Survey Says: A Final Look at Our Time Together in Dallas

At the conclusion of our time together in Dallas, nearly all participants completed an evaluation form to share their perspectives on the event. The results were compelling in their clarity; while there was some diversity of opinion, a strong voice emerged.

The review of the accommodations and food surprised none of us at Parish Catalyst given the venues for both; we were proud to have the pastors and their teams stay at one of Dallas’ historic hotels and eat at the restaurants recommended by Leadership Network. A few participants, though, thought the Dallas July heat left something to be desired!

Participants gave the meeting space a high rating, 4.7 on average (out of 5). Indeed, the meeting environment at Leadership Network was designed for precisely our sort of use; we convened easily in the center when interacting with our three speakers, but were able to scatter further afield for team work. All of our three speakers were also well-reviewed, none more highly than Dr. Carolyn Woo, whose talk on Levers of Leadership was shared here last week.

Teams reported that they collectively got the most out of carving out time to spend together as a team; increasing awareness of the need for strong leadership development in the parish; and connecting with other teams (in that order).

For our next gathering, in January (2015), participants hoped for a continued focus on leadership development—this time, digging deeper and learning more about practical tools for leadership development.

In closing comments, many participants thanked Fr. Michael Saporito for his beautiful and earnest closing mass, on Wednesday, July 23. For many, Fr. Saporito’s message words and imagery continue to echo. May its message of hope carry us until the cohort meets again in January!