Clear Facilitation

“Ann is simply outstanding at moving a group to a strong conclusion. In our case, I couldn’t have imagined a better outcome. What makes her particularly unusual is that there isn’t a lot of noise, she doesn’t distract, and no one wastes time.  She lets discussions run but doesn’t let them run amok. She is deliberate and straight forward with a soft touch that keeps people on task, the process moving forward, and ideas flowing. By always maintaining a clear purpose, next steps, and expectations, she made me a better contributor and able to get on task quickly despite the limited time I had for the project. After working with Ann, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend her to anyone in need of a strategy, plan, arbitration, facilitation, etc.”

Chuck McCullagh, CFO, The Williston Northampton School

“Wow’ sums it up nicely. Ann stepped into a delicate, sensitive situation involving a diverse, disjointed group of people with a challenging objective and, in remarkably little time, moved us to a solid, shared conclusion. The way she works is impressive: she has a great handle on people, makes everyone want to work together, ensures every meeting is focused and valuable, and simplifies issues so all understand the challenges and options and can reach shared conclusions. On top of that, I really enjoy working with her.”

John Heaps, President, Florence Savings Bank

“The process that our committee engaged in was outstanding. First, the outcome of our work is truly exceptional. Second, the process itself built amazingly strong relationships and it was remarkable that these relationships evolved DURING the process, not as an adjunct to it.  That is, we didn’t do team-building first and then address the challenge.  We built the team as we worked on the problem (without a ropes course!).  And given the many different perspectives, that took real guidance from Ann, although I’ll confess that it seemed largely invisible. Also, the process was not tedious. There was no arduous research or endless brainstorming with subsequent consolidation. We moved forward with each meeting. Third, I learned a lot personally.

“One thing that really stood out, particularly in contrast to other committee projects in which I have been involved, was this sense of progress. Yes, we had a lot of meetings, but the schedule was regular, they were conducted according to that schedule, and we knew what we did and what we would do next time. My participation in this project has set a new standard for my expectations of groups like this.  And, unfortunately, few others measure up.

“I have already recommended Ann to others. I think Ann takes a deep interest in the work she takes on. I have seen other consultants apply one formula to different problems and issues. And while that usually works better than no facilitation, I believe that Ann really thinks about the outcome, how it will be used or implemented, and then adapts her process to fit both the need and the time allotted to solving the problem. Too often, I’ve seen formula-driven processes end up having to rush to conclusion, just when the brainstorming and the mind-maps ought to be thoroughly tested.

“Ann is also a strong group leader. She has a physical presence coupled with a calm demeanor that seems to keep even a diverse and sometimes rowdy group on track.”

Russell Peotter, General Manager, WGBY - Public Television for Western New England

“I’ve never been to a retreat that was so focused, so fast paced, and with such clear progress throughout.”

Jay Primack, Managing Partner, Moriarty & Primack P.C.

“What I like about working with Ann is how she keeps a group strategically focused while making the process engaging, easy, and humorous. She uncovers common ground, creates opportunity, and guides the group to new shared conclusions in remarkably little time.”

Laurie Fenlason, Vice President for Public Affairs, Smith College

“Having worked with Ann on multiple projects, I know to expect a lot.  Nonetheless, she continues to exceed expectations. Ann gets people out of their comfort zones, thinking, and seeing other points of view. She manages somehow to turn personal agendas aside and create powerful teams. She is always well prepared and willing to take charge to ensure we accomplish what needs to be accomplished in a timely fashion. In addition, she is personable and articulate. I highly recommend her services.”

William F. Dimmitt, Account Executive, The AXiA Group

“I’ve recently had the pleasure of working with Ann Latham as a member of a multi-constituent collaboration project. At first, our group began the process without the presence of an outside facilitator, however we quickly realized that our efficiency and effectiveness were limited. Ann was asked to facilitate our meetings and has proven to be an incredible asset to the process, providing a structure and clarity of purpose, soliciting ideas and encouraging individual contribution, while instilling accountability and helping all to keep focus on our desired outcomes. Clear and measurable progress is being made, and at a speed not possible without her guidance.”

Dave DelVecchio, President, Innovative Business Systems, Inc.

“Thank you again, Ann, for your excellent leadership. You organized our retreat so that participation by everyone was possible and all voices could be heard.  We were able to identify areas in board organization that needed to be addressed and together developed solutions with the goal of becoming a more effective board. I saw results at our first board meeting after the retreat!”

Judith L. Strzempko, Smith College Representative on the Northampton BID Board of Directors

“Ann Latham is extremely effective at helping diverse groups of people to find their common goals and create action plans to reach those goals efficiently. When you work with Ann, you get the job done, and you enjoy the process along the way.”

Janet Warren, President, MarCom Capital

“Ann is highly skilled in helping her clients clarify their goals and the steps it will take to achieve them. She respectfully keeps the participants on track and moves the process forward to completion. With Ann’s guidance you can be certain that you will reach your destination.”

Martha Nelson Patrick, Director, Office of Community Relations University of Massachusetts

“I recently had the pleasure of experiencing Ann’s facilitation skills on a significant collaborative project involving several influential members of the community.  Ann was organized, focused, and kept things moving.  It is clear to me we would not have accomplished what we did in a similar timeframe without the benefit of Ann’s drive and commitment.”

Molly Keegan, Financial Planner, Davis Financial Group, LLC

“I needed someone experienced with conducting interviews, surveys and facilitating focus groups to gather the input from the community and other stakeholders. I contacted a friend at the Regional Employment Board of Hampden County to inquire if he knew of someone who would meet my needs. He responded with a glowing recommendation for Ann Latham of Uncommon Clarity, Inc.

“I contacted Ann to discuss my needs and within days she was off and running. We scheduled focus groups and Ann facilitated them. Ann then synthesized the input received and presented the information in written form.  The result was a well-received plan with great information, and praise for our timely submission of the plan.

“I will certainly solicit the services of Uncommon Clarity (Ann Latham) in the future, and I will recommend her services to anyone in need.”

Paul F. Bailey, Executive Director, Springfield Partners for Community Action, Inc.