Ava S. Butler

Organizational Development Consultant and Leadership Coach

Inclusive Facilitation for Social Change

August 31, 2023
Ava S. Butler

From fsg.org:https://www.fsg.org

Facilitating inclusive meetings is a vital skill that can transform ordinary gatherings into effective and empowering experiences for everyone involved. Especially when working toward social change, fostering inclusive spaces is essential to ensure that the voices, perspectives, and needs of all individuals are acknowledged and actively included—particularly for voices that are often left out of the decision-making process. By promoting equitable participation, inclusive facilitation cultivates richer conversations and increased collaboration resulting in more effective and comprehensive solutions to advance social impact work.

From strategy workshops to board meetings to focus groups with community members, FSG has collectively Continue reading →

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Meeting facilitation, Social Change, Transformational Change
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The Elements of Decision Making

May 8, 2023
Ava S. Butler

“I’d like to think that people make decisions rationally, but it seems more complicated than that.  What do I need to know?”

When I joined Gemini Consulting in 1995 (now Capgemini) I learned tons of tools and strategies to enable transformational change.  One of the many I still use repeatedly is the model of the Rational, Political and Emotional reactions to change and decision making.  Below are two .ppt slides from many years ago* but still pertinent today.

There is often a belief that people react to a situation in a rational manner, i.e., based on the Continue reading →

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Implementing Change, Techniques to Implement Decisions
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Holiday traditions must change as your loved one’s cognition changes

November 29, 2022
Ava S. Butler

You all know me as an organizational development consultant and leadership coach.

Some of you also know that because of my dear husband’s Parkinson’s and Lewy body Dementia, I am an advocate for those causes and provide advice and support to care partners who are less far in their journey than I am.

The holidays can be difficult in the best of circumstances, and they are especially difficult when you have someone you love who is facing cognitive issues.

I posted this blog on my Dementia for Dessert website, and I hope you find it helpful.

https://www.dementiafordessert.com/holiday-traditions-must-change-as-your-loved-ones-cognition-changes/

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Grieving, Parkinson's disease
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12 ways my dear husband’s dementia has taught me to be a better consultant

May 25, 2022
Ava S. Butler

It was this day in 2010 that my husband, Richard was diagnosed with Parkinson.  We thought everything would be ok,  just a little tremor.  Ha!  It was an adventure full of love, drama, joy, gratitude, pain and grief. Richard passed away in March of 2017.   In honor of the milestones and memories,  I repost 12 ways my dear husband’s dementia has taught me to be a better consultant which was first published in June, 2015.

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I am an organizational development consultant specializing in transformational change. I’m also the wife of my Continue reading →

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Growing your business, Implementing Change, Lewy body dementia, Parkinson's disease, Transformational Change, Uncategorized
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9 Trends That Will Shape Work in 2021 and Beyond

January 24, 2021
Ava S. Butler

As an organizational development consultant, I think in systems and look for trends that will impact short and long term organizational success.  This Harvard Business Review article provides excellent observations that I find helpful in working with my clients on their most pressing strategic issues. 

Executive Summary:

While 2020 was the most volatile year in modern history, it would be a mistake to think that we’re in for smoother sailing this year. In fact, as we move into 2021 and beyond, the rate of disruption will potentially accelerate as the implications from 2020 play out across the next Continue reading →

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Growing your business, Implementing Change, Strategic planning, Transformational Change
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Grieving and Post-Traumatic Growth

August 9, 2020
Ava S. Butler

The long term consequences of this tumultuous time on individuals, organizations, and communities are not yet known.  Negative experiences can spur positive change, but not always.  The pandemic, systemic injustice and other traumas can give way to post-traumatic growth but not without attention and effort.

Harvard Business Review’s July-August magazine had two excellent articles on grieving and post-traumatic growth.

David Kessler’s article, Helping Your Team Heal, encourages leaders to recognize people’s grief and assist them in finding meaning.  He suggests we think about three groups of people during the pandemic – the worried well, the affected, Continue reading →

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Grieving, Implementing Change, Pandemic, Transformational Change
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Predictable Surprises

March 24, 2020
Ava S. Butler

My colleague Bill Welter, owner of MindPrep Resource Center recently shared the six characteristics of predictable surprises, from the book Predictable Surprises: The Disasters You Should Have Seen Coming and How to Prevent Them, Bazerman and Watkins, 2008.

They are:

1. That leaders knew a problem existed and that the problem would not solve itself.

2. Organizational members recognize that a problem is getting worse over time.

3. Fixing the problem would incur significant costs in the present, while the benefit of action would be delayed.

4. (related to 3) Addressing predictable surprises typically require incurring a certain Continue reading →

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Growing your business, Implementing Change, Strategic planning, Transformational Change
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The Elements of Good Judgement: How to Improve your Decision Making

February 4, 2020
Ava S. Butler

Making sound decisions is core to every leader’s (every human’s) ability to succeed.   This excellent HBR article by Sir Andrew Likierman is a must read.

I love his practical advice and final thoughts: Leaders need many qualities, but underlying them all is good judgement. Those with ambition but no judgement run out of money.  Those with charisma but no judgement lead their followers in the wrong direction. Those with passion but no judgement hurl themselves down the wrong paths. Those with drive but no judgment get up very early to do the wrong things. Sheer luck and factors Continue reading →

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Growing your business, Strategic planning, Techniques to Make Decisions, Transformational Change
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The role of empathy and experimentation in collaboration

September 8, 2019
Ava S. Butler

Heather Hiscox, co-founder of Pause for Change, has written an excellent article on the role of empathy and experimentation in collaboration.  Her insights are essential for all organizations considering collaborating in new ways, and will significantly increase their levels of success.

https://www.nonprofitcenters.org/roleofempathy

NOTE:

If you would like to receive e-mail notification when I post additional techniques and meeting management related materials, please sign up through this link.   http://eepurl.com/KILan  You may unsubscribe at any time.

You will find my book Mission Critical Meetings: 81 Practical Facilitation Techniques on Amazon. Your feedback and reviews are most welcome.

http://www.amazon.com/Mission-Critical-Meetings-Facilitation-Techniques/dp/1627870377/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1408719109&sr=1-2&keywords=Mission+Critical+Meetings

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Growing your business, Implementing Change, Strategic planning
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Sometimes the best advice comes from children

April 28, 2019
Ava S. Butler

Before I left on my last business trip, I gave my favorite 8 year old a hug and asked her what superpowers she would like to give to me for my travels.  Nevaeh is very clear that she has superpowers and is happy to share them.

She thought for a moment, opened her arms and said “Keep safe, stay warm, and fly through your greatest dreams.”

Fly through your greatest dreams.  Does superpower advice get any better than that?

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If you would like to receive e-mail notification of my posts, please sign up through this link. Continue reading →

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Transformational Change
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