Action Research Action Learning and Process Management Assoc. Inc. 

A L A R P M  Conference Abstracts

Solutions outside the square   
Practitioner Development Conference
Bardon Conference Centre,
Brisbane, Australia, 12 - 13 July, 1998

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Deborah Lange
"Is it solutions we need or better understanding?"

Solutions seem to me to conjure up a one way street. This is the solution today. This is the right one versus the wrong one. That we can find a solution, that there is an expert answer to be found.

Yet if we look at living systems it seems that adaptation is occurring continuously, not necessarily waiting for the right solution, responding to the environment in a multitude of minor ways and at times the forces on the system allow the balance of the equilibrium to de-stabilize and something totally new emerges that transforms the system. A living system seems to go with the flow. Our contrived thinking systems, are supposedly controlled, much analysis occurs before implementing a solution that is sometimes too late as the environment has changed since we gathered the data.

How do we go with the flow, how do we free ourselves up to look at problems from both rational and non-rational perspectives.

This workshop will explore a creative process designed by Jean Houston, based on an American Indian tradition for accessing multiple perspectives that enhance the decision making process. Jean Houston, founder for the Centre for Mind Research in America has specialized in developing processes to develop human potential.

Our culture traditionally uses left brain thinking processes to discuss issues, generate solutions and make decisions. This often inhibits the possibilities we have of developing creative insights for our problems. The process used in the workshop will tap into our intuitive wisdom from the right hand side of our brain to access profound insights not usually gained from rational thinking processes.

Participants will work together collaboratively in this process to generate strategies and solutions on the key questions that they have brought to the conference.

The Process

The group forms a wheel and from the different cardinal points of the compass, North, South East and West will look at the key questions.

In the wheel we will all be teachers, we will all be questioners, everyone participates and takes on different roles.

The wheel will be discussed as representing myth and symbol in everyone's life. Through the energy of the wheel we will bring in greater intelligence and we will discover the great patterns related to the questions that we ask. Any question asked will be answered from no fewer than 8 perspectives. An outline will be given on the cardinal positions as archetypal forces, the different roles for the cardinal points, the question's role, and the use of the wheel to think outside the square.

The method uses dance, story, art, questions, rational and intuitive thinking processes.

Each person in a group of 9 has the opportunity to pose a question and receives 8 responses from 8 different perspectives.

Each person has the opportunity to place themselves in a position of seeing problems from the 8 different perspectives.

This exercise can be done either with one large group or multiple groups with 9 people in each group.

Paper, crayons or textas, a tape recorder for playing music and a room without tables and chairs is required.

The presenter

Deborah Lange, Change Facilitator. Specialising in holistic change processes: uncovering belief systems; self-organising systems; learning organisations; personal and professional development

 

Deborah Lange

24 Marine Parade Seacliff 5049 South Australia

Ph 0418 833889 Fax 08 8296 5954

deblange@ozemail.com.au

http://www.gil.com.au/comm/profcounsel/elogue.htm

This document in both electronic and hardcopy forms may be copied in part or whole provided such copying is for educational or training purposes only, the copies are not sold for monies, and the source reference is retained.

 

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ALARPM Assoc. Inc. PO Box 1748 Toowong   Qld   4066	Phone:  617 3870 9812 Fax:        617 3870 4013 Email:   alarpm@uq.net.au
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