Welcome to Breathing Space.
The hope of any Breathing Space work session is to surface a team's consensus creatively and organically, to build their readiness for change together through a series of focused exchanges between all participants at the planning table.
As leaders of our organizations, we've come to some collective agreement about the uselessness of top-down solutions that are marginally implemented and require a lot of "buy-in" (and selling) as a result. Yet we also know that simply bringing people together to craft their own solutions tends to be saddled with a lack of focus and momentum.
Breathing Space group processes aim to straddle the best of both of those worlds by hosting participatory, creative conversations that are focused on action-oriented results.
Instead of bringing catch phrases or trademarked prescriptions in my facilitator's toolkit, I open the space for your group with a series of intentional conversations that will ignite the new direction, innovative thinking, or the next steps that need to be unleashed in your organization.
Instead of bringing answers to your dilemmas, I empower you with great questions so you find the answers that work best for you and your team.
If this kind of planning process aligns with your organizational values, I can be reached maryo@mudsong.net.
We know organizations, like organisms, need to grow and adapt. Breathing Space dialogues open the space for an organization to not only build on organizational strengths and values, but also allows people surface the inclusive consensus regarding your next steps. Weaving everyone's voice together releases creative momentum for the group in a refreshing, zesty, diversity-embracing way. Opening the space for inclusive consensus helps your organization move forward as one contiguous whole, instead of in the clod-hoppered, limping way that most decisions based on "buy-in" rely---- with a handful of leaders dragging everyone along, trading compliance for meaningful commitment.
No matter which service you need to navigate your next steps together, these values will be anchored in your facilitation design and implementation. Continue scrolling for insight about how I can support:
- board development
- strategic planning
- staff development
- continuous improvement
Boards and board members often need tools to learn to stand back and take in the entire picture of the organization's health, to make the shift from management to governance. Based on my experience leading organizations through times of crisis and transition, I can provide board members the tools to do the following:
- develop tools and systems to recruit and on-board new directors
- strengthen executive director evaluation & feedback processes
- identify measures and data visualizing tools to help measure the overall health of the organization
- enhance the processes of Policy Governance
- plan for transitions and the future
If you organizational values align with what I offer, I can be reached at maryo@mudsong.net.
Testimonials from Mary's colleagues on the Harmony Food Coop Board:
The Harmony Coop Board is the most rewarding board I've served on. With Mary's coordinating and leadership skills our work is focused, positive, participatory, and productive. I look forward to the meetings knowing that the board and my service make a real difference! ~ Sharon Fruetel
I have served on and under many Boards of Directors. I have never in all those decades had the pleasure of serving with such a well engaged Board. I give Mary Overlie most of the credit for this. Her coordination and collaboration skills are simply amazing.~ Danna Farabee
I have been on several Boards over several decades as a professional. Being on the Harmony Food Coop Board has been a truly enjoyable and learning experience. Mary is an exceptional Chair, providing the environment for synergy, forward and creative movement and true respect for each Board member's input. - Jan Guggenheimer
You will not have a, "Boring Board Meeting" with Mary. The meeting will be enjoyable ,positive, and forward thinking. Not to mention, start on time, end on time, and getting something accomplished ! Amazing! ~Tom Staker, Treasurer
I can't believe board meetings can be so productive and sustaining. How can I spend two hours at a board meeting and come away energized? ~ Rita Chamblin
Breathing Space strategic planning distinguishes itself from other strategic planning models in two key aspects:
- The ideas builds from the diverse array of perspectives in any given leadership team to create a plan that is supported by the momentum of authentic commitment.
- The process culminates in a concrete, measurable calendar of events to ensure the team stays the course in working toward their vision.
Over the course of the equivalent of 2 days, leadership teams of up to 40 stakeholders move through these stages of the strategic planning process.
- Casting a practical vision for the next 3-5 years
- Identifying organizational practices that create barriers to that vision
- Crafting strategic directions that directly address the barriers to release the potential energy of the vision
- Designing an implementation process and 1st year calendar of actions and accountability measures.
If you organizational values align with what I offer, I can be reached at maryo@mudsong.net.
Using the principles of authentic consensus, I've helped organizations empower staff to:
- develop their own rubrics and measures of evaluation and assessment
- harness their own values and ideas to implement new programs and initiatives
- coach teachers in best practices in math
- strengths-based classroom management
- practices that foster resiliency
- standards-based curriculum alignment and development
- PLCs & data teams
- If you organizational values align with what I offer, I can be reached at maryo@mudsong.net.
I help teams embrace the understanding that implementation is the relationship between the WHAT you hope to achieve and the HOW of getting it done. With that in mind, Breathing Space continuous improvement dialogues help teams not only create action plans based on new, innovative ideas, but also equip them with the measurement processes that can ensure the work is done.
A given continuous improvement dialogue typically follows this pattern:
- an in-depth review of both statistical and reflective, experiential data
- an energized visioning session
- an examination of both internal & external assets and constraints
- a coordinated calendar of key actions
- a set of measurement tools and processes that gets embedded into the action calendar
If you organizational values align with what I offer, I can be reached at maryo@mudsong.net.
Mary Overlie, Certified ToP facilitator • Bemidji, MN
- Organizational Development Consultant, Hue Life
- Director, former Chair, Harmony Coop Board
- Teacher, Walker-Hackensack-Akelely Schools
- Literacy Coach, Northland Elementary School
- Assistant Professor, Bemidji State University
- Director of Curriculum, TrekNorth Schools
- Math teacher & coach
- School Improvement Advocate focused on systems that create sustainable solutions.
B.A. Liberal Arts, Sarah Lawrence College
M.Ed. Curriculum & Instruction, The Union Institute & University
Ed.S. Minnesota State University, Mankato
Clients:
- Higher Ed:
- Bemidji State University: AC Clark Library, Sustainability Office
- Lake Superior College
- Winona State University
- K12 Schools: Lester Prairie Schools, MDE’s Regional Centers of Excellence, Naytahwaush Charter School, New London - Spicer Schools, Proctor Public Schools, Red Lake County Central Schools, Schoolcraft Learning Community, Sleepy Eye Public Schools, SW/WC Central Service Coop, Viking Elementary (Pelican Rapids)
- Bemidji Downtown Alliance
- Harmony Food Coop
- Headwaters Music & Arts
- RALLY Coalition
- Sacred Bundle
- St. Peter Food Coop