A deliberative consultation process. Staff consultation. Stakeholder consultation. Public consultation. A tool for finding consensus and solutions.

1. SmartTalk
a consultative workshop that uses dialogue to gain
advantage and solve your most intractable problems
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2. SmartTalk is a LEAN aligned discussion
process designed to engage communities,
stakeholders or employees in problem-solving and
business development. A conversation that takes
you from problem to solution. From opportunity to
advantage. !
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3. What do we mean by LEAN
aligned?
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4. SmartTalk samples opinion, reveals
opposition, finds solutions, builds teams, distributes
responsibility and accountability, reduces waste and
errors and aligns interests. It reduces planning and
development time. It breaks down barriers. It is a
catalyst for creativity. It is a tool for continuous
improvement.!
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5. How Does It Work in
Organizations?
!SmartTalk has been designed to engage people in effective conversations about
organization, business and product development, strategic planning and marketing. !
!It’s objectives are: !
1)! lasting results!
2)! streamlined internal processes !
3)! innovation !
4)! greater effectiveness in planning, implementation and marketing!
5)! Team building!
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6. How Does It Work in
Organizations?
It’s principals are: !
1)! cross-disciplinary conversations yield the most creative and practical outcomes !
2)! people closest to development and delivery have valuable knowledge that should be recognized
and used!
3)! providing safe environments for candid discussion results in outcomes that work !
4)! helping leaders inspire and empower creates cohesive cultures!
SmartTalk breaks down silos by bringing people together from across an
organization – sometimes with clients or customers – to work together in
overcoming obstacles and developing solutions. !
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7. How Does It Work in
Organizations?
SmartTalk re-invigorates the relationship between leaders, staff and
users. ! !!
Groups of staff, stakeholders,
TOP DOWN! clients work through their
differences to identify a set of
recommendations to
implement. !
Leaders identify a strategic goal
and set others the task of
making recommendations to
reach the goal.! BOTTOM UP!
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8. How Does It Work With
Stakeholders?
The stakeholder application of SmartTalk has been designed to build better bridges
between constituent and corporate interests. Its objective is to find common cause
and build lasting mutual support. It does this by providing safe contexts for
argument and resolution. It is a process through which superficial differences can
be resolved quickly and fundamental differences can be channeled into new
thinking and creative solutions. It is a method of understanding value from the
knowledgeable customer or constituent viewpoint.!
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9. How Does It Work In Public
Consultation?
The public consultation application of SmartTalk has been designed to offer
consumers an opportunity to inform the development of products, programs,
services and policies. It is a forum for an exchange of knowledge that values both
professional and general knowledge. It makes organizational challenges and the
public interest more transparent and understandable. It encourages argument,
discussion and resolution. It is a method of defining value from a broader
customer or constituent viewpoint.!
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10. Process Cycle
Briefing
Recommendations!
Bias disclosure
Formulation of positions
Interest identification
Priority setting
interest aggregation and conciliation
!
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11. What Are The Core Values
of SmartTalk ?
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12. Openness and Transparency
•! Creating a broader, more cohesive, problem-solving and creative
corporate culture. !
•! Reducing planning and design time by eliminating barriers – sharing
knowledge and best practices across units and geographies.!
•! Getting a clearer picture by recognizing and harnessing the power of
employee, stakeholder and public knowledge.
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13. Engagement
•! Sharing knowledge, responsibility, accountability and reward throughout the
organization or community!
•! Creating a solid core of supporters who help rather than hinder the corporate
agenda !
•! Encouraging the development of an alert, informed and supportive body of
opinion !!
•! Creating the conditions for creativity and continuous improvement!
•! Creating a framework for rapid implementation!
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14. SmartTalk Minimizes
Divergence and Maximizes
Convergence!
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15. “… ho w do y ou determine mutual interest in a
cross-cultural n egotiation?
An importan t element is to ask q uestions an d
listen closely, not so much to what issues they
may propos e or discus s, bu t as to the reaso ns
why they are doing so. Onc e the reason behind
the other part y's stance is identified, i t becomes
much easier to try to reac h common interests.”
Steve Cohen, The Negotiation Skills Company, Bost o n .
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16. PROGRAM ENHANCEMENTS!
Add Value Mapping to an organizational workshop to apply new
learning to existing opportunities.!
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17. For more information about SmartTalk or to
book a presentation please contact Pam Purves at
416.433.3706 mobile or 905.838.1024 office !
Please visit our website at www.placommunications.com!
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