Testimonials
Words from those who know our work best:
I am excited about the consensus work and training Jeff does. People in all walks of life, including me, have difficulties in coming together and resolving a difficult issue. Jeff provides those skills and processes. I have been more relaxed after learning they are surprisingly simple as he helps you practice using them. He is very skilled at facilitating learning by doing, so that as a group of any size learns to practice these skills, no one feels left behind or “less than”. Conflicts arise in many different forms. Jeff is able to help participants learn how to transform a wide variety of difficult situations into win/wins. The breadth of his experience in doing so, helping the people involved find how to resolve their situation, is incredible. I strongly feel that anyone interested in resolving an issue that seems
impossible to resolve should make the time to attend his workshops.
I have learned from a great deal from Robert Chadwick’s consensus building work, especially from Jeff who has been my mentor for decades. The consensus process has enabled me to look at my own feelings and viewpoints, as well as that of others, in a very different way. I have even learned how to change my internal thinking/feelings and my reactions to family members, creating far more effective relationships. Previously, my knee-jerk emotions might tell me to rely on "fight or flight" as my only two options when tension was in the room. I’ve discovered new options to respond to difficult situations thanks to Jeff. I’ve learned how to use the consensus process tool to more effectively resolve my own conflicts, but also how to facilitate helping others resolve their difficult situations. To be able
to take different viewpoints in the room and transform them all into a new viewpoint that everyone shares is a powerful tool I’ve acquired from Jeff. Finally, I’ve learned that without these kinds of tools, people are unlikely to be able to create and sustain the kind of lives they want to live for themselves, their friends, family, and their future generations because few know or believe that such powerful tools exist.
— Richard King, HMI Certified Educator, CA
“I am impressed with the consensus building work of Jeff Goebel. We used him to facilitate a week long workshop of staff members from around the state and they were from a diversity of jobs. Some were supervisors and some were not. The staff is composed largely of individuals from numerous locations from around the state. In the past the performance was largely judged by individual performance.
Team performance was not focused on. Jeff’s focus was on improving team performance through personal commitment and contact – consensus building.
I would describe it as what we have learned. I believe there is a greater recognition of team
management and team performance is important by most members of the staff. It seems to be helping to reduce conflicts and appeals.”
— P. Robert Alexander, New Mexico Livestock Board, Executive Director
“I feel Jeff Goebel is an open friend and kind individual. He is the type of Consensus Building facilitator one can trust and one I strive to be like. Jeff has many interesting stories of the successes he watched others achieve from his workshops and experiences. The stories at first seem to be distracting as I began the course, because I was eager to learn more about the lessons I came to absorb. But, as the workshops continues and the stories came on, I realized these are the lessons I need to know. I enjoy the mentorship Jeff lends to those who want to know more.
What I have learned that is helping me today is the order of the questions I ask guests when I interview them in my work as a radio program host. I find that it is important to ask my guests how they feel about doing this interview we are about to do and how do they feel right now. This allows people to voice their hidden fear and as we go on they open up to share the facts they want to share and how they feel about the situations they just described. In closing the interview I ask the guests how they feel about doing this interview, and how they can use this experience in their work or life. I find teenagers and pre-teens enjoy this method as it sets them at ease.
I have made the decision to learn and become comfortable to be a Consensus Building facilitator. It has become a the end goal to reinvent myself. I believe this method of conflict resolution is a method humans have gotten away from as we reformed our societies to a market economy. We have lost our building communities based on common community values. To find what we commonly value we must talk and listen respectfully to each other’s fears and dreams. It is not healthy to allow only certain community members to drive the development of our needed economies. Too many people find themselves forced to work at jobs that do not match their values, and we all suffer in the long run.”
— Joseph Orozco, Hoopa Tribal Leader, CA
“One of the most powerful, positive experiences in my life!” – Ferdi Serim, Educator, NM
“I have found Jeff Goebel’s consensus-building work a powerful model for getting past impasses between and within people—including the often invisible barriers to achieving goals and resolving conflict. It has helped me understand that what causes disagreement is not always rational, and that compassionate listening can help bring these factors to the surface in a way that frees people to articulate and pursue their shared aspirations.”
— Judith Schwartz, Author, VT
“This was another phenomenal “Land & Water Summit”. There were amazing presentations from a wide array of speakers but what sets this event apart from normal conferences are the dynamic interactions between all the participants from the consensus work facilitated by Jeff Goebel. People left excited to take what they learned and put it into positive action!”
– Hunter Ten Broeck,
Landscaper, NM
Jeff’s consensus building work and experience with holistic management provides
organizations and entities with a great set of tools for creating positive change in their
environment. When the community consensus process is used, the impossible becomes
possible. The process provides vision and the tools that we need to adapt to our fast changing
environments. I have learned that creating the space for deep listening to all stakeholder
voices, which Jeff’s work creates, provides the best way forward for the group. A fortuitous
way forward that no single person could have imagined by themselves.
– Stephen Briggs,
Sustainable Farmer, MN
Thanks so much for such a fantastic event. I entered the summit entirely opposed to grey
infrastructure and through the discussions which took place, now understand and appreciate
their role in the event of a 100 year storm. It was healing for me to see how future
development can be more collaborative and more generally to broaden my perspective. Thank you.
I also want to reiterate the suggestions I gave in the closing circle as I feel very strongly about them and want to make sure they were noted:
– it’s important to me that people from first Nations are given a place at the podium to teach their cultural perspective on land and water.
– I would like to see more exploring the relationship between rural and urban and to bring in more farmers and rural people to take part in the conversation.
– I think that the discussions that Jeff Goebel were VERY important and that the event should be designed such that the discussions are the primary structure/focus of the summit.
Again, it was a fantastic event and I am happy to have taken part.
— Kindly, Robin Woolner, Public Relations & Marketing Firm, NM
My name is Precious Phiri, a community mobilizer and educator in holistic management in
Zimbabwe and other parts of Africa. I have had an honorable privilege of working with Jeff
Goebel and other colleagues from Africa, Europe and the United States on consensus building;
an immensely important skill needed to get us as humans to act in accordance to what we
need to do to reverse the harsh reality of climate change and social deterioration.
1) How do I feel about the consensus building work by Jeff:
First of all, I feel very privileged to would have been one of the people that Jeff has deposited
his knowledge with a purpose of growing my skill and others who’ve been on this journey. The
work’s value can never be over emphasized in these troubled times. In most cases human
nature and tendencies have been strongly focusing towards self-gratification, leading to
perpetual conflict and dilapidation of our dear natural resources. I feel this course has shifted
my whole perspective about human dynamics and the power of intentional respect and
elevation of others above self. As a person who works with holistic decision frameworks on a
frequent basis, I cannot visualize agreements and implementation of decisions outside a sound
consensus building process. Jeff provides such a platform. And
2) What have I learned that is helping me today?
Jeff has taught me and others invaluable lessons in the past few months.
The first one is the power of respectful listening. Each individual in a community/group has to
feel that their voice is heard beyond their status in the society.
I get to work with different groups, some are in the corporate world as safari operators
bordering rural impoverished communities. A place of massive financial and resource conflict.
I have used consensus building to explore best possible outcomes of a collaborative platform
between community and safari companies. Conversations have gone way smoother than
usual.
Consensus building gives a sense of strong responsibility on each individual in a group.
Nothing more equipping!
The biggest lesson is- the only evidence of consensus is action! By all.
“I’m very thankful for you, Jeff, and Myrna and the work you’ve built for decades. I’m a better person, and it’s true that every time we communicate on this platform, we come out better. Thank you so much for sparing your most prized resource (time) on everyone on the team. Thankful and lots of respect,”
– Precious Phiri, Zimbabwe, AFRICA
“Jeff is an engaging trainer with solid skills. He has the ability to lead a group, without taking them over. As an attendee in one of Jeff’s recent trainings, I was pleased to see the evolution of the group. Group members moved from simply participating when asked to be involved, to being leaders, with minimal direction for sections of the training. As a result, the training connected with every member, and provided a positive learning opportunity.”
— JoAnn Jackson, MBA – Consultant and Mediator, Portland, OR
“Jeff Goebel’s wisdom enables people to expand their understanding and consideration of those with whom they work and play. Workshop participants will find new reserves of patience. They will learn new techniques for resolving tense situations, and how to build mutual respect among people with conflicting interests. Their new knowledge will be valuable in their careers and jobs as well as in their personal lives. Even relatively mature and experienced people will gain knowledge and insights.”
– Beverly Isenson, Governor’s Council on Environmental Education, WA, USA
“Hi Jeff,
Just received a copy of the notes you compiled for the PMH session you led in December. First, you put a lot into the notes alone — wow! But most importantly, thank you very much for the energy you put into taking us through the sessions and all the thoughtful preparation (and life experiences) you brought to the exercises. It was truly one of the best experiences I’ve had in a retreat/learning forum. And yes, I do have much to be gratefull for and many riches in my life.”
– Will Kuhlman, Executive Director, Pullman Memorial Hospital Foundation, Pullman, WA, USA
“Building relationships at home and at work has always been a challenge in my life. Jeff has melded a variety of his personal learning experiences into the ability to provide simple and powerful guidance that helps me from the inside out. It makes sense to me. The consensus building I’ve seen him use and teach others has had an amazing benefit in my home life and for those I work with that have struggled to bring differences together to resolve conflicts and build entirely new respectful relationships. I’ve learned to listen to others with respect rather than jumping into the arena to be helpful or just position myself in an argument. I’ve been amazed at how much better things are when I focus on listening to my wife with love & respect, rather than always trying to be “helpful”. I used to think being attentive, patient, and polite was listening with respect. I had no idea how wrong I was. Beyond my home, I’m even learning how to help others as well by facilitating groups who struggle with achieving any kind of consensus or direction when faced with frustration and disagreement. If you have a chance to spend time with Jeff and watching his ability to create effective learning by experience, then ‘just do it”! I certainly will.”
– Richard King, Federal Employee and Educator, Petaluma, CA, USA
“Thank you so much for spending five quality hours with us at Eclipse Alternative Program. Your ideas were interesting, your presentation style perfect for our kids. I am amazed that you never skipped a beat in dealing with our uniqueness. You demonstrated true integration of your philosophies into your life. Our students need as many good role models as they can get. Thanks for being such an inspiring one.”
– Kari DeMarco, Eclipse Alternative High School, Pullman, WA, USA
“Jeff is a careful, sensitive, and thorough teacher in how to change beliefs and group dynamics. What I have learned from his sessions is that by setting up a different environment, listening is facilitated and people can move in directions that are different from our previous habits. The consensus building techniques and attitudes I learned from Jeff, though imperfectly applied, I feel have been key in implementing an Enterprise Facilitation effort in Wallowa County, and in confronting and resolving some of the issues we have around the control of noxious weeds.”
– Peter Donovan, Editor of ManagingWholes.com, Enterprise, OR, USA
“Consensus building seems to be a skill and art you can’t do without nowadays. It is so uplifting and empowering to find common ground with those who seem to have so little in common with us and move forward from such a great place in our minds and heart. Jeff Goebel’s teachings have been of great value to me personally and professionally. They have shown me effective ways to become a better listener and observer and to direct the way I think and act to let go of fears and achieve the best possible outcomes of all situations.”
– Daniela Howell, Educator and Rancher, Montrose, CO, USA
“I found Jeff Goebel’s help teaching to be invaluable. Combining a thorough understanding of Holistic Management and of a successful collaborative decision making process, Jeff helped our people in the field to create positive change in their home communities. As a mentor, coach and teacher, Jeff is an insightful thinker, and a patient and dedicated leader (he walks the talk.)”
– Bill Thompson, former Manager of Challenges and Choices project, and Educator, Denver, CO, USA
“Nespelem is a testimony to survival. It is also a testimony to genocide. The Colville people are survivors. Most Indigenous cultures suffer from a historical unresolved grief. I have spoke of this many times. That is a grief that is accumulated over generations of trauma. I think there has been a spiritual and ethnic death here. Step for step my people have been denied the basis for a collective identity formation. Until Jeff came to work for the Colville Tribe, there was no basin to capture and store my people’s integrity, a place to dip into and quench the parched ache of not being acknowledged. The lesson is, one must get to the heart of the whole. Our own people must talk about change, the path ahead, the options, and how we will make a better future for our children. Jeff worked diligently and patiently here and the holistic goal that still hangs in our Council Chambers as well as myself and others that worked along side him are the evidence. Jeff listened to this community’s many voices. He met the challenge of transformation, and we brought out Sinklipt-Coyote (our teacher) in him. You see in our teachings, there exists a great optimism for the potential to make positive change, change will come. As always it is just a matter of who determines what that change will be.
This is the example I learned from Jeff that I carry with me each day to help me be successful.”
– Lois Trevino, past Chairperson of the Board of Directors, Center for Holistic Management and Colville Tribal member, Nespelem, WA
“Jeff Goebel has made a tremendous impact on our quality of life and the success of our family run business. We have both taken the Consensus Building Workshops, the Planning for Profit workshops and Planning for Abundance in Scarce Times. In Jeff’s workshops we have learned to ‘think outside the box,’ diversify our enterprises and increase the profitability of our ranch.”
– Rick and Kris Finch, Finch Ranch, Pullman, WA, USA
“During a consensus building meeting held in March 1999 in Schoharie County, New York, over 50 farmers and non-farmers discussed the problems facing agriculture in our community. With Jeff Goebel’s leadership and Shannon Hayes’ assistance, by the end of the meeting, participants were motivated by the realization that they themselves have the power to create change and achieve the best possible outcomes for local agriculture. As a result of this meeting, many of the participants continued to meet on a monthly basis and MADE (Marketing Agricultural Diversity and Excellence) in Schoharie County was formed.
The mission of MADE in Schoharie County is to strengthen the environmental, economic and social vitality of our local farms so that our children will want to stay in our community. We aim to make agriculture an accepted and acceptable way of life, build stronger relationships among the diversity of area agriculturists; strengthen and expand local and regional markets and business opportunities, and to engage ourselves in community issues as advocates for local family-scale agricultural enterprises.
We just celebrated our first year anniversary, and had a number of successful projects to toast: in addition to initiating changes in the county’s ag and farmland protection plan, we regularly assist each other with developing and expanding our product markets, we organized a letter writing campaign to explain our concerns to local politicians, hosted an educational exhibit out our county fair, compiled a brochure to collectively market regional agricultural products, began designing our website, and instituted a community-university partnership with the State University of New York at Cobleskill to oversee appropriate college-community development efforts.
We have no presidents, no officers, no treasury, no letterhead. We have instead a renewed understanding of what it means to be a part of a community that honors independent voices and caring relationships. Many thanks are owed to Jeff Goebel for bringing us to a point where we could begin working together in innovative and creative ways.”
– Judy Pangman, Proprietor, Sweetree Farm, Howes Cave, NY and Shannon Hayes, PhD, Cornell University, & partner, Sap Bush Hollow Farm, Warnerville, NY, USA
