Amy Luckey, MA, PCC

For decades, the mantra of organizational change has been clear: "To develop meaningful change, you need all the stakeholders in the room." This approach, rooted in well-intentioned ideals of inclusivity and consensus, has become a staple in change management, strategic planning, and community engagement. But what if this foundational belief is holding us back? THE PITFALLS OF THE TRADITIONAL "ALL STAKEHOLDERS" APPROACH While the logic behind gathering every stakeholder is compelling, this approach is often mechanical and counterproductive in practice. Here’s why: 1. Paralysis by Consultation Insisting that no movement can occur until every stakeholder has been consulted leads to slow, tedious processes. Progress stalls as organizers chase down every possible voice, often at the expense of momentum and innovation. 2. Empowering the Status Quo Those who benefit most from the existing system are often the most resistant to change. By giving every stakeholder an equal seat at the table from the outset, we inadvertently give opponents of change veto power, allowing them to derail or dilute new initiatives. 3. Superficial Engagement All too often, "stakeholder consultation" devolves into a box-ticking exercise. Elites or organizational leaders devise a plan and consult others, resulting in token input rather than genuine collaboration. A BETTER WAY: REFRAMING STAKEHOLDERS AS POTENTIAL PARTNERS We should embrace a more dynamic, network-driven approach instead of treating stakeholder engagement as a mechanical checklist. Here’s how: >> Focus on Process, Not Just Presence  Meaningful change emerges from a fair, transparent process that attracts stakeholders organically, rather than forcing participation. When the process is open and trustworthy, diverse voices naturally emerge. >> Leverage Network Dynamics Innovating networks have tight cores—small groups of committed actors who drive early progress—and porous boundaries, allowing new participants to join as trust and momentum build. This structure enables flexibility, rapid adaptation, and genuine diversity of input. >> Grow Toward Balance and Diversity By nurturing a network with clear, fair rules of engagement, we can grow into a balanced, diverse set of solutions. This approach avoids the gridlock of traditional stakeholder models and fosters innovation through ongoing, evolving participation. CONCLUSION: FROM PUZZLES AND ROOMS TO PROCESS AND NETWORKS The future of effective change is not about getting everyone in the room at once. It’s about cultivating networks where participation is earned through trust and transparency and where solutions evolve as the network grows. It’s not completing the perfect puzzle. It’s growing a network capable of collective action: doing more together. By moving beyond mechanical stakeholder checklists, we can unlock the creativity and resilience needed to tackle today’s complex challenges. Follow the Strategic Doing Institute to learn how.

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From noise levels to relational energy, every element matters in trauma-informed design. Here’s how I create spaces that support neurodivergent and highly sensitive lives. In Episode 109 of the ReConnect with Plant Wisdom Podcast, I'm joined by Stephanie Lee Jackson, founder of @PracticalSanctuary (Sensory Interior Design) as we explore how trauma-informed design can transform our living spaces into sanctuaries that support our nervous systems and cater to neurodivergent needs. Watch/Listen to the episode HERE 👉 https://lnkd.in/dFQB9sdT Topics Covered about NeuroDivergent Interior Design ➡️ Why designing for your nervous system is more than a luxury—it’s a necessity. ➡️ The difference between biophilic trends and truly supportive space design. ➡️ How plants and lighting help regulate neurodivergent bodies. ➡️ The role of personalization in creating healing environments for yourself and others. sensory design,neurodivergent sanctuary,nervous system regulation,trauma informed design,highly sensitive people,biophilic design,natural interior design,plant based healing,designing for creativity,eco conscious business,practical sanctuary,interior design for wellbeing,healing environments,plant inspired space,nature connection,self regulation tools,sacred space design,home nervous system reset,conscious interior design,spaces for neurodivergent people

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Interesting open-access piece on alternative ways of sharing knowledge. At a time when many scholars are rethinking how research circulates beyond paywalls and disciplinary boundaries, this article offers a refreshing perspective on publishing, authorship, and public engagement. Open access: https://lnkd.in/e8GWw9X7 #Anthropology #OpenAccess #AcademicPublishing #Zines

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Do you struggle to invite others into participatory action with you? Then you probably need a little Public Narrative in your life to connect with your audience and invite them to take action with you. In Part 7 of "Your Guide to Storytelling Frameworks," I dive into all the elements of Public Narrative and show how learning to share your Story of Self, Story of Us, and Story of Now is the key to telling one of the most powerful stories you will ever share. Learning about Public Narrative from the creator, Marshall Ganz, himself, and many others, including Nizar Farsakh Sandy Dang Noa Yammer and Sadie Dean , has been quite transformative over the years. I hope you'll consider this as your invitation to dive into the model deeper and learn all the ways it can help you have a more powerful impact on your world through story. If you missed the early videos where I share about other models then check them out below: Part 1 👉🏾 https://lnkd.in/eYdGXAYz Part 2 👉🏾 https://lnkd.in/eBs5wciF Part 3 👉🏾 https://lnkd.in/e6mFEiKz Part 4 👉🏾 https://lnkd.in/emKYf7xn Part 5 👉🏾 https://lnkd.in/erADn25p Part 6 👉🏾 https://lnkd.in/d-spTiGj Part 8 👉🏾 https://lnkd.in/eeDtZKJj #PublicNarrative Marshall Ganz

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I’d like to share a powerful new report from my The Aspen Institute Job Quality Fellowship co-fellow, Maya R., Co-Executive Director of Beyond the Bars, and her team. "The Temp Trap" shares how blue-collar temp agencies have become the default employers for millions of people with criminal records and offers a blueprint to transform these conditions through worker organizing, policy reform, and real pathways into dignified work. As someone born and raised in a heavily incarcerated state, with justice-impacted family members, and who now works to design apprenticeship-aligned degrees that expand opportunity, this hit close to home. Meaningful, high-quality work should be accessible to people after they’ve served their time and paid their debt… without adding even more barriers that keep them stuck out on the fringes of meaningful employment. I’m thinking a lot about how our education systems, workforce pathways, and #apprenticeship models can either reinforce these inequities or actively dismantle them. Maya, this work is extraordinary. Grateful for your leadership and for the voices and stories that shaped this report. Read Here 🔗: https://lnkd.in/gXBRRDYv

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Thinking About Becoming a Program Manager? Here’s What You Need to Know Program Managers play a crucial role in overseeing multiple projects that align with an organization’s strategic goals. They coordinate teams, manage budgets, reduce risks, and ensure everything stays on track — it’s leadership, organization, and communication all rolled into one. Education: Most Program Managers hold a bachelor’s degree in fields such as: Business Administration Management Engineering Computer Science Some go on to earn a Master of Business Administration (MBA) or a related graduate degree to advance into senior leadership roles. Certifications That Stand Out: While not always required, certifications can make a big difference: Project Management Professional (PMP®) – Gold standard from PMI Program Management Professional (PgMP®) – Advanced credential for experienced managers Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) – Popular in tech and agile environments Lean Six Sigma – Great for process improvement and efficiency Average Salary (U.S.): According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and Glassdoor data (2025), Program Managers typically earn between $110,000 and $150,000 per year, depending on experience, industry, and location. Senior-level or technical program managers can earn even more. Job Outlook: Employment for program and project management roles is expected to grow about 6–8% through 2034, faster than average. Organizations across tech, healthcare, construction, and government continue to invest in skilled managers to lead complex initiatives. If you’re highly organized, love coordinating people and processes, and want to make a measurable impact — program management could be your next big move. #CareerGrowth #ProgramManagement #Leadership #ProjectManagement #ProfessionalDevelopment disABLEDperson.com

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This HBR article on super-facilitators really resonated with me. Facilitation has always been my passion, and I’ve seen firsthand how powerful it is when leaders and teams lean into attunement, communication, and equitable participation. True facilitation isn’t about taking up space—it’s about creating it, so every voice and strength can contribute to collective intelligence. I love helping teams unlock this potential and transform into something greater than the sum of their parts. https://lnkd.in/dGMDjKbx

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✨ Happy AANHPI Heritage Month! ✨ AANHPI with Disabilities + allies = Universal Design choices + access for ALL 🗣️ Hiring material experts who are intersectional identities offers insight into simultaneously occurring invisible barriers and pain points that can cost an organization millions of dollars in the form of problematic services offered and end products. Actively hiring and partnering with material experts such as Alice Wong (Chinese American, disabled, woman) provide additional perspectives that dominant group members in an organization are unaware of due to their taken for granted privilege. Well informed decision making depends on high fidelity data. When a leader’s team looks and sounds the same, the information collected is often limited and high risk due to a lack of different perspectives. This creates a narrow scope for insights and actionable projects with limited outcomes and temporary success. When leaders actively pursue a different mix of highly experienced and talented organizational staff they are proactively investing in the organization's legacy by reducing costs through strategic planning, research driven risk assessment, and problem solving with primary source material experts. #AANHPI #disability #DEI

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Looking forward to #Facilitate2026. These conversations aren’t always easy, but they are so necessary. Spaces like this are so important, places where we can come together, reflect, and learn from each other as both professionals and individuals. One of the key things we often come back to is how we move beyond just talking about anti-racism, and start seeing meaningful change within the organisations around us. #RacialEquity #AntiRacism #EquityMatters #DEI

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New episode about visual facilitation up on my Facilitating on Purpose Podcast! In this latest episode, I talk with Nora Sheffe about using visuals in facilitation to create more engaging, inclusive, and participatory learning experiences. We explore how visuals can support connection and clarity in both in-person and virtual settings, even for facilitators who do not see themselves as artists. We also talk about: -Expanding visual facilitation beyond drawing -Making workshops more accessible through tactile and visual design -Simple ways to use visuals online with everyday tools -Helping participants engage through movement, voting, and co-creation -Embracing imperfection when building visual skills Listen to EP 73 Engaging with Visual Facilitation with Nora Sheffe on facilitatingonpurpose.ca or wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks so much to Nora for sharing her expertise with all of us through this conversation!

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The new column from Daniel Goleman and I is live. And it's one that is close to my heart. I believe -- fully and totally -- that if organizations adopted a human-centered approach to culture design and problem solving, they wouldn't only develop interventions that stick, but would deepen #connection and build leadership #capacity while they were at it. At its core, Human-Centered Design (HCD) is about solving problems with people, not just for them. it is about moving beyond org charts and job titles in order to understand what people need, believe, aspire to and bump up against. It's inclusive. And it's engaging. The HCD sprints I have run have unearthed massive gems -- unheard stories, new understandings and innovative approaches to how we architect a path forward. I think of it as a highly strategic use of #emotionalintelligence skills... combined with all the best of the "fail fast" and "test and refine" approach of early entrepreneurship. Read more by following the link to Korn Ferry.

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Community, I'm looking forward to facilitating our next Storytellers Cohort in collaboration with my dear friend and colleague, Domonique Meeks from Ambassador Stories. This is our fifth cohort, and I have to take a moment to recognize our past collaborators and alumni. Your stories, work, feedback, lessons, and narrative stewardship have inspired our work and helped us to evolve this learning community. Thank you, Irina Ortega Sanchez and Julia Dinh, for helping us to plan, design, and launch our first cohort. Your contributions helped to establish the foundation for this work. Together, we co-created a storytelling community rooted in asset-based approaches, an ethics of care and justice, and committed to narrative change and healing-centered engagement. Thank you, Sage Ke'alohilani Quiamno, Philip Deng, Jaleesa Trapp, PhD, and Makshya Tolbert, for participating in our first Storytelling for Changemakers Cohort in 2020. I often revisit our early conversations to keep the vision of this work grounded in our collective vision: to build a community of storytellers rooted in a commitment to justice, healing, care, and belonging. Thank you to Iván Ramírez, Veronica Vidal, Lish Olson, Belen Iniguez, Lina Ortega, Terence Mayo, Abeer Ramadan-Shinnawi M.Ed., Ed Moreno, Aline Aguirre, Eunice Hudak, Adèle McLees, Mariana Limón Rugerio, Trinity E., Jan Rog, Jeremiah Grant Jr., Gaura Naithani, Abby Schembra, and many more for your stories, collaboration, and ongoing commitment to engaging in storytelling as a changemaking practice. I'm in awe of your work. Our work as storytellers has always been essential. We craft stories that shape how we engage with the world and how we make meaning of the issues of our time. This is not a moment that suddenly makes storytellers more relevant. We have always been relevant. Intentional spaces where we can slow down, reflect, critique, and build community are how we sustain the stewardship of this work. #Storytellers #Storytelling #NarrativeChange #Cohort #Community

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Resilience doesn’t start with more strength. It begins with a pause. Most caregiver support systems were built for crisis, not sustainability. Families were never meant to live in survival mode. When programs repeat outdated patterns without reflection, they unintentionally reinforce exhaustion. What’s needed now isn’t more effort. It’s a redesign. The willingness to pause and ask: → Which parts of our model are driven by urgency, not restoration? → What investments no longer replenish the people we serve? When we stop defaulting to what’s familiar, we create space for what’s truly sustainable. That’s where resilience begins. With one intentional pause. What outdated pattern is your organization ready to release this season? Let’s build systems that restore, not just respond. #CaregiverSupport #HealthcareLeadership #NaitonalFamilyCaregiverMonth #SustainableCaregiving #CaregiverWellbeing

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NO RECONNECTION WITHOUT RECOLLECTION Complex transitions require new approaches. As we explore more adaptive and pragmatic strategies, we see the convergence with indigenous ideas. Pure rationality makes way for relationality; we embrace weak signals and subtle signs; we seek ways to work with paradox. This paradigm shift embodies a return. It cannot happen without remembrance. And entangled pasts are not the sole preserve of corporations. This article (posted in Comments) highlights how churches and NGOs became entangled in colonial violence in Kenya in the 1950s. Institutions meant to nurture community found themselves woven into a very different story. This history matters, not only because of what happened then, but because of how the traces of that past still shape how organisations work today. To imagine new futures, we incorporate these pasts, including those we are not proud of. Recollection is not about blame but about awareness. Without it, our strategies for transformation risk repeating old patterns in new clothes. Personally and organisationally: - What are your ancestral stories? - How have they shaped your current narrative? - Do they shape through their presence, or through their absence? If we want reconnection – to each other, to place, to possibility – then remembrance is part of the work.

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Planning for 2026 isn't about incremental change; it's about building on new fundamentals The session moved beyond theory, focusing on practical application: how to embed empathy-driven leadership, regenerative business practices, and hyper-personalized service into the DNA of every department. #ArchipelagoTeamUp #ArchipelagoInternational #Trainingleader #ClusterHODTraining #favehotelsidoarjo

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What if the future of coaching is not only about scaling services, but about expanding access through cultural relevance, collective intelligence, and shared responsibility? I am proud to have contributed to the Coaching Futures Report 2026, which explores four possible futures for coaching, shaped by five emerging drivers and signals of change. This work invites the global coaching community to think more deeply, systemically, and inclusively about what lies ahead. Download the report here: https://lnkd.in/eYm73pse #ICF #TLI #CoachingFutures #FutureOfCoaching #FuturesThinking #Coaching

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I took away an important reminder from an Introduction to Neuroinclusive Facilitation workshop led by Samantha Levine-Finley and Eva Schiffer and hosted by the MAFN: Mid-Atlantic Facilitators Network: 💡 Intentionally provide choices to participants as part of your facilitation plan. This reminder is intrinsically linked to other principles of inclusion such as giving options instead of special treatment and inviting participants to engage in your plan, but not policing them should they opt out. As many reminders do, this reminder prompted me to reflect upon prior experiences. Last year I facilitated a room with individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia. With insufficient preparation, I found myself following instinct. Most participants engaged as one would expect, but there was one person in my group who did not. Immediately my facilitator’s brain went to different methods to encourage participation. Maybe the small group discussion wasn’t working, so I provided pen and paper to invite input. But, nothing. Then, I thought perhaps a little encouragement would be useful so I spoke quietly and directly to the silent participant. Again, nothing. Finally, I carried on with the activity and decided that whatever I thought participation needed to look or feel like wasn’t going to look the same for this individual. Perhaps, simply being present was a huge accomplishment and listening to peers discuss deeply personal topics was participation. There are many things I would do differently if I could go back, but the main one would be to allow participants to choose how to engage rather than assuming everyone would be receptive to small group discussions. What are some other ways you’ve prepared for neuroinclusive facilitation?

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