A New Way to Meet

[Heidi Helm]

Dan Joyner emailed me this graphic and wanted to use it to start this discussion. We're trying to figure out how to display the graphic in this stream rather than just in the photo section.
Thanks to Randy the image now appears as part of this post.


If you can help us make this work, or are interested in this discussion...hop on!

[Dan Joyner]

Thanks Heidi, for posting the drawing of my reflections regarding a recent meeting. http://asmallgroup.ning.com/photo/photo/show?id=1616563%3APhoto%3A1026 But first, here is a question for the SCOPE / ASG folks:

“Tell us about a time, as though it were now, when you experienced something really special with the 6 conversations or other aspects of the method?”

My response to this question reminds me of a time I sat with a group of folks, assembled to assist county commissioners, with a difficult task. I saw the powerful impact of a shift in social architecture, as illustrated, in the drawing. There is nothing “new” about the way we met, in fact, it’s quite ancient. During the meeting, what I saw came along with the only source of nature in the room; a bank of windows, in a hallway, outside the Commissioner’s Chambers. From where I was sitting, I could see through the chamber windows into the hallway - Beyond there I could see people walking in the hallway and the bright sunny sky beyond them, through the large exterior windows. As people walked by, they would peer through the Commissioner’s Chamber window, as we sat in a circle… What might they have thought?

Before every meeting, my associate and I unhook several orderly rows of chairs and rearrange them in to a circle. In so doing, we change the social space into an environment where we can connect with each other and think more deeply about our work. The moment for me was when I thought about the possibilities of what the people in the hallway sensed as they noticed us and the differences, in the room. I knew then that our work has a bigger meaning…

[Elaine Hansen]

Thank you, Dan and Heidi for sharing. You both helped paint the picture for me. Yes the possibilities for the people passing by...the unintended consequences (or is that intended consequences?). I like it. :)

[Elaine Hansen]

In response to the question, I think of a special time when I used 2 of the questions and structure of CES to welcome a gathering for Off The Map in Denver. When the small groups began to buzz with conversation, I felt a sense of excitement - and then, I had to tell them to prepare to move to a new small group and a new question. Part of me felt bad about stopping the lively conversation. They moved to new people and the buzz began again. After the evening ended, I had 2 people come to me and tell me that they really appreciated being given permission to speak or pass and a stimulating question to respond to. Being introverts they each expressed that they usually didn't share in a room full of strangers. They had some good conversations and made some good connections.

I love how the structure gives people freedom to choose their level of involvement without feeling guilty.

[Eric Hansen]

This happened just recently. It demonstrates the power of curiosity over advice.

I am meeting with Heidi Helm. The topic is web design. I have asked Heidi to work with me to make my web site look better and work better. In the course of the conversation, we discuss dysfunctional companies we have known. I mention getting laid off from one of them and never learning why they choose me to be one of those laid off.

Heidi asks, "What would change for you if you knew."

It just stops me and makes me think deeply. Would anything change? I answer something like, "I think I might feel better. If done well, it could give me some insight into behaviors I need to change." (That may not be accurate. This is from memory.)

The question is still working on me. Maybe nothing would really change, and maybe by wrestling with that, I can let go of my anger and frustration.

[Randy Weeks]

This is wonderful, Dan and Heidi.

I'm inclined to print it and keep a copy in my wallet for illustrating what we mean when we speak of changing the spaces and ways in which we meet.

If you'd like to update your opening message for this forum, so that you may include the image at the start, as I've done in this reply, just try this:

1. First, find and COPY the address of the actual image. It's a long one, generated by ning. You may do that for any ning image by clicking all the way through in the photo gallery, until you see just the image on the screen... You may get an actual image address by right-clicking on any photo or image and selecting View Image (if you use firefox - it's a different command in IE or other browsers).

- The address for this particular image is: (Click the link to get the image, where you may copy the address from the browser)
http://api.ning.com/files/yPbpmA1pfFJgGVo8C0VsUb6kNqxQ8dzJvxtQCqqPh...__2. Edit the opening message, then place your cursor where you'd like the image to appear.

3. Click the small "image" icon in the message edit tool bar. It will open a dialog box with options to upload an image or insert an existing image. Choose the INSERT option and paste the address into that field.

4. You may also set OPTIONS, but in this instance I have not needed to do so. In this case, I am linking to the full sized image, which isn't too big for this space. If it were larger, I'd want select the thumbnail option and select a size that will fit this space. I might also choose to align it left or right with the text of the message, as well as make use of the other options provided.

I hope that's helpful, and thanks for this great image and discussion.

I'll post separately to answer Dan's question.

Randy

[Heidi Helm]

THanks Randy:

It worked!!! See edited first comment.

Heidi

[Dan Joyner]

Heidi and Randy, Amazing talent! I’m blown away… Thanks for the effort to bring coherence to what we are creating here…