Strategy and Facilitation
Encouraging Shared Leadership through Planning
Mike Stewart, Executive Director of Boyer’s Children’s Clinic, chose to work with Amanda recently to develop a new strategic plan. ‘We were operating from a strategic plan adopted in 2008,’ Mike reflected. ‘Its original shelf life was three years; it had run its course and exceeded it in some ways.’ In his third year as…
Strategic Planning Moves the Dial
When Kathy Alm, Executive Director of Little Bit Therapeutic Riding Center and Chair of the Strategic Planning Committee for PATH International needed a planning consultant, she thought of Amanda. As a long‐time board member and former board chair of PATH Intl, Kathy felt it was important to work with someone who could provide clarity and…
Three Most Important Things
When I work with leaders on their Priority 1–2–3, A‐B‐C List, a frequent question usually is: How do I decide what the three most important things are? It’s a good question, because your Priority List is not a typical To‐Do list. There’s an important difference between tasks that should be handled and those that should…
Meydenbauer Center
As a result of the great work Amanda did with KidsQuest Children’s Museum (I’m a KidsQuest board member), I asked her to work with me and my leadership team at the Meydenbauer Center – Bellevue, Washington’s $8 million premier convention center and performing arts theatre. We operate with a strategic as well as annual business…
Fun and Flexibility Create a Successful Governance Retreat
I met Amanda in May 2010 at a Northwest Regional Primary Care Association Conference where she was guest speaking. In her session, she talked about board‐CEO relations. I was impressed with the overall presentation and how she responded to difficult questions. It was very clear that she was speaking not from theory but from personal…
Turning Great Ideas Into Action
In the past, annual retreats for the board of the Washington State Bar Association ADR Section had generated an abundance of passion, ideas, and discussion. However, it had always been more difficult to translate that creativity into action that brought results. Lish Whitson, attorney and Chair‐Elect for the group wanted to change this dynamic and…
Ten Tips on How to Lead a Strategic Planning Session
Whether you’re just beginning your strategic planning or in the middle of a process, these tips can help you create the best possible plan for your organization: 1. Get ready. Deciding what information you need to make meaningful decisions is the key to a successful planning process. Prepare a full picture of your current situation.…
Kid’s Quest
“Come Explore, Play and Learn Together” is the tagline for KidsQuest Children’s Museum in Bellevue, Washington. It also describes my vision for how it should feel to participate in effective strategic planning. After completing a feasibility study, KidsQuest came to me to help them get ready for a future capital campaign by developing their first…
Bringing People Together to Visualize Their Higher Purpose
Seldovia Village Tribe (SVT) is vital to the health and well‐being of the remote communities it serves on the Kenai Peninsula. Tribal headquarters are located in Seldovia, a village on the shores of beautiful Cook Inlet. There are no roads to Seldovia. The only access to this once ancient gathering place for trade is by…
