How We Work
Dr. Lary works at the leadership level. Every engagement is scoped with intention. The role is to guide the process, ask the right questions, and hold both the big picture and the smaller pieces — facilitating conversations that create clarity and direction.
Pre-Engagement
a. Complimentary Introductory Call
A 30-minute conversation to explore fit for both parties. No obligation, no commitment. This is a mutual assessment: does the need align with the work, and is this the right relationship to move forward with? For some engagements, this conversation provides enough context to move directly to a proposal.
b. Discovery
For engagements that benefit from deeper context, a focused Discovery session follows the Introductory Call. Discovery may be a phone conversation, a virtual meeting, or a site visit to the venue. For larger or more complex engagements, Discovery may include the on-site logistics point person in addition to organizational leadership. Format, length, and participants are determined based on engagement scope. The goal is to understand the context, the people, and what this engagement needs to produce.
c. Customized Proposal
Following discovery, Dr. Lary develops a tailored engagement proposal scoped to the group's specific need, size, and moment. Identifies the engagement type, venue, date, and appropriate details. Complimentary to develop and present.
The Value of an Outside Facilitator
A skilled outside facilitator brings neutrality, objectivity, and no stake in the outcome, only in the quality of the process. That creates the conditions for an honest conversation. When a leader brings in a facilitator, they signal something important to the group: this moment matters enough to do it right. It creates the space for every voice to contribute and for the group to move forward together.
Practical Parameters
Geography: Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. Travel by arrangement.
Format: Facilitated sessions run half day, full day, or multi-day, designed for offsite settings — a focus away from daily distractions. Project Consulting is structured to fit the engagement, hybrid or travel, as needed.
Location: For Facilitation sessions, clients arrange the venue and Dr. Lary arrives prepared and adapts to the space. Project Consulting is based on need.
First step: Complimentary Introductory Call.
"Laurie helped us articulate a clear picture of what we hoped to achieve and the importance of doing it, helped us get the right capable partners engaged, and led effective two-way communication throughout that helped keep us all informed of the latest activities. Through it all, Laurie was positive, highly professional, and extremely effective."
— Jaime Fall, Workforce and Economic Strategies Director, Economic Development Collaborative