Desiree Paulsen Facilitation

  Six Months In: January to July 2026 Reflection (Learning, Adapting and Growing in difficult times and tough contextual challenges) A photo I took at the Liebeeck river close to where I live in Cape Town In this quiet beginning of July - I'm taking a moment to breathe and look back at the work that's filled my year so far. Strategy weeks. Leadership sessions. Courageous Honest Conversations, Team Cohesion and Development, Roles and Responsibilities Alignment workshops. Travel to interesting places and beautiful venues. In-person and Online engagements. Working alone and in partnership. Deep conversations, and moments of real connection with organisations and people doing important work. Who I've worked with From Natural Science and Agricultural to Research and Heritage institutions to Universities, from International Feminist Organisations to Investigative Journalism organisations - it's been a season of growth, learning, and meaningful partnership. What the work actua...

  “In the course of history, there comes a time when humanity is called to shift to a new level of consciousness, to reach a higher moral ground. A time when we have to shed our fear and give hope to each other. That time is now.” — Wangari Maathai, Nobel Lecture, 2004   Why Do We Struggle to Move from Talking to Action? Why do so many organisations and teams struggle to move from talking about change to actually transforming and being the change, doing the change? Usually, after a workshop—sometimes called a talkshop —staff may leave excited and inspired, or confused and disillusioned or a bit of both. It often depends on how the space was held: Were all voices heard, or did some dominate? Was there freedom and creativity, or a rigid agenda with hoops to jump through? Was there hot conflict out in the open, or cold conflict simmering beneath the surface? Did people feel safe enough to be honest and open? Was the timing aligned with the organisation’s life cycle and context...

  Last week I facilitated a teambuilding session in Harare, Zimbabwe with an international capacity building organisation with country offices in several countries. This session brought the team together in person - over 40 people gathering in a large tent which was set up in the beautiful gardens of their office premises. This was the ideal setting for several rounds of storytelling and sharing in small intimate groups. Coupled with an active listening exercise the group found that the qualitative listening helped to change the dynamic between them and those who shared their stories felt a deep respect from their colleagues as they were each given their space to be heard fully. Some were also surprised how much they learnt from each other - especially for those who were working in different departments of the organisation - the lesson being that we all have wisdom which can be revealed when the conditions are conducive. This set the tone and was a strong foundation to build the re...

  I find that when people are heard properly half the work is done and then helping them find their wisdom and own response flows easily (Desiree Paulsen, 2023) During March to August 2023, the bulk of my work has been about helping teams to reconnect with each other and have honest conversations. The purpose of the gatherings may be different but underneath it all is about rebuilding relationships and reconnecting teams to each other, their organisational purpose and their work. Transitioning teams from online to in person engagement is another big area of work as many teams are once more coming together in person. Being together in person helps teams to be more human together, hear each other better as full embodied beings, find consensus much easier and work at more depth relationally. These sessions are practical sessions to build team skills and build capacity to have honest conversations, work more authentically together and communicate more constructively. Finding ...

 The last three years have been enormously challenging and at the same time filled with so many enlightening experiences and lessons. I learnt how to fully transition my work to online spaces. I learnt how to be brave and work during the dark days of the pandemic even when I was tired, demotivated and fearful. I learnt to find the blessing in illness when I was hospitalised with Covid Pneumonia in 2021 during one of my busiest work years when I was probably overworking myself and needed a rest. I learnt to self heal and revitalise myself to begin to work again post the illness but finding new ways to be with myself and be with the work.  All of this would not have been possible if I were not surrounded with the love of family, friends and colleagues - my phone became my lifeline once I was better enough to be able to communicate once more. Colleagues  stepped in to do some of my work when I couldn't. Medical staff, fellow patients, family and friends did so much for me an...

A few years ago I facilitated a workshop for an organisation that I was accompanying through a transformation process. At the end of the workshop I gave the group an individual reflection exercise in nature and fortunately we were at a most beautiful beach resort so I took the opportunity to find a place of rest and do some reflection of my own. I found myself pushing my feet into the lovely therapeutic beach sand and watching the waves and thinking what a wonderful analogy the ocean presents us with about transformation and change. More recently I went to the beach with a friend after a long hiatus and jumped and swam in the fresh blue ocean allowing the waves to bash against me and it was the most exhilarating feeling - I felt refreshed and energised.  This is exactly the work of facilitating transformation in organisations. When visiting the beach you have to be willing to embrace and step into nature, get sand in your feet, trust even though you may not know what lies bene...