MEETING FACILITATION WITH PATRICK MCGAUGHEY, CPF, IOM

Pat is a Certified Professional Facilitator (CPF) and a member of the International Association of Facilitators. Pat's 20+ years experience in Chamber of Commerce management makes him a qualifed facilitator for Chamber of Commerce Boards of Diretors planning sessions.  He has successfully facilitated over 200 Chamber of Commerce planning sessions.  (See list of clients below) 

The Facilitation Investment

When people that will implement the plan are in the room for the design of the plan, be prepared for success! As a professional facilitator, Pat believes that if they write the plan, they will underwrite the plan. He understands that when a board of directors commits a planning session, the investment of time and money is significant and professional facilitation increases the chance of successful outcomes tenfold. With a neutral facilitator and a practiced and proven agenda that can be customized to the needs and logistics of each client, the return on investment of time, talent and treasure of your organization is consistently multiplied.

Initial Contact with Pat – During your initial contact with Pat, he will discuss with you the expected outcomes of your planning session. Based on this discussion, you both will be able to determine if Pat's facilitation style is well-matched for your Chamber of Commerce. 

Agreement – A proposal will be prepared and presented, including details of how Pat can help your chamber reach its goals. The proposal will describe the process and deliverables, including any recommended pre-work. After acceptance of the proposal, our company will provide a written Agreement for Services with signatures from both parties, requesting a 25% deposit to confirm and hold the date.

Setting the Stage – Upon formal agreement, Pat will meet with you prior to the planning session to discuss in more detail your outcome expectations and to familiarize himself with issues specific to your Chamber of Commerce. This meeting may be by telephone prior to the meeting, or in person the day or evening before the meeting.

Preparing the Board for the Planning Session – Pat will offer to hold an optional pre-retreat session the night before your planning session to prepare the board for the following day's retreat.  This meeting will include an overview of Chambers of Commerce and trends in the industry.  He may include a board orientation,with roles and respnsibilities, if requested.  Logistical preparation regarding meeting location, room amenities, meeting supplies and refreshments will also be reviewed during this process upon formal agreement.

Creating Vision and Mission – It is important to determine ahead of time if you will be re-visiting and/or re-writing your business/organization's vision and mission statements. It is important for your group to be very familiar with your current vision and mission even if writing/rewriting will not be part of your session.

Vision is TO BE and Mission is TO DO.

• What do you want your Chamber of Commerce TO BE in the future?
• What are all of you willing TO DO to become that vision?

Establishing a vision and mission statement is often looked upon as far less important than focusing on the strategic planning. A preface will be sent to all participants insuring the critical nature of these statements to the strategic plan.

Session Agenda – The actual agenda for the planning session is proprietary so participants will not skip any of the processes to reach expected outcomes. Pat works through a process to build consensus in creating, understanding, accepting and owning the plan. Each client has unique issues and needs. Pat believes it is his responsibility to help your Chamber articulate their needs. He will share with them skills to help get the results they want in an effective approach to gaining consensus. All participants will have a voice in this process.

Dealing with Difficult and Sensitive Issues – During any session a difficult or sensitive issue may arise. Pat's first objective is to save everyone's dignity in this situation. He will establish ground rules and use interpersonal facilitation skills to keep the passion without the anger. Saving the dignity of the participants builds trust and encourages productive interaction to complete the process.

Action Plan – The results of Pat's process will identify the achievable and measurable goals of the Chamber. Pat will work with the group to identify people to champion each of the goals agreed upon, and will show you how to develop an action plan for implementation and completion.

Review for Success – Pat will give you a plan for re-visiting the goals set for the coming year. With proper follow-up, your Chamber will continue the momentum achieved during your planning session. Participants want measurable outcomes to ensure that their ideas and planning will be completed.

Staff Involvement – Staff buy-in to the outcomes of a planning session is critical. This can be obtained by inviting key staff members to attend and participate in the planning session. Pat recommends that a staff person be assigned to record the notes of the session, converting the notes to a written report and distributing the report to participants within one week of the session. If you would prefer to contract with our company to record the notes, please share this during our initial discussion.

Planning Session Consultation for one year – Pat offers to consult with his clients on what was developed at the planning session for one year following our Agreement. This additional service is INCLUDED in the facilitation agreement. You may contact Pat by phone or email during the next year to discuss issues from the retreat. Whether you want further clarification, need to review, or want to “brag” about your success, you have access to his expertise for one year.

Guarantee – Pat guarantees to deliver his best facilitation skills, enthusiasm, and professionalism. He can guarantee the process but he cannot guarantee the quality of the final outcomes because that responsibility must remain with the participants.

Pricing – Pat's pricing is customized for every client, taking into consideration the session goals and objectives, number of participants, location and length of session. His fee will be presented in the proposal, inclusive of all travel expenses. Clients don't have to worry about add-on fees, allowing them to work within a budget.

Funding Seminar Option - Pat will offer to present a business training seminar, or non-dues income opportunity, to coffset costs associated with his fee for facilitating the planning session.  A predetermined business training seminar may be presented to a sponsoring company's employees, or as a community seminar to Chamber members and guests.  Ask Pat for details on offering a seminar in your commuity as part of this package available to Chambers of Commerce.

Why use a facilitator? The most important reason is neutrality. A neutral facilitator is going to use professional skills to make each participant comfortable and willing to speak their mind. The facilitator's position and training will help build trust and openness and perhaps get on the table issues that would not be addressed if they were not there. A qualified facilitator will direct a productive session and ensure a valuable meeting.

Contact Patrick to discuss your expectations - From initial expectations to implementing the final goals, Patrick McGaughey will make the hard work and intense discussion at your planning session an inspiring event.

Have your meeting expectations ready and call Pat today, 1-800-545-3610 to discuss working together.