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(34) Out of the Woods & Into the Meeting Room: Developing Facilitation Leadership in Michigan
Georgia Peterson & Lela Vandenberg, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
Concurrent Session: B4: Increasing Leadership and Community Capacity
As Michigan’s citizens continue to increase their involvement in natural resource decision making, staff who manage those resources must take greater initiative in interacting with various publics. Many of these information exchanges and input gathering processes include public meetings. Michigan Department of Natural Resources staff in particular had had some training in working with publics, but needed additional opportunities to enhance their skills in effective meeting facilitation.
Michigan State University Extension (MSUE) was able to fill that need through a program that has been offered internally since 2003. A three-day workshop, entitled Facilitator Excellence, was adapted by MSUE from Fran Rees’ (1998) handbook and support materials. After using this curriculum successfully with MSUE staff, the program was adjusted to fit the needs of DNR staff.
After offering eight Facilitator Excellence sessions to MSUE staff and three sessions to DNR staff by the end of 2006, MSUE conducted an impact assessment of all 192 past participants. Participants were given a self-assessment survey of their facilitation skills before taking the workshop, and the same survey six months later. They were asked additional questions about their uses of facilitation tools, and situations where they had facilitated meetings since the training. Results from DNR participants were compared with those of non-DNR sessions to determine whether those from the DNR responded similarly to others receiving this type of MSUE instruction.
On average, participants’ self assessments on their facilitation skills and confidence increased significantly after experiencing the workshop. DNR participants, however, appear to have used fewer of the facilitation tools introduced during the workshop. Qualitative responses among DNR staff suggest an interest in refresher courses or introductions to additional tools. Offering these additional opportunities may help natural resource professionals become more comfortable leading and directing groups—public and internal—in constructive and productive directions.
Georgia Peterson
Michigan State University
PO Box 30452
Lansing, MI, 48909, USA
Phone: 517-335-7383
Fax: 517-373-2443
E-mail: petersog@msu.edu