Unsolicited Meeting Feedback From Participants
Virtual Meetings Facilitation Comments
- “Jeff, Holy cow, man you did it. That was a great meeting and seemed very fluid from my side. You kept perfect order as I expected you would do. Again, GREAT JOB JEFF!” – Florida Building Commissioner, April 2020.
- “Jeff you did a fantastic job facilitating the meeting and keeping it on track. You gave everyone time for their input and listened well to their comments. When I heard we were going to do a virtual meeting I didn’t think it was possible to get the meeting accomplished like you did. Congratulations!” – Florida Building Commissioner, April 2020.
- “Jeff, you did an excellent job running this meeting over the web. You had over 100 people participating and I can tell you, I heard and understood the conversation a lot better than if we had all met. I also think it kept the comments by the stakeholders concise and better organized. Great job Jeff!” – Florida Building Commissioner, April 2020.
- “I know how much feedback is important in the facilitation process, and it’s very challenging to run a meeting like this remotely, but you did a very good job of keeping the process as organic as possible. I cannot suggest any recommended changes that might need to be made for the next meeting. Discussions seemed to flow well.” – State Agency stakeholder Pensacola Bay System Stakeholder Working Group, April 2020.
Feedback and Testimonials Regarding Jeff A. Blair’s Facilitation
- “Jeff Blair consistently demonstrated a high level of skill in meeting facilitation that has been extremely valuable to the Department of Consumer Services as we worked to fulfill our responsibilities to develop rules and programs with public input. He has the ability to get diverse groups of people to work together to establish clear agreements on how to make decisions on topics that are often complex and divisive…He gets them to discover areas of agreement and cooperation, taking the time and using the skills necessary for them to reach consensus.” – Steven Dwinell, Assistant Director, Division of Agricultural Environmental Services, DACS
- “Jeff Blair is a very highly organized and highly efficient facilitator. He works closely with the Department to plan the agenda…He consistently runs Council meetings smoothly, promoting constructive dialogue and allowing questions and opinions of all members to be fully considered. Under his guidance, consensus is a common outcome of Council meetings.” – Dennis Howard, Chief, Bureau of Pesticides, DACS
- “Jeff Blair has successfully managed the process, and has conducted the meetings with a goal of strong consensus building, which has resulted in the Board developing a blue crab management plan…He has prepared meeting documents and summary reports to aid in the process.” – William Teehan, Fisheries Management Analyst, Division of Fisheries, FWC
- “ I wish to extend my sincerest appreciation for facilitating during the breakout session of the Council’s Sector Separation Workshop. Your participation was crucial to the success of the workshop. The Council is most appreciative of your time and expertise.” – Steve Bortone, Executive Director, Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council
- “In developing a design for the project, the FCRC needed to understand the organizational culture of our agency and other participating agencies as well as the politics, policy options, and stakeholder views. The FCRC facilitator was as good in understanding the politics of the issue as he was in grasping technical nuances and figuring the best process to keep us on track.” – State Agency Client
- “As a complete skeptic to a consensus process and facilitation in general, I am now a believer and would say that without the process guidance and expert and neutral facilitation of Jeff A. Blair we would not have a Florida Building Code or the dependable consensus-based process we continue to enjoy today in 2016, seventeen years since we started development of the Code. I would without reservation highly recommend Jeff Blair to design and facilitate any process requiring stakeholders with competing interests to agree on complex and controversial issues. In addition, his work for the public and private sector as a consultant providing training, strategic planning and action implementation plans benefits from his understanding of industry and regulatory issues as well as his process and facilitation skills.” – Joseph D. Belcher, President, JDB Code Services, Inc.
- I liked the process. I enjoyed the candor of the group and the facilitator. I enjoyed the intelligence and phraseology of the facilitator. Thanks Jeff Blair! Private Sector Client, 2015.
- Humility and soft spoken-ness of the facilitator was helpful. USFWS, September 2018.
- “Without the facilitation provided, these meetings would be a train wreck. The Facilitator does a very commendable job of assuring that all opinions are heard, keeping the group on point, and does a very good job of organizing issues (via worksheets etc.) prior to Commission meetings.” Florida Building Commissioner, 2005.
- Well done to the team! You all did excellent. The facilitators were professional and the science team did a great job presenting the information in an understandable way. OysterFutures, 2018.
- The facilitators were excellent. – OysterFutures, 2018.
- Great end to a well thought out process on a tough topic. Everyone had their voices heard and the consensus solutions process worked well. – OysterFutures, 2018.
- Great experience. – OysterFutures, 2018.
- Excellent job to Jeff and Bob. – OysterFutures, 2018.
- Outstanding in every way! – OysterFutures, 2018.
- Great job overall throughout the process. – OysterFutures, 2018.
- “Great facilitation! Another good job by the facilitator. Great job and good progress.” – OysterFutures, 2018.
- “Well managed. Great Process. Good job! Keep up the good work!” – OysterFutures, 2018.
- “Giant new step in conservation of fish stocks, great format, wonderful direction by facilitators. FishSmart staff and facilitators should be congratulated for their professionalism.” – FishSmart, 2008.
- “The facilitator really had to hold the meeting together today. He needs hazard pay.” – FDACS
- “The facilitation provides excellent impact on the meeting results. The facilitation provides efficiency, consensus-building balance and is a major influence on the effectiveness of the Council.” – FDACS.
- “He is one of the top facilitators out there and I have experienced a few.” – FDACS.
- “Meetings are under control, yet open to all opinions.”
- “I believe the facilitator is crucial to our organization and success.”
- “The facilitator is outstanding. He makes all the difference in having a successful meeting.”
- “Good facilitation for thorny issues.”
- “Congratulations to the facilitator for running a very professional meeting.”
- “Broad-based consensus works & the facilitator does a commendable job of directing the process.”
- “Our Facilitator is the best I’ve witnessed in my 30+ years of business experience.”
- “We are lucky to have the services of Jeff Blair as facilitator. His attitude and assistance keep the pace of the meetings, and the direction to our goals, on line with the most efficient practices that I have encountered.”
- Facilitation was good. All opinions heard, accounted for and valued. OysterFutures, July 2017.
- Facilitators helped to keep the group focused and moving forward. This non-bias helped improve this meeting. USFWS, September 2018.
- Quick pace, engagement of attendees, and the pace established by facilitators was great. USFWS, September 2018.
- “Efficient facilitation has greatly improved the FBC processes allowing for the most effective use of time in establishing consensus regarding critical building code matters. Jeff Blair is to “facilitator” as Tiger Woods is to “golf”. Excellent work Jeff.” – Florida Building Commissioner, 2005.
- “Facilitator performs an extraordinary role assuring all opinions are heard while building consensus among the Commissioners.”
- “Jeff Blair is key in the Commission as he is an excellent facilitator and saves time by organizing and moving the meeting in an efficient manner.”
- “Without a doubt, this process could not occur without facilitation. Ours happens to be conducted by someone with know-how and a construction background. Very essential.”
- “Without the facilitation provided, these meetings would be a train wreck. The Facilitator does a very commendable job of assuring that all opinions are heard, keeping the group on point, and does a very good job of organizing issues (via worksheets etc.) prior to Commission meetings.” – Florida Building Commissioner, 2005.
- “Facilitator performs an extraordinary role assuring all opinions are heard while building consensus among the Commissioners.” – Florida Building Commissioner, 2005.
- The Facilitator is a key player is the FBC’s processing of its required tasks. I perceive the Facilitator as a mediator that provides for all the angles to be studied, every voice to be heard and every point to be covered. The Facilitator never takes a position and acts with complete impartiality. Florida Building Commissioner, 2007.
- We have a great facilitator who is not only in command of the process but has an excellent understanding of the issues.” Florida Building Commissioner, 2010.
- “We are lucky to have the services of Jeff Blair as facilitator. His attitude and assistance keep the pace of the meetings, and the direction to our goals, on line with the most efficient practices that I have encountered.” Florida Building Commissioner, 2012.
Examples of Testimonials – References (More Available on Request)