Guiding social enterprises & non-profit organizations through meaningful change.
About Us
Shaping a better future is about bringing together the right minds – leaders, thinkers, and doers to unite their vision, knowledge, and skills.
We help leaders orchestrate strategic dialogues, partnerships, and gatherings that turn their aspirations into tangible realities.
We are committed to guiding organizations through the intricate process of change, ensuring they are well-equipped to make a lasting impact.
Strategic PlanningEnhance focus through strategic planning. Through our participatory process, we help you pinpoint challenges ensuring impactful outcomes. Backed by thorough research, we adapt methods to address evolving sector demands.
Social Profit TransformationWe enable groups to master intricate challenges through partnerships across diverse domains. Unite for coordinated action, shared advocacy, and collective learning, fostering organizational growth.
Organizational DevelopmentWe use human-centered design to make sense of complex systems challenges. Effective problem solvers visualize the larger dynamics of the system while staying grounded in the needs of people.
Leadership CoachingExplore our Leadership Coaching Services, tailored for mastering advanced leadership skills, making complex decisions, and inspiring peak team performance.
Manal supported our organization in the development of our latest Strategic Plan and we would strongly recommend her. She designed a highly participatory and transparent consultation process and expertly facilitated a series of virtual conversations that included Board members, managers and front-line staff.
Throughout the process, we relied on Manal’s keen facilitation skills, her ability to engage and include diverse stakeholders and ensure the final plan integrated and balanced the different perspectives of those who participated. Manal’s positive energy combined with her high level of skill and expertise made this planning process a huge success, and we look forward to working with her again in the future.
I can’t begin to express our gratitude for everything you did to make our day such a success. There was so much care invested in the design and approach, and so many thoughtful touches. Truly one of the best organized sessions I’ve participated in… and there have been a few!
Manal Sayid designed and facilitated Volunteer Ottawa’s first in-person Board of Directors retreat in over three years, a period that saw many changes: a new strategic plan, many new board members, and a whole new staff team. The event was so important to us and she made it everything we hoped for and more. She is a generous, thoughtful leader, a gifted facilitator, an excellent organizer, a talented artist… and an amazing volunteer! Thank you for everything!
I would highly recommend Manal as a very skilled facilitator. I had the opportunity to see her in actions facilitating a virtual strategic planning exercise with a large group and was impressed with how well thought-out and organized the process was, as well as how she used different platforms and tools to engage participants in the discussion.
Manal recently facilitated the strategic planning process for our organization. Her objectivity and thoughtful questions contributed to a rigorous and efficient process and, as a result, a strong outcome. She provided great value add throughout the process, from her feedback on our community consultation to facilitation of the Board’s strategic planning day. She has a truly engaging facilitation style, which resonated well with very different personalities and thus ensured active participation of our whole group.
I had the opportunity to work very closely with Manal over this past year, as we co-led the process of developing a new 5 year Strategic Plan for JHS Ottawa. Manal exudes kindness and reassuring solidity. I left every one of our interactions with renewed energy, perspective and confidence.
Recently, Taekwondo Canada had the opportunity to welcome Sayid Consulting into our 2024 Board Retreat to discuss the development of a new strategic plan for the organization. The facilitation of the strategic planning process, specifically by Manal Sayid, allowed for our Board members and Taekwondo Canada staff to specifically develop a framework for the roadmap which will carry the organization forward for the next four years.
Manal was key in the development of the framework of the plan for our group, facilitating the process by working to ensure that all were comfortable in the process and that all involved played a part in the development of the plan through roundtable discussions and group meetings which were held prior to the retreat. Manal and her team worked diligently to ensure that meetings were productive while utilizing survey results to assist in the development of the future roadmap.
In completing the day’s work on the strategic plan I found that all involved had similar sentiments towards Manal and her group in that our progress was extremely beneficial and that we were on the right path towards a roadmap to success. I would highly recommend Manal and her team to not only sports but all organizations when working towards a high level strategic plan.
We hired Sayid Consulting to facilitate a 3-day strategic planning session for the Decolonization and Anti-Racism Consultation Committee. Manal’s process to engage with the team members and identify their goals for the session prior set the stage for fruitful discussions. She was in touch with the individual needs of each participant as well as the needs of the larger group and surpassed our expectations on many levels.
Her lived and acquired experience, along with her evident passion for shaping organizational culture, informed her facilitation as she navigated sensitive topics on systemic racism and discrimination in the workplace. This included themes that required intense discussions with varied and sometimes conflicting opinions. She expertly guided us to identify priority areas over the course of three days and articulated our strategic plan visually in a table as well as in a summarizing report.
Manal was responsive throughout the organizational process and flexible with our changing priorities before, during, and after the strategic planning session. She was just as engaged as we were in striving for inclusive organizational change and adjusted the agenda to account for unexpected turns, with the view to maximize results. We look forward to the opportunity of working with Manal again!
I had the privilege of attending a leadership-building training session led by Manal, which provided an in-depth exploration of leadership through facilitation. The seminar has significantly transformed my perception of how we can utilize facilitation to encourage willingness in others and promote inclusiveness, reflection, innovation, and resilience through change.
Manal’s adept approach to facilitating and coaching created an excellent learning environment. She ensured a safe space for open discussion, integrated engaging activities and reflections, and provided valuable take-home resources to help use these skills in our day-to-day.
This was incredibly helpful when I had to facilitate a rapid build event days after the seminar. I am confident that this training was only the start of my practical application of the learnings. Manal’s resources and facilitation was very impactful for me and my colleagues, and we look forward to continuing to use her as a resource in our leadership journeys.
Thank you for the invaluable learnings, Manal, wonderful work!
We had reached out to Manal to discuss the opportunity of delivering a introductory training on facilitative leadership, and from the onset, collaborating with Manal was a great experience. Her dedication to understanding our team’s unique needs and tailoring the training accordingly was appreciated. From the very beginning, it was evident that she invested considerable effort in grasping the intricacies of our leadership dynamics.
Throughout the training session, Manal’s facilitation skills were evident, as she fostered engagement among the 13 participants who are part of Neurodevelopmental Health’s leadership team. She masterfully guided discussions and small group activities, ensuring that every voice was heard and valued. She skillfully employed key questions to spark rich discussions, leading us towards valuable insights and growth opportunities. Moreover, Manal created a safe space for introspection and honest discussion within our team.
Thank you, Manal, for your dedication and expertise on the topic of facilitation!
I am speechless at Manal’s support to the team and our community. The engagements went very well and I’m feeling great about what we have achieved!
Manal did a fantastic job. I don’t even know how to thank her, but suffice it to say, I am truly grateful.
I look forward to the opportunities ahead for further collaboration to weave the fabric of a healthier and wealthier ACB communities in Ontario and beyond.
Sayid Consulting facilitated a participatory process with stakeholders, board members, staff and clients to develop a strategic plan collaboratively.
Sayid Consulting’s comprehensive approach to community work ensured that our strategic plan addressed the interconnected factors that influence community development. They took the time to understand our organization’s values and mission, incorporating principles of trauma-informed care and social justice to guide our actions. Our strategic plan not only outlined goals and objectives but also considered the underlying values and principles that drive our work.
From the outset, you understood both the importance and complexity of the strategic planning process for a large public sector organization.
From our very first meeting your positive energy and optimism and your in depth knowledge about strategic planning was evident. You listened carefully, and thoughtfully mapped out a facilitation plan for our Board and senior staff retreat.
You facilitated our large and complex discussions with grace and successfully navigated any challenges in the process. Your ability to pull out common threads in the discussion brought cohesion to our thinking.
Working with Manal has been a journey of discovering, questioning and adjusting my leadership.
Her facilitation skills support a true and dynamic engagement of participants
Her coaching approach is applied throughout by asking key questions to generate rich discussions. She includes a variety of techniques for check-ins, sharing of experience, questioning, ensuring engagement in the hybrid context.
Manal continues to help our management team grow a coherent leadership approach by creating space for each members to go through introspection and adjustments.
I am writing to express my sincere gratitude for Manal Sayid’s invaluable contributions to Suradway’s partnership proposal. Manal’s expertise, professionalism, and dedication were instrumental in shaping a compelling and impactful proposal that effectively communicates our organization’s mission and vision.
Manal’s exceptional communication skills, enabled her to articulate our unique value proposition and strategic goals clearly and concisely. Her ability to synthesize complex information and present it in a persuasive manner was evident throughout the proposal development process.
Manal actively sought our input, listened attentively to our feedback, and incorporated our ideas and suggestions seamlessly into the final product. Thanks to Manal’s exceptional work, we are confident that our partnership proposal will resonate with potential partners and stakeholders, paving the way for meaningful collaborations that will further our mission of empowering Black youth and families in the child welfare system.
I wholeheartedly recommend Manal Sayid for any project requiring expertise in proposal development, strategic communication, and stakeholder engagement. Her passion for social impact and dedication to client success makes her an invaluable asset to any team.
For anyone looking to hire a #facilitator for an upcoming staff retreat for a planning session, look no further than Manal Sayid, MBA and Lise Hebabi, PhD. They exceeded my expectations with thoughtful and tailored exercises and programming for my team! We had a packed 3 day #startegicplanning session and we came out with a concrete vision for our future and detailed work plan. More importantly the bonds my team was able forge will make a lasting impact on how we will all collaborate on work we are deeply passionate about: #humanrights
I highly recommend Manal Sayid – a trusted consultant with expertise in research and would love to work together again. Manal is highly competent. She produced a high quality report within a short deadline.
Manal did an exceptional job leveraging her consulting and creative skills while working with us in the process design, and in the facilitation of the sessions themselves. She was able to set each group at ease during the time she spent exclusively with each group in preparatory discussions, and during the time that she facilitated the sharing with the executive team.
Manal modelled empathy and compassion, and a strong business mindset, throughout the sessions and in the follow up. At our request she synthesized the key themes emerging from the sessions, and provided some concrete suggestions on potential next steps for our consideration.
Manal recently completed the strategic planning process for our organization, and it was a delight to work with her. Several things stood out for me in her facilitation style.
Each time Manal supports us with compassion and structure. Her level of preparedness for each session was exceptional and we are exceptionally pleased with our final outcome. Manal’s strong organizational skills, exceptional facilitation skills, and wide knowledge and expertise in health and social services helped ensure a strong strategic plan in the end. Would definitely recommend her!
I found Sayid Consulting to spend more than average time gathering data from the people in a thoughtful way. The time taken allowed community members ample time to participate more than once. The process was less executive/leadership led and more led by the community as a whole in an equitable way. The process followed a “Nothing About Us Without Us” process. I was also delighted to review relevant social movements such as Black Lives Matter incorporated into our reflections and where we fit in this new arts reality.
Sayid Consulting’s report was thorough in of its scan of the environment, the priorities of our client base, our partners and our funder organizations. The Soar Analysis and Value Chain Analysis were so helpful because it distilled the learnings from the scan exceptionally well. It contributed to my understanding and decision-making process by helping me focus better on both client and employee priorities. It did a great job of distilling the data to the areas that our team should focus on!
I am so appreciative of Manal’s skill and expertise in facilitating an all staff session. Her capacity to manage our large group was phenomenal – our team is passionate and she was able to welcome so many diverse perspectives and still keep the room constructive and focused on our collective purpose.
Manal and her team did an excellent job facilitating a strategy planning session for the OHS Board and management. Manal brought a positive energy to the role and helped the OHS team align along draft strategic goals, helping participants identify key components in an inclusive approach. I highly recommend Sayid Consulting.
Working with Manal was an absolute pleasure! Her approach to strategic planning centered on the humans in the process—recognizing that while the end result is words on paper, the process to get to those words involves hopes, dreams, fears, and a whole host of emotions, all of which are integral to the end result.
I remember thinking, during one of the sessions that Manal facilitated, how much thought she had put into humanizing the process—not just by creating a space where all voices could be heard, but also by recognizing that people are people, and they do people things.
I remember wondering what possible purpose the Play-Doh at each place setting could serve during the session, only to find out that it was simply there to help people stay engaged while giving them an outlet for distraction that wouldn’t derail the process. That simple distinction set Manal’s approach apart from others.
I remember telling her that it felt like strategic planning “with a soul.” It wasn’t just a mechanical exercise designed to craft a strategic plan, but rather a human exercise to craft a reflection of the hopes and dreams of a passionate group of humans (and also a strategic plan).
I’m proud of the end result of the process and so appreciative of Manal’s thoughtful, kind, and above all, committed approach to the humans involved.
So, all that to say…. thank you!
Our collaboration with Manal marked a pivotal moment for BWCH. With her leadership, we shaped an inspiring vision, mission and crafted a five-year operational plan that honoured our legacy while setting a bold path for lasting impact. Manal’s participatory approach ensured each voice was heard and valued. Her facilitation made each interaction unforgettable—well-organized, impactful, fun and inclusive. Manal’s understanding of our community’s needs set us on a sustainable path forward.
Since completing the strategic plan, we have reaped the benefits of this work including setting the stage to complete our theory of change and guiding our branding strategy and communication efforts. This partnership has provided lasting clarity and purpose, empowering our team to stay focused on shared goals.
We sincerely appreciate the dedication, care, enthusiasm, and tools you brought to each session.
Thank you for your invaluable guidance and support.
What is a Facilitator? A facilitator is someone who plans, guides, and manages group events to meet their goals. However, effective facilitation goes beyond just managing a group. It requires ensuring that every person has an opportunity to hear others and express their ideas. People want to participate in making decisions that affect their […]
A facilitator is someone who shapes and guide the process of working together so that a group meets their goals and accomplishes what they’ve set out to do. While a group of people might set the agenda and figure out the goals, one person needs to concentrate on how you are going to move through your […]
