Think of facilitation as the art of helping smart people get out of their own way with a structured process, strategic interventions, and just enough humor to keep things moving forward.
When important decisions are on the line and multiple perspectives need to be heard, effective facilitation makes all the difference between a painful stalemate and productive progress.
Consider me the organizational equivalent of air traffic control: keeping everything moving safely while preventing collisions, all with a calm voice and a touch of humanity when things get turbulent.
"Sam's performative brilliance and self-effacing humor tend to mask his more serious intellectual contributions to our field."
Thorough preparation that identifies underlying concerns before the meeting begins
Custom-designed processes specifically tailored to your culture and challenges
Skilled neutrality that creates space for all voices to be heard with equal respect
Strategic interventions that transform circular debates into productive dialogue
Results orientation focused on clear agreements and actionable next steps
Strategic insights that identifies underlying concerns and designs a custom process tailored to your specific situation
Skilled neutrality that earns stakeholder trust while ensuring all voices receive equal consideration
Strategic meeting design that balances technical expertise with diverse perspectives for maximum engagement
Purposeful interventions that transform circular debates into productive dialogue with creative problem-solving techniques
Transparent documentation that clearly captures decisions, commitments, and accountability measures
Adaptive management of sensitive dynamics, whether organizational politics or public attention
Results-oriented focus that moves beyond positions to practical solutions with implementation support
"Mr. Imperati is, without a question, the best trainer I have encountered... His ability to understand his audience's working environment, and adapt his material accordingly, is amazing. His energy, humor, and rapport with his audience make him remarkably effective. He makes complex concepts clear and stimulates learning by enticing the audience to participate."
Navigating Difficult Conversations with Purpose
When your team faces critical decisions complicated by competing priorities or relationship dynamics, my facilitation services create the structured environment needed for productive dialogue and sustainable outcomes.
Executive team alignment on strategic direction
Board governance challenges and role clarification
Cross-functional collaboration on complex initiatives
Organizational restructuring discussions
High-stakes decision-making processe
Leadership team development
"Sam's integrity is an asset to any project."
"I vote for Sam."
Building Consensus When the Stakes Are Highest
For the most challenging projects in the public eye, I bring 30+ years of experience helping public and private stakeholders work collaboratively to achieve shared goals and overcome seemingly intractable challenges.
I've successfully facilitated numerous complex, high-stakes processes in the political spotlight. They have included public policy, natural resources, forest management, water, land use, social, and economic issues. I enjoy the confidence of sponsors, stakeholders, and the public alike—a trust built through consistent neutrality and results.
Multi-stakeholder public policy initiatives and disputes
Environmental and natural resource management
Urban planning and development projects
Community engagement processes
Regulatory negotiations
Cross-agency collaborations
I combine classic facilitation techniques with result-oriented mediation tools to help polarized participants reach a consensus. Fair process is fundamental to equitable outcomes. A good process shouldn't help or hurt either side of an argument.
The process should be outcome-agnostic.
In other words, I don't put my thumb on the scale. My job isn't to steer toward a particular outcome but to ensure the journey there is fair, transparent, and productive for everyone involved. Neutrality isn't just a buzzword; it's the cornerstone of everything I do.
Let's discuss how facilitated dialogue can replace tension with clarity, conflict with collaboration, and impasse with progress.
"I'd like to thank you for your efforts regarding access management. Development and management of a process that produced a draft rule implementing the department's access management policies is a major accomplishment on your part. The fact that you accomplished this during a legislative session further demonstrates your expertise, perseverance, and patience."
— Grace C., former Transportation Department Director
"Thank you for your dedication and professionalism while facilitating my Vehicle Emissions Workgroup. Your patience, hard work and commitment are deeply appreciated by my staff and me."
"Thank you for your dedication and professionalism while facilitating my Vehicle Emissions Workgroup. Your patience, hard work and commitment are deeply appreciated by my staff and me."
"I really appreciate all your very hard work on projects like the Columbia Gorge visibility strategy, the Boardman mercury rule, and especially on the Dairy Task Force where you helped that group reach consensus against all odds. Your insight and expertise were essential to our success on these projects. I know you go the extra mile for the DEQ time and again, and we really appreciate your professionalism, dedication, and humor."
— Dick P., former State Agency Director
Essential Tools for Resolving Conflicts and Making Better Group Decisions
Get instant access to my one-page toolkit full of practical techniques for navigating complex disagreements and making better decisions.
The SWAP-LION preparation framework for successful negotiations
10 steps for decision-making success from problem identification to solution implementation
Proven conflict resolution model to identify, explore, and implement solutions
The VECS method for handling emotional venting
Powerful questions to keep conversations productive when tensions rise
Connect with Sam on LinkedIn
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