising.
As a result, you will better understand where you want to go and why, what’s working about your current reality, what’s getting in your way and what to do next.
Types of Services
Team development
- Wanting to get a new team started off on a productive track?
- Looking to take an existing team from good to great?
- Finding a team stuck in bad habits, poor communication & conflict?
We will work with you to develop a framework to support your ongoing team growth and development. This starts with getting to know each other better, building trust, establishing positive communication and strengthening the muscles around giving and receiving feedback. The next steps? Clarifying roles; skillfully making decision; committing to guidelines for working together; setting and implementing priorities and action timelines; and determining what success looks.
Building partnerships
- Initiating cross-agency or cross sector collaboration?
- Wanting a framework for effective action?
- Need to develop coordination between departments?
We bring tried and true approaches to building cross-sector coalitions, advisory groups, joint implementation teams that work together to make a positive difference in their field. It starts a clear vision for where you’re going and why it’s crucial for the group to work together to achieve it. Next steps include uncovering unique roles, defining and committing to collaboration and clear communication.
Employee engagement & culture change
- Wanting to see staff take on more ownership & initiative?
- Feeling a culture that’s stagnant, stuck, siloed or risk averse?
- Worried about cliques, hierarchies, a culture with a prevalence of “us versus them”?
We can help you build on organizational strengths, values, vision to address workplace culture concerns and develop a more inclusive and engaged workforce.
Meeting and retreat planning & facilitation
- Is it time for a team, board, organization retreat, but would like to leave the design and facilitation to experts so you can fully participate?
- Wondering how you’re going to manage conversation flow so you still get out on time & accomplish your goals?
We can work with you to design and facilitate meetings and retreats that advance your group toward your vision and the positive impact you’re looking for with your community. We’re quick studies and great listeners, synthesizing and testing what we hear to clarify goals and present effective and efficient agendas. For leaders, this means you can be a full participant.
Strategic priority setting
- Wanting to align your purpose/vision/values/goals/actions?
- At a new phase in your organizational history and not sure what to do next?
- Looking for a purposeful, efficient process for identifying your path forward?
Working from your strengths and successes, we can help you get to the next level through a robust process of aligning what matters most to you with an ambitious yet achievable vision with concrete goals and decision making. We help you build your action map to get you to where you want to be in ways that stretch you and support you – all within a real world context that recognizes the many moving parts that affect your work.
Customized training
- Looking to equip your group with common best practices, vocabulary and shared understanding to improve the way you work together?
We can work with you to identify the content that best meets your group’s needs. Possibilities include, but aren’t limited to:
- Building agendas that build trust & get stuff done
- 5 Tools for a great meeting
- Team building that works
- What high performing teams look like & how to get yours there
- Creating a positive culture – what you can do right now
- Micro-contracting – diagnosing and addressing accountability breakdowns
- Evaluating meetings for maximum effectiveness
- Group problem solving techniques
Public participation forums & processes
- Wanting to hear from constituents about an issue?
- Seeking an organized approach to gathering input?
- Wanting a moderator?
Our background in crafting public forums and processes will engage the public to explore issues and identify possible solutions. Whether it’s an open forum, structured facilitation opportunity or innovative, creative engagement, we can help participants feel welcomed and gather the input you need.
Advising
- Want to deepen your leadership via one-on-one sessions?
- Interested having a thought partner to help you design processes and meetings.
- Just need to talk to someone about workplace challenges?
We can set up short or long-term engagements to support you in what you need.
Selected Clients
Coalitions & Collaborations
Orange County Intergovernmental Collaboration
Think Babies!TM Statewide Coalition
Family Engagement & Leadership Statewide Coalition
Pathways to Grade Level Reading Statewide Coalition
Durham PreK Implementation
Local Governments
Town of Elon
Town of Carrboro
Orange County
Wake County
Higher Education
School of Public Health Advancement Team
UNC School of Government
North Carolina Institute of Public Heath
PreK-12
Wake County Public Schools
Orange County Public Schools
Durham Universal PreK Implementation team
Duke School
Chapel Hill/Carrboro Public Schools
Nonprofits
Chapel Hill Meals on Wheels
El Futuro
Ipas
The Sun