And yes, it’s about expectations. Why are we getting together…really? What are the clearly spelled out deliverables? Who needs to be in the room, and who should be left out? Why? What have we determined prior to the meeting about the contributions and leadership opportunities for the participants? Is it just an agenda or a specific roadmap? What conversations and research needs to be done prior to the gathering, to leverage output? What’s the right balance between envisioning a perfect gathering outcome while keeping the vibe fluid?

Our time is precious. It is our most valuable currency and yet we have all participated in many gatherings that are unproductive. We regularly put our most valuable resource (people) together with our most precious asset (time) and commonly achieve less than stellar results. It all becomes very expensive.

But conversely, if gatherings are pre-planned properly, if we have the right participants, in the right mindset, with a clear understanding of the mission, then we can achieve remarkable outcomes…..

Missions are generally successful when instructions to the team are explicit. You know – clear, direct, straight-forward, detailed, candid, precise and comprehensive. It might seem obvious, but a lot of this clarity comes from the proper preparation before anyone sits down. If one does the proper pre-work, then odds are on success.

The job of the facilitator is part leadership, part guidance, and part coach. He or she makes sure that everyone on the bench gets to play. But, once on the floor, all the players need to individually and collectively know how to get to the basket.

We all need to listen to each other more. I mean… really listen to each other, because most of us think talking is way more fun. The key is, we need everyone in that gathering to be recognized, respected and rewarded and that’s the facilitator’s job – to bring that energy and feeling of collective safety out in each member of the group. When everyone is feeding off each other’s great ideas, wonderful things can happen. We achieve this by using the right stimulus tools and by asking the right questions, clarifying, probing and exploring as a group.

How many gatherings have we all been to, where we have a fantastic, great energy filled meeting – but then nothing comes of it? Well, let’s be honest – it’s a bummer, and it’s an especially big bummer for the participants, when they are invited to another meeting…..for what?

With most clients, I prep for the meeting, do my very best to run a very good meeting and then follow up to ensure that stuff gets done. This is the reward for the participants – they were actively listened to in the meeting and outcomes were created based on their thinking. That’s a very important, motivating outcome that powers future gatherings and builds culture – whether your organization is made up of three people or thirty. This action closes the loop and builds great credibility for the group that came together in a gathering to produce results.

I’m a facilitator, strategist, and endlessly curious human.

Over my career, I’ve held senior leadership roles in major organizations, guided national brands, and run my own brand consultancy. I’ve helped clients like McDonald’s Restaurants of Canada, DDB Canada, UBC’s Sauder School of Business, the Canadian Tourism Commission, Sobey’s Canada, Beedie Development, The Land Title Survey Authority of British Columbia and many more shape strategy and culture through thoughtful, well-run gatherings.

In 2024, I earned my Advanced Professional Facilitation accreditation from Royal Roads University, adding to an MBA in Executive Leadership and decades of practical experience guiding teams to clear, actionable results.

Most of all, I love seeing what happens when a room full of people feels safe to listen, challenge, create, and commit – together.