FacilitationCamp 2010 - What Happened?

 

Please upload your reports from each session here:

 

Day 1 Friday 20 August 2010

Open Space 1 - With timing close to atomic precision on paper, but Bermuda Triangle Time in practice, OS 1 was skipped :)

 

*******************************

 

Open Space 2, 11.00 - 11.30 am

Badger, David Pinto, 'Letterbox Protocol'

Present - Susie, Philip, Clare, Greta, Annie, Lycia

- Help self-organization

- Deepening of group

- New rules (eg. "3-word rule")

- Inclusive to all

- You end up wanting to know more from others

- Pauses, rhythm, listening

- Establish more principles

Open Space 2, 11.00 - 11.30 am

Rhino, Annette, 'Storytelling'

Present - Emma, Ayako, Elizabeth, Sarah, Joe, Lauren

- Becoming the user

- Alternatives to ice breakers

- Relating to people you already know

- Building a story together

Time, Location, Host Name, Title, Output
Time, Location, Host Name, Title, Output

 

*******************************

Open Space 3 11.30 am - 1.00pm 

Dolphin, Elizabeth McDonnell em44*AT*tutor.open.ac.uk ,  'Personal Sharing With Strangers'

Present - Alan, Vincent, Wendy

* Exploring how to facilitate making deep connections

- visuals as derailing negative emotions & connections & patterns of language

- immersing in new environments: free gathering

- getting below superficial buzz, below scientific and technical explanations, below world views, paradigms and values, to MYTHS, METAPHORS, VISUALS, that capture intuitive & emotional understandings (CAUSAL LAYERED ANALYSIS)

- mapping the system & information flows through it: system structure creates system behaviour

- identify a champion / White Knight, who can grant permission for process AND champion its results

- manage fears: people project fears onto OTHER, then push back violently against perceived fear

- supporting space where people can approach conversations with each other from a new vantage point - pictures & visuals can offer that new perspective

 

********************************

 

Open Space 3 11.30 am - 1.00 pm

Badger, Greta Irving, 'What is your deepest intention?"

Present - Francois, Philip, Annie Quick, Emma, Johnnie

- Guided meditation - deepest intentions

- Group sharing

- Relationship and facilitation

OBSERVATIONS: connection, multiple perspectives, creative energy, embodiment, knowing what I want

 

*******************************

 

Open Space 3, 11.30 am - 1.00 pm

Leopard, Ayisha, ayisha*AT*theconversationagency.co.uk, 'What is facilitation? A divergent brainstorm'

Present - Emily, Lauren, Clara, Susie, Sarah

- 40-min dialogue (facilitated philosophical inquiry)

Q. Are we all facilitators?

KEY WORDS: safe space - acknowledgment of what is often unspoken

                       balance - self-disclosure/acknowledgment

                       participation = in + at = dance

                       intention - in service of group balanced with my needs

                       build confidence - skillful decisions; the skill of holding a space as well as knowing how to become part of the group

- 20-min dialogue

Q. How do we facilitate ourselves the deep mutual support we need?

- Who do we feel sense of belonging with?

- The idea of being in something together

- Finding the common ground 

 

********************************

 

Open Space 3, 11.30 am - 1.00 pm

Rhino, David (Action Cycle) happy

 

Open Space 3, 11.30 am - 1.00 pm

Cat, Merlin, 'Practical techniques for resolving polarized debate'

Present - Margie, Lycia, Andrea, Clare, Annie, Nathaniel

Techniques:

- Work out a shared vision - more decisions towards that vision rather than make decisions in isolation. Consensus on the vision should make decisions easier.

- Remind that the real good is to maintain the integrity of the group.

- Do a strength of feeling test. Can you live with that? Importance of decision can be lost in inflammation of debate.

- Brainstorm why people are holding on to their decisions. Ask them what they stand to lose or gain by holding this position.

- Spectrum lines to work out where the group is with the debate, then small groups, another spectrum line, two camps presenting arguments to each other, another spectrum line.

- Ask people where they are between 1 to 10. What would it take for you to be 6,7,8?

- Hold a future conference. Look at where you are and how you got there and where you want to go and how you could get there.

 

*********************************

 

 

Time, Location, Host Name, Title, Output
Time, Location, Host Name, Title, Output

 

*******************************

 

Open Space 4, 2.00 - 2.40 pm

Worm, Ian Drysdale, idrysdale*AT*gmail.com, 'Facilitating Prototyping'

- Discussed process of prototyping services.

- Tuttle club as a prototype of people meeting and a tron game..!

Time, Location, Host Name, Title, Output
Time, Location, Host Name, Title, Output

 

*******************************

 

Open Space 5, 2.20 - 2.40 pm

Dolphin, Annette, 'Facilitating Social Business'

Present - Clara, Greta, Mamading, Wendy

- Annette introduced Social Business

- Mamading talked about London Creative Labs

- Annette's interested in LCL

- Greta wants to know how Annette/LCL works

 

 

*****************************

 

Open Space 5, 2.20 - 2.40 pm

Badger, Nate, 'Breathing'

- We learned how to breathe, as we did when we were in the womb.

- Can be used for relaxation or to be energized.

- This type of breathing massage

Time, Location, Host Name, Title, Output

Time, Location, Host Name, Title, Output
Time, Location, Host Name, Title, Output
Time, Location, Host Name, Title, Output

 

********************************

 

Open Space 6, 2.40 - 3.00 pm

Badger, Alan Jackson, 'Technology for Facilitation'

Present - David, Emily, Nate, Vincent

- How to use virtual without compromising physical facilitation

- "Remote whiteboard"

- "Confluence model"

- "Basecamp"

- "Asynchronous consensus"

- "Automated dotmocracy"

QUOTE: "Minimize the virtual, maximize the physical"

 

*******************************

 

Open Space 6, 2.40 - 3.00 pm

Fish, Wendy Schultz, wendy*AT*infinitefutures.com

Present - Lycia, Ayisha, Margie, Annie

1) What recording / graphic recording contributes to group process:

- Increases active / accurate listening

- Validates each contribution / contributor

- Short-circuits 'broken record' syndrome

- Acts as convenient double check of discussion content against articulated expectations, meeting goals

- Enables efficient review, easy catch-up of latecomers

*See chapter on Recorder in Doyle & Strauss, 'How to Make Meetings Work'

2) Getting visual

- Full-on graphic recording - simultaneous cartooning of ideas under discussion (a rare and expensive skill)

- But everyone can draw swoops, lines, stick figures, circles, squares, rectangles, triangles - your body will help (use elbow joint as protractor, use muscle memory, encourage drawing)

- Embed summary points in simple geometric icons (eg. circle = target, so list goals there, list actions in arrow heading to centre of target)

- Use old photographs, postcards, ads to add more sophisticated and emotionally evocative visuals as a collage to your simpler hand-drawn graphics - ask participants to jot down the insights and stories they associate with photos or illustrations they've chosen

*See David Sibbet, Graphic Keyboard at Grove Consultants

 

*******************************

 

Open Space 6, 2.40 - 3.00 pm

Rhino, David Warren, davidguywarren*AT*gmail.com, 'Big Society?'

- Present: Emma, Hannah, Ian, Joe, Sue, Marein, Francois

- We shared our knowledge on the idea of 'Big Society' as referred to by David Cameron and the current government. We were all unsure what it actually means, or what it will look like and think very few people actually know for sure.

- Several concerns were raised:

 

• It could be used as a means to mask the public spending cuts
• Current ideas may not inspire the public at large, eg. parents running their own school and community book lending schemes are very middle class concepts
• It is called Big Society, but there are only four pilot areas and each one will be led by a Cabinet member; this creates a concern that this hierarchical leader may reduce positive impacts of grassroots approach

 

*******************************

 

Open Space 7, 3.00 - 4.30 pm

Badger, Emily, empathi.info*AT*gmail.com, 'What is visual facilitation?'

Present - Ayisha, Ayako, Joe, Ian, Laura, Margie

- We made a collective map answering the question 'what is visual facilitation'

 

**************************************

Open Space 7: 3.00 - 4.30

Cat. Philip Milburn. Intuitive Facilitation (using music)

Present: Nate, Andrea, Vincent, Martin, Sarah .... forgot names

We discussed:

- relatuionship between facilitation and leadership

- what is intuition ? How do we each experience it. "Knowing', gut feeling

- How do I create intuitive plans ?

- Leading a group from my own feelings is always the right thing to do; authenticity / containing your feelings when appropriate

- Facilitative leadership is when you have a desired outcome

 

I started leading, then invited others in the group to take over and practice intuitive leadership by following their impulses and spontaneous ideas. 

As a result, 1 person invented a great name game

Another invented a means of using instruments to work on communication. This became A SOUND ILLUSTRATION OF GROUP COMMUNICATION - HARMONY - DISSONANCE

 

Summary: we used simple musical instruments to facilitate exercises in communication / team-building / introductions ... etc ... anything you want.

 

FINAL CHALLENGE TO THE GROUP CONVENER: HOW WOULD I TEACH INTUITIVE FACILITATION TO SOMEONE WHO HAS NO EXPERIENCE OF IT ?

I'll go away and think about that ... !

 

 

*******************************

 

Open Space 7, 3:00 - 4:30 pm

Rhino, Sue Bell, 'Power Listening'

Present - Emma, Daria

- A power listening experience

- We discussed the fine balance between seeming detached and being 'drawn in' when facilitating or talking to people in a highly emotionally charged state (eg. angry)

- Very powerful and liberating experience, thank you.

 

********************************

 

Open Space 7, 3.00 - 4.30 pm

Dolphin, Johnnie, 'Going Deeper'

Present: Lloyd + others

- You had to be there

 

*******************************

 

Open Space 7, 3.00 - 4.30 pm

Worm, Annette, 'Logistics and How To of Open Space'

Present- Mamading, Francois, Peter

- Annette gave an overview of her process: make sure client will implement action from OS (she gets a panel of workers to buy in first + the commissioner) 

- Open question in plain English generated by the panel, question forming is critical (she has a specific process for this)

- Big square room to form a circle (have laptops supplied, have assets, material & delegate list supplied in advance)

- Event planning and logistics, create a simple schedule

- Write to client with plan and quote

- Put question all over room, so people can't miss it

 

*********************************

 

Open Space 7, 4:30 - 5:15 pm

Dolphin, Francois, Marketing Facilitation

Present Vincent

Difficulty of selling to corporates (even though great need)

Need reference to bottom-line

Positioning important

 

********************************

 

 

 

Day 2 Saturday 21 August 2010

 

Open Space 1, 11.00 - 11.30

Lion, Merlin Hayword, Facilitator Qualifications

Present: Lycia, Andy, Sue

A journey towards letting go of the outcome

Our qualities to include: Whatever we need to be, wherever we need to be.

A recognition of I as both unique and the everything of us, the world, the universe.

 

Open Space 1, 11.00 - 11.30

Llama, Andrea, How Share

Present: Jacqui M, Nate W

How do we share best practice?

- peer observation (mentors? Pro-peers? need trust)

- list of pros willing to have company

- event schedule where peer observers would be welcome

- classes w/ practical rehersal

- "try it out" - techniques + events tested on other facilitators

- after action reviews/ retrospectives

- what happened? what did you do? why?

- Al best practice interviews written up + shared online