expert facilitation for government workshops
Federal, state and local government strategy planning, leadership and engagement workshops require a skilled facilitator.
Government workshop facilitation has a complication that private sector sessions don’t. Teams operate in a complex stakeholder landscape with competing mandates and political sensitivity, so your facilitator must be independent and capable of understanding and guiding complex and contentious conversations.
Turning Leaf government workshop facilitators have worked with federal, state and local government agencies across Australia for over 20 years. We’ll help your leadership team align, plan, and commit to practical action with the rigour and sensitivity public sector work demands.
what is a government workshop facilitator and how can they help you?
A government workshop facilitator designs and guides your planning, engagement or strategy conversation without contributing to the content or taking sides on issues. Their job is to make the dialogue productive, safe and focused on the outcomes that matter most to you.
Government leadership teams face a specific facilitation challenge: your workshop will often include people from different agencies, directorates or stakeholder groups, each with their own priorities and political sensitivities. That makes it very hard for internal leaders to facilitate that kind of conversation effectively.
Your expert government facilitator will level the field so every participant can contribute freely. Assumptions can be tested, and competing interests are surfaced constructively, so your leadership team can focus on the strategic work rather than managing the group dynamics.
benefits: what you get with an expert facilitator
1
Leadership Alignment
A skilled facilitator creates conditions for alignment across your leadership group or team, even where competing priorities exist. This is probably the single biggest reason government teams should always consider using an external facilitator.
2
Every Voice in the Room
Government workshops often include people who can find it hard to speak candidly in front of their teams, Deputy Secretary or Minister. A skilled facilitator draws those voices out deliberately, because they’re often the most valuable.
3
Accountable Outcomes
Structured government workshop facilitation holds the group accountable and produces firm decisions with named owners and agreed next steps - not a list of actions to ‘discuss at the next meeting’.
4
Safe Challenge
An independent facilitator gives your team permission to question assumptions, raise difficult issues, and explore options that might be politically sensitive to raise internally.
5
A Plan Your Team Will Own
When leaders are genuinely involved in building the plan rather than being handed it, they commit to it. A strategy built by your team is a plan your team will actually deliver.
6
Process Integrity
An external government workshop facilitator brings a structured, defensible process - important in public sector environments where how decisions are made is as important as the decisions themselves.
when should you use a government workshop facilitator?
A facilitated government workshop is the right choice whenever the quality of your leadership team’s thinking and the strength of their alignment will determine whether your strategy, policy or plan succeeds.
1. Annual Planning and Budget Cycle
When your agency needs to step back from operations and set clear priorities for the year ahead, a facilitated government planning workshop gives your leadership team the structured process to align on direction, commit to shared goals, and produce a practical operating plan before the budget cycle locks you in.
2. New Secretary, CEO or SES Appointment
When a new leader joins or a senior team changes, a facilitated workshop accelerates trust, surfaces hidden assumptions about roles and priorities, and helps your team build a shared understanding of direction from the outset. Getting alignment early in a new appointment is far easier than repairing it later.
3. Machinery of Government Change or Restructure
When your organisation has been restructured, merged with another agency, or had its mandate revised, a facilitated workshop gives your people the space to reconnect around a shared direction and commit to how they will operate going forward. Few things are more disruptive to a public sector team than an change without proper alignment work.
4. Cross-Agency Collaboration and Whole-of-Government Planning
When your work requires multiple agencies to align on a shared approach, your facilitator’s independence is not a nice-to-have - it’s essential. A Turning Leaf government workshop facilitator has no allegiance to any one agency and can hold the space for honest, productive conversation across competing institutional interests.
5. Policy Design and Stakeholder Engagement
When your team needs to design policy, engage staff or stakeholders, or work through a complex co-design process, a skilled government facilitation expert structures the conversation to surface the right issues, build genuine buy-in, and produce clear recommendations that will withstand scrutiny.
6. Local Government Council Planning Days
When your council needs to set its strategic direction, align elected members and senior staff, or develop its four-year community strategic plan, a skilled local government facilitator creates the conditions for candid, productive conversation across what is often a politically diverse room.
why choose turning leaf for your government workshop?
We’ve spent two decades facilitating strategy and planning workshops for government teams at every level - federal departments, state agencies, statutory authorities, and local councils. We know how to get the best out of public-sector leadership teams, and how government works.
We know what makes the difference between a workshop that produces genuine alignment and a practical plan, and one that produces a document nobody uses and a room full of people who don’t feel heard.
Our facilitators have all held senior leadership roles. They understand the constraints government organisations operate under, the stakeholder dynamics that shape every conversation, and the facilitation techniques that unlock genuine dialogue in politically complex environments.
turning leaf proven 6 step process
1. discovery and pre-work
Before your workshop, we conduct pre-workshop interviews with key participants and, where appropriate, a staff or stakeholder survey. This surfaces the real issues, uncovers hidden tensions, and ensures your facilitator walks into the room already familiar with your agency’s context, the dynamics that most need addressing, and the political sensitivities to navigate carefully.
2. workshop design
We design your government workshop agenda to match your specific objectives, not a generic public sector template. We agree together on what conversations need to happen, in what order, and how much time each deserves. The agenda is purposeful, flexible, and designed to keep your team focused and energised throughout.
3. preparation briefing
We brief all participants clearly before the workshop, so your leaders arrive understanding its purpose and structure. In government environments, clarity upfront is especially important because it removes defensiveness, settles political anxiety about the process, and ensures your team is focused on the work rather than wondering what they’re in for.
4. your government workshop
On the day, your Turning Leaf facilitator leads the group through the agenda. They read the room, draw out the quieter voices, surface assumptions, keep the conversation on track, and ensure all perspectives - including the ones that don’t always get aired - are heard. The content, conclusions and commitments come from your team, which means they own them.
5. capturing decisions and commitments
Before the workshop closes, your facilitator works the group through every decision made during the day to confirm actions, owners and timings. In government contexts, this is critical because ambiguous commitments become nobody’s responsibility. Your team leaves with clarity on exactly what was agreed, who is responsible, and when it will be done.
6. post-workshop output
We provide a structured summary of key decisions and action items, sent through quickly while the momentum is fresh. Many government clients use this as the working reference for their leadership team throughout the year, and as the evidence base for decisions made during the workshop
what leaders like you say about working with turning leaf
“It really achieved all I was hoping for, and more. Now that 24 hours has passed and I’ve had time to reflect, I feel we’ve finished with a really rich set of ideas that we can develop as a team.”
Danusia Cameron
Registrar General
NSW Government
“It was wonderful working with Turning Leaf. Our facilitator showed great emotional intelligence, patience and understanding about the nuances of complex relationships between parties. He worked with us before the facilitation and ensured we were all happy with the outcome before finalising the work.”
Sarah Ellison
Senior Policy and Projects Officer
NSW Government
"Thanks for your facilitation of a really engaging session that got everyone involved and talking about themselves and our work ahead"
Mia Jenkins
Principal Advisor, Sport Integrity, Sector Performance Policy and Planning
what makes turning leaf different?
1
we understand your challenge
Our facilitators understand public sector culture, the constraints of government decision-making, and the political sensitivities that shape your conversations. They’ve operated at senior levels and know how to hold the room when the issues are difficult.
2
results driven projects
We only deliver government workshops with practical, measurable outputs. You leave with decisions made, actions owned, and a team that is clear on direction and committed to delivering it.
3
strategic alignment dialogue
Getting government leadership teams to genuinely align - across agencies, across levels, across competing interests - is what we do better than anyone else. We’ll get your team pulling in the same direction.
4
transformation ready
We specialise in facilitating government teams through significant change. Whether it’s a machinery of government transition, a cultural reset, or a major strategic pivot in response to government priorities.
5
proven process
Over 20 years and hundreds of engagements, we’ve refined a government facilitation model that is both rigorous and practical. It is tested across virtually every government context and continuously improved.
6
accredited specialists
All Turning Leaf facilitators are trained and accredited in large-group facilitation techniques, with specific experience in government planning environments, policy co-design, and cross-stakeholder engagement
what workshop participants say
“The facilitator was excellent at holding the group accountable and encouraging firm decisions.”
“The open and constructive discussions helped surface shared challenges and priorities for the team.”
“Engagement from the facilitator did not just give us an answer, but rather gently pushed the group towards coming up with our own answers and strategies. The team feels more aligned and excited about the strategy.”
“I really enjoyed the format. The facilitator was very good at getting everyone to engage and bringing out the voices of those who don’t always speak up.”
“Great facilitation that drove us, but did not influence us.”
“I don’t think we would have achieved what we did without the gentle guidance and structured approach.”
why you should use an external facilitator?
1
Independence and Altitude
An external government workshop facilitator has no stake in the outcome, no political allegiance, and no position to protect. That independence is what makes it safe for every person in the room - regardless of level or agency - to say what they actually think.
2
Structured Process, Not Circular Discussion
Government meetings have a well-known tendency to revisit the same issues without resolution. A skilled facilitator designs a process that moves your team through the right conversations in the right order, building to decisions and commitments rather than back to the agenda.
3
Genuine Commitment, Not Compliance
When leaders build the plan themselves - guided rather than told - they own it. In government, this matters enormously. A plan built by your team will be implemented. A plan just handed down will be ignored or worked around.
4
Every Voice in the Room
Government hierarchies are particularly effective at suppressing the voices that most need to be heard. A skilled facilitator draws out the people who don’t always speak up in front of their SES or their Minister, and those perspectives are often the ones that change the outcome.
5
Defensible Process
In the public sector, how decisions are made is as important as what decisions are made. An external government workshop facilitator brings a structured, documented process that can withstand scrutiny and demonstrate genuine consultation and engagement.
6
Maximum Value from Your Time Together
Bringing a government leadership team together is a significant investment of time, budget and political capital. A professional government workshop facilitator ensures every hour produces the alignment and outcomes your organisation needs.
government case studies
federal government: departmental strategy and priorities
A federal government department needed to align its senior leadership team around a revised set of strategic priorities following a change in ministerial direction. Turning Leaf conducted pre-workshop interviews with the SES Band 1 and 2 leadership group, then facilitated a full-day strategy workshop. The team reached genuine alignment on a small number of high-impact priorities, agreed on cross-divisional accountabilities, and produced a clear 12-month operating plan that every leader felt they had helped build.
nsw government: cross-agency leadership reconnect
The Registrar General’s office needed to reconnect its leadership team, rebuild working relationships after a period of significant organisational change, and align on a shared set of priorities for the year ahead. Turning Leaf facilitated a full-day offsite that surfaced key tensions, built genuine team connection, and produced a rich set of priorities and ideas the team could take forward together. Feedback confirmed the session achieved all that was hoped for, and the team was still running on its energy and momentum weeks later.
sport and community sector: policy and planning workshop
A government policy and planning team needed to align on strategic priorities and build a shared operating framework across a complex multi-stakeholder environment. Turning Leaf facilitated a workshop that got every participant involved, surfaced the issues that most needed to be resolved, and produced a practical action plan with clear ownership. The facilitator was praised for getting the whole group engaged and creating the conditions for open, productive conversation
local government: council strategic planning day
A metropolitan council needed to align elected members and senior staff on strategic priorities for the incoming term. Turning Leaf facilitated a council planning day that navigated a politically diverse room, surfaced the issues that mattered most to the community and to council leadership, and produced a clear set of agreed strategic priorities with genuine cross-party support. The process was praised for being structured enough to produce real outcomes while remaining open enough to let every voice be heard.
fast start: we know your industry
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Government Departments
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FMCG (consumer goods)
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Construction & Property
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Building supplies
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Manufacturing
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Automotive
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Government
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Agriculture
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Food & Beverages
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Property (Residential & Commercial)
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Medical and Dental
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Software
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Government Owned Corporations
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Luxury Branded Goods
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Retail, Fashion and e-commerce
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Financial Services and Insurance
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Utilities and Telecommunications
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Financial Services and Investment
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Mining and Infrastructure
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Professional Services
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Franchising
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Pharmaceutical Services
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Waste & Recycling
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Not For Profit
the 5 main types of facilitation
ask us about our flagship facilitation modules
advanced strategy formation
Strategy development by the people who will be responsible for it. This workshop is for when you have a team that needs to work together to win against competitors and to delight customers.
ai transformation
Is your strategy ready for the coming wave of AI opportunities and challenges? Have you identified where in your value chain artificial intelligence can add the greatest value? This module unlocks the potential for AI in your business.
path to growth
Sales and marketing alignment to win in consumer categories. For when you need proven growth drivers to win in retail, e-commerce and with brands. Brings together category management, sales, and brand growth essentials.
strategy into action
Implementation planning. For when the rubber hits the road - you need a GAME plan (Goals, Activities, Measurement, Evaluation)
role clarity and silo busting
Team formation at its best. Role clarity and working in silos are now classed as psycho-social safety hazards under WHS legislation. Proper team formation is a level 1 control for these risks because it eliminates lack of clarity at the source.
team alignment intensive
Developing a high-performance team. For when you have a team with a challenge and you need to bring them together to work efficiently and effectively to get the outcome you need.
b2b builder
Specialist strategy formation for businesses selling to other business and government. For when your B2B sales proposition needs to generate more interest in buyers without alientating the procurement department.
executive facilitation
For teams ready to transform strategic visions into tangible outcomes and achieve organisational excellence. Unite your executives around common goals, enhance decision-making, and foster cross-functional collaboration.
cx magic
Putting your customer at the heart of your business through Customer Journey. For when you need to improve your customer experience by mapping their journey and identifying critical strengths and weaknesses.
facilitation fees
The cost of professional facilitation varies considerably depending on the specific needs of your team, the numbers involved and the outcomes required.
Fees can range from as little as $6,500 for smaller groups with fewer challenges up to $50,000 for much larger groups with business-critical requirements.
Other drivers of cost include:
On-site or off-site facilitation
Pre-work and research requirements
Post-workshop follow up
Administration needs (eg safety or compliance)
Special requests
The best next step is for us to have a chat about the kind of outcomes you need and how we can ensure you achieve them.