What if the soft stuff is actually the hardest—and most valuable—work leaders do? We sit down with Stephanie Ford, director at Warren Whitney and IFO-certified facilitator, to explore how a career built on banking rigor, board governance, and deep facilitation turns messy conversations into decisive progress. Stephanie shares how early years in commercial banking taught her to see the whole system—operations, financials, risk, and relationships—and why that end-to-end perspective makes strategic planning and succession work sharper and more humane.

We walk through her pivot from saying “no” in a regulated world to saying “yes” as a consultant who helps leaders think. You’ll hear tangible facilitation moves: one-on-ones to map the room, explicit trade-offs to unclog decisions, and a conductor’s mindset to manage pace, voices, and depth. She opens up about mentors, including the late John Steele, and the boardroom lessons that only show up when organizations hit turbulence—how consensus is built before meetings, why agendas must guard strategy time, and when to slow down so teams can actually align.

Rooted in Richmond and renewed by the river, Stephanie credits faith, partnership, and constant learning for the steadiness required to guide complex groups. From privately held companies and family businesses to nonprofits, her throughline is consistent: clear thinking precedes smart action. If you care about strategic planning, succession planning, board governance, and the craft of facilitation, this conversation offers a toolkit and a mindset you can use on Monday morning.

Please visit www.internationalfacilitatorsorganization.com to learn more about Mo Fathelbab and International Facilitators Organization (IFO), a leading provider of facilitators and related group facilitation services, providing training, certification, marketing services, education, and community for peer group facilitators at all stages of their career.