Whetstone Professional Facilitation
Sharpening an Organization's Edge
The Why
Facilitate: to make an action or process easy, the very reason why Whetstone exists. We make any sort of gathering easy, regardless of its purpose — to educate, to team build, to reduce conflict, to develop strategies, to design organizations, to increase performance, to enhance fulfillment — by providing expert delivery of content and beneficial guidance of the process. We ensure that the design of the session, its objectives, its flow, and the achievement of its outcomes are all readily accomplished in a cost-effective manner. And we further ensure that everyone who should be a full-time participant in the session can be, while we make certain the session is properly led and managed, and achieves the desired and expected outcomes.
The What
Facilitating can be applied in different gatherings and used for a multitude of purposes including but not limited to:
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"Offsite" Meetings
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"Town Hall" Meetings
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Planning Sessions
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Preparation, Distribution & Analysis of Surveys
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Role and Responsibility Clarification Sessions
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Work Process Engineering, Re-engineering & Transformation
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Systematic Change Initiatives
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Talent Assessment/Selection Systems
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Training & Development Curricula
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"Future Search" Strategic Planning Sessions
The How
It all starts with an idea, a vision, of what might be achievable — a more educated workforce, a better strategic plan, a refreshed brand. Then, specific goals and objectives become formulated targeted outcomes. The design is developed, whether for educating and enhancing skills, or moving a team or an organization in a new direction. Requisite materials, exercises and activities are constructed, each with a specific purpose. And then there’s the expert delivery, be it didactic or Socratic, indoors or outdoors, in a morning session or a five-day residential workshop, in-person or virtual, always with one overarching goal: to sharpen an organization’s edge.
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Process Facilitation
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Paying attention to group process in addition to content in order to "make easy" any meeting or forum involving groups of people or teams
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Drawing out each participant's ideas, opinions, beliefs, suggestions, wants, and needs, while managing time to best achieve objectives
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Directing the flow of communication so that the purpose of the meeting is fulfilled, while ensuring that all of the participants are fully engaged
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Guiding the group to work more efficiently to create synergy, generate new ideas, and gain consensus and alignment of specific outcomes
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Helping participants identify the issues, providing a process to address those issues, creating a safe environment in which all voices can be heard, enforcing communication guidelines, and helping the group stay focused on its goals
Content Facilitation
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Delegating more effectively
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Addressing conflict effectively in the moment
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Building a solid team
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Developing a cohesive group
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Producing fulfillment to enhance performance
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Leading and managing
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Communicating really well, verbally and in writing, with everyone
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Presenting a point of view very persuasively
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Focusing on new critical issues
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Matching your style to the needs of others
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Setting goals and expectations properly
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Making transition and change easier