Client Services

If you want to change the world - or the culture - you have to change the conversation. In the beginning was “the word” - that was how the Bible started. A deeper conversation is the first action because it builds the relationships necessary to accomplish anything.
Peter Block

To achieve lasting change of any scale, those affected and involved must be committed to that change. I design and facilitate forums and applications -- for communities, for volunteers and for community service staff (non-profit or government) -- to tap collective wisdom, organize ideas and generate team-wide commitment.


Engage your constituency

Would you like a citizenry active in building your community’s future?  Most community leaders hold town-hall meetings where citizens comment on an expert’s view of how to fix things.  I find that asking citizens what they want -- before the study is done, before an answer is presented -- is the key to building an engaged community. 


Grow your volunteer base

Are you challenged by uninspired volunteers—people who believe in your mission but don’t put in the time to make things happen?  Asking them to help create a strategic plan might get you “buy in” but not real commitment.  In dealing with volunteers, I start by asking about what they are committed to—why are they volunteering in the first place?”

Expand your team's capabilities

Would you like a more dedicated staff, one that voluntarily stays past five because they love their work and working with each other?  To deepen relationships, I ask team members to discuss their most exciting opportunities and frustrating challenges.  To generate new ideas, I use World Café planning to tap collective wisdom. 


Give wings to your community vision

Do you have a cause you’d like to grow into a community movement?  Nothing works like a powerful event to build passion and commitment for your cause—but you can’t just show a PowerPoint.  Using events to build a community around your cause will give you the volunteers, the money and the exposure necessary for success.   

Generate revenue through volunteer teamwork

Would you like to raise more money?  While committed to the organization’s mission, fundraising volunteers are often not committed to each other.  To raise the most money, get your volunteers committed to each other as a team and ask them to decide what they are raising money for and how they want to raise it.