Missouri Ag Connection - Get Results, Facilitate Your Meeting with Art and Science

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Get Results, Facilitate Your Meeting with Art and Science
Missouri Ag Connection - 05/25/2017

If a meeting is important and the goal is to engage with people to get results, then regional community development specialists with University of Missouri Extension may be able to help. All community development specialists are trained and experienced facilitators.

"By delivering the art of facilitation with the power of science, facilitators can lead focus groups and get results," said Dr. Amy Patillo, community development specialist with MU Extension.

MU Extension community development specialists can provide four key benefits to any meeting facilitation. One, they can engage people in a group process, from problem-solving and decision-making, to open communication and buy-in. Two, they are a neutral external facilitator committed to delivering best practices for desired outcomes.

Three, MU Extension community development specialists can also provide actionable and measurable plans with timelines to achieve your goals. Four, they can provide a complete report -- including agenda, group processing, priority goals, action items, outcomes and follow-up information -- for a team's success.

According to Patillo, powerful and financially dependent decision makers may often decide issues. However, giving people the ability to engage in the process, collect relevant information, address issues with intelligence and apply problem-solving, empowers mutual understanding and shared commitment to outcomes.

"The key differentiating factor in the success of an organization is not just the products and services, not just its technology or market share, but the organization's ability to elicit, harness, and focus the intellectual capital and goodwill in their members, employees, and stakeholders. When these get energized and focused, the organization becomes a powerful force for positive change in today's business and societal environments," said Patillo.

For more information about meeting facilitation or customized training options contact any of these MU Extension specialists working in southwest Missouri: Amy Patillo in Christian County, (417) 581-3558; Kathy Macomber in Barton County, (417) 682-3579; or David Burton in Greene County, (417) 881-8909.

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