Collaborative Consultation and Facilitation

The Sustainability Leadership Institute (SLI) works with client organizations to resolve immediate challenges, while stimulating learning experiences that serve to build the organization's sustainability leadership capacity. This interactive problem solving/heuristic learning process amplifies collective creativity leading to innovative solutions.

SLI provides state-of-the-art facilitation support, whether creating open, productive conversation spaces for exploring and resolving contentious issues, developing strategic direction, or generating innovative solutions for persistent or emerging challenges. You get the right people in the room, and we will facilitate an authentic, no-nonsense exchange of critical perspectives that achieves results. We are keen observers of group dynamics, energy flow, and patterns of communication that foster generative productive dialogues and outcomes. We understand the importance – and foster genuine exchange – of conflicting points of view need to reach breakthrough thinking. We have a vested interest in helping you reach optimal, sustainable solutions through productive interaction.

Selected Examples

Integrated Strategy Planning Retreat
Green Omaha Coalition
January 2009; February 2010

The Sustainability Leadership Institute facilitated integrated strategic planning sessions for the Green Omaha Coalition board of directors, council and committee chairs. Participants identified ways to create and sustain momentum within the GOC while continuing to fulfill their mission of promoting a sustainable Omaha. The Integrated Strategy Planning process included review and analysis of goals and accomplishments, as well as exploration of challenges and transitional needs, within a strategic framework designed for their organization. Participants reinvigorated their organization’s vision, purpose and strategic direction as they generated strategies and actions for addressing immediate and long-term priorities.

Leadership Capacity Building
Omaha Public Power District (OPPD)
Omaha, NE
2007-2010

The purpose of this engagement was to support leaders of the Facilities Management Division in functioning effectively as a multi-level leadership team. Participants jointly envisioned the attributes of an ideal FM Division needed to support an ideal OPPD – a division focused on customer service, financial prudence, process effectiveness, and employee learning and competence. In addition, participants envisioned a leadership approach in which they involved each other, and their work groups, in a self-organizing, proactive way needed to achieve divisional goals. As holistic, sustainability leaders, participants seek to build an FM environment in which people understand the work of departments outside their own in order to better support one another, as well as understand where they fit in the complex web of services provided to company customers.

Learning occurs as participants explore one another’s points of view, experiences and intentions for the future, as well as models and methods introduced in the session that shed light on particular challenges. With the guidance of Mary Ferdig, PhD, participants engage in joint inquiry and exploration, strategy/action development, and decision-making. They do so in the context of facilitated conversations during the sessions, followed by continuation of these conversations with each other in the day-to-day practice of leading. This divisional leadership team, under the guidance of their division manager, has been acknowledged to be “ahead of the curve” in proactively creating a team that can respond effectively to complex, sometimes unforeseeable, circumstances as they occur.

"Mary’s vast experience and knowledge of systems helped us look at our organization and the world beyond as well as the world within ourselves. She wove everything together, helping us see the big picture as well as specific challenges that need our joint attention. Perhaps most importantly, with her guidance, we learned how to work together in the creative tension of diverse points of view, which led us to a new level of understanding needed to move forward as a team."

Division Manager
OPPD

Collaborative Coaching
Omaha Symphony Association
Omaha, NE

This consulting engagement took the form of one-on-one collaborative coaching with a mid-level leader fulfilling multi-level management roles during a transition period. The client worked with Mary Ferdig, PhD to build capacity as a holistic leader with ever-increasing responsibilities. She developed skill in proactively engaging with others as needed to clarify work responsibilities, identify and achieve production standards, and streamline/refine work processes. Models, tools, and perspectives were introduced in the coaching conversations, enabling the client to experiment with new approaches as she conducted her day-to-day leadership responsibilities.

"Working with Mary Ferdig, for me, is akin to turning on a light switch in a darkened room. She has an incredibly perceptive and inquisitive mind (and) asks exploratory questions in such a way that opens up new lenses through which to observe, evaluate and contemplate issues and challenges. She has always approached issues from a position of what is best for the organization given the circumstances, and has been a valuable resource to our management team."

President & CEO
Omaha Symphony