Ann McLaughlin
Building a world in which everyone thrives
Transformational & Empowerment Coach ~~ Trainer ~~ Speaker ~~ Writer ~~ Consultant
Consulting as a Catalyst & Solution Builder
My consulting is aimed to empower and harness the creativity of ordinary citizens believing most problems are solved this way.
As in Participatory Development, in consulting I do not have an agenda or answers.
I assist organizations or movements to clarify your own needs, goals and strategies;
and to develop your own solutions and leaders.
Consulting is much like coaching - it is a conversation - to empower
1. Consulting is a bridge to where a group or organization wants to be
2. I help groups find their way out of a maze, corner or predicament
3. I help analyze and untangle problems
4. Like in medicine, you must have accurate diagnosis and assessment to design treatment. Often I think, “You are missing the target!.. that proposed solution will not nail it.”
5. I help movements, organizations and community groups articulate a positive vision – not what they are against, but what the ideal looks like. Once that is clarified, it is much easier to break into action steps.
20 years helping solve human problems
…helping people untangle and move out of “stuck”.
15 years consulting experience
in Africa, Asia, Central and South America and MENA (Middle East and North Africa)
As Director at NGOabroad, extensive consulting experience with grassroots organizations and social enterprises:
1. needs assessments
2. program design and development
3. staff and leadership development and capacity building
4. funding and grant writing
5. exciting new local trends and needs and how to respond to them.
The intrepid, edgy consultant ~ pioneering and injecting new perspective
~ The Future - for "the rest of us"
Many futurists advise businesses and corporations. Hey what about the rest of us! ….I want to be “The People’s Futurist.” ….My perspective on the future and history inform how I look at social change.
….at people’s movements and protests. These are transformative times which require us to steer.
What are predictions? More importantly, what is our vision of what we want the future to be? How can we get there? Let us not be passive spectators or passengers but the drivers of change and creators of the world in which we live.
~ Have Lots and Have Nots
Many people in the world were and are not given “a piece of the pie” or “a seat at the table.” How can we build a world of shared prosperity where everyone thrives and people have a voice in what affects their daily lives?
Autocrats squelch the opposition and criticism – creating human rights abuses and refugee flows. If you do not want economic migrants coming to your country, let us create a world in which each country and each person thrives.
~ Old and New...love and fear
Authoritarian, populist leaders promise a return to the ‘old” and capitalize on people’s fears and angst about a world that is so quickly changing. We must equip for what is coming rather than fear it.
It is a spiritual crisis: do we embody love or fear? Do we create a world of caring and sharing?
Dreams of mine... consulting directions in which I want to grow:
~ from protests to envisioning and building anew
In the autumn of 2019, there were protests in Lebanon, Iraq, Iran, Chile, Ecuador, Colombia, Hong Kong and many other places.
Protesters in Lebanon and Chile emphasized what they do NOT want. IMHO, their movements have foundered because they must articulate what they DO want – a clearer vision and action plan to do step-by-step.
If invited, I would like to assist with the transition from Old to New. My 15 years of experience working with grassroots leaders prepares me to work with emerging leaders to transform their ideals into practical reality.
Kentucky & West Virginia: next steps for Coal Country?
We bicycled through the South and up the Blue Ridge Parkway. It was a banjo pilgrimage. I would like to go back to Appalachia to listen: what are they thinking about the future as coal is usurped by renewable energy? ….Appalachia is a colony within the US where we took the resources and the people paid the price with black lung. Opioids = despair. Can we listen to those ignored? Can we solve the challenges of our time?
~ bridging across divides
Can we not find ways to bridge what divides us? Whether that is Red states and Blue states in America… or Israel and Palestine. Watch for podcasts, blogs and discussions exploring the solutions to these conundrums.
We get stuck in polarized and intractable positions when we quit listening. As a couples counselor, I learned how to facilitate people listening to each other and finding what works for both.
