OHMIGOSH! It’s been 25 years since I started Quality Process Consultants, Inc. It was early September of 1993, and Ed Zunich, a colleague from the Hampton Road Quality Management Council, had heard about the facilitation skills workshop I developed for my US Coast Guard buddies. He asked me if I could train some of his folks in facilitation skills and so, QPC Inc. was born!
Facilitation has always been at the core of what we do. It quite literally is in our DNA. “Facilitating high-stakes meetings – and training others to do what we do” has been our mantra for these past 25 years. Sure, it has morphed over time, but that still is at the core of what we do. We:
- Facilitate really important meetings you can’t afford to screw up.
- Train others in facilitation skills and all things related to facilitating an important meeting.
- Speak about the skills needed to lead/facilitate an extraordinary team e.g. critical thinking, decision-making, and problem-solving.
- Speak about the types of meetings we tend to facilitate: strategy, innovation, culture, leadership.
- Have hyper-niched into a specific type of facilitation on moderating panel discussions.
It’s all about helping our clients move their teams from “Point A” to “Point B” while generating great results as smoothly and collaboratively as possible.
It’s been a wild ride! While in Hampton, VA, I grew the business, bought an office building, hired consultants and staff. When I moved to Washington D.C. in 2002, I transformed the business model to a more lean, virtual business, hiring resources as I need them. And when I moved to Scottsdale, AZ in 2008, I became much more focused in the work that I do for my clients.
I wouldn’t be where I am today without my early mentors, Jeff Anthony and Elaine Biech. Or without my support network at the National Speakers Association and the International Association of Facilitators (too many to name here!). But it really has been my joy and pleasure to work with such fascinating and diverse clients.
And if you are reading this, I gotta believe you are part of that circle of mentors, supporters, and clients. And for that, I continue to be thankful for your support and interest.
Looking forward to the many years ahead!
KRISTIN ARNOLD, MBA, CPF, CSP is a high-stakes meeting facilitator and professional panel moderator. She’s been facilitating teams of executives and managers in making better decisions and achieving greater results for over 20 years. She is the author of the award-winning book, Boring to Bravo: Proven Presentation Techniques to Engage, Involve and Inspire Audiences to Action.
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