December Wild Card - Face to face at UTS on December 11 at 5.30pm

 

Monday 11 December 2023 l 5:30PM.   
Face to Face: UTS Building 10, Lvl 5, CB10.05.580.

For our last session in 2023, come along to reflect on the year and celebrate the SFN community. It's a wild card night! We will invite colleagues to offer and run a short piece highlighting some aspect of facilitation practice. 

More information here

If all goes well we will go for dinner afterwards. 

SFN October 9: Reinventing collaboration in the post pandemic era

 

Face to face session with Greg Jenkins

at UTS Monday October 9 at 5.30pm

Venue: University of Technology Sydney (UTS) Building 10 (cnr Jones & Thomas St), Level 5, Room 5.580
Take the lift to level 5, cross the atrium footbridge, walk straight ahead to room 580 on your right.

Time: From 5:30pm to 7:30pm | No RSVP - Just turn up | Donation $5

Collaboration means to work jointly with others or together. More recently the term has been broadened and co-opted by software, App and AI developers to enable aids to enable some fantastic tools for all of us to use.

The Covid Pandemic facilitated the age of hybrid work and learning where emphasis has shifted from face-to-face participation to a mix of human to human, human to machine or a mix of humans and machines. The change has happened so quickly that the practices and protocols haven’t caught up with the juggernaut.

In this session we have the opportunity to explore what’s happening in our own game, share what’s working and what’s not, explore how we as facilitators might through collaboration at a point in time be part of the change in a more powerful way. 

About Greg:

Greg is an independent change agent and facilitator with more than 25 years’ experience. He works in Defence, business, government, education and community sectors specializing in collaboration, culture and leadership. 

He has been involved with SFN from the very early days of the network. He is a regular guest facilitator.

His first session in 2003 was on ‘The World Café’. Greg has contributed 7 previous sessions on his special interest -the topic of collaboration. This is a further evolution of his ideas on collaboration based on his experience in high stakes, high value projects in the post pandemic world.

More Info HERE

Supporting The Voice - addressing the 'undecided'

As we move into the final stage of the referendum, a pattern is emerging - there is a group of undecided voters who are genuinely trying to understand all the sides of the referendum debate. They don't want to vote 'yes' for something they don't understand but don't want to be labelled racist for considering a 'no' vote. It is a very uncomfortable feeling being pulled in different directions and many undecided voters are trying to find a fair path to follow. 

 

Between now and October 14, SFN Committee encourages network members to look for opportunities to listen deeply to undecided voters. There might be some undecided voters in your family, friends or workplace. As facilitators we know the power of one-to-one conversations in helping people find clarity and reflect on their values.    

 

False information is being deliberately and covertly spread in order to obscure the actual claims in the referendum question and negatively influence public opinion. This fear-based messaging is exploiting voters with migrant backgrounds, making them feel uncomfortable and stressed. Some migrated to Australia to live in a country with higher democratic standards and avoid such exploitation. 

 

Disinformation is giving voters a negative experience of a referendum which is significant feature of Australian democracy. We all have a responsibility not to share disinformation or misinformation. We can call it out when others mention they are relying on it or being influenced by it. 

Call to action: consider what role can you take between now and October 14 to help voters be well informed and connected to trustworthy information like voice.org.au, ABC and SBS.

Technology and the Future of Facilitation - Follow Up from the September 12 session

 

 

Follow up from this session 

The slides are at this link

Here is a link to an edited version of the SchellingPoint slide deck used in last week’s workshop on How AI and digital technologies can help facilitators in the years to come. 

Both Michael Taylor and Marek Lis would welcome continuing the dialogue with anyone interested.

 

Here is Michael’s LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-taylor-635223

 

Here’s is Marek’s: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alchemyinsights

 

Technology and the future of facilitation |  SFN Special Zoom morning session |  Tuesday September 12th from 8am-10am (AEST)

with Schelling Point

Reframing Burnout SFN Monday August 14 at 5.20pm

How to reach ambitious goals without compromising on the pace or burning out

In the hustle and bustle of today's fast-paced world, burnout has emerged as a pervasive concern, affecting individuals in various occupations and career stages. Despite numerous initiatives and programs in place, the alarming rise in burnout cases begs a critical question: Where are we going wrong?

Face to face session with Dr fLorence Cotel

Monday 14 August 2023 l 5:30PM.   

Face to Face: UTS Building 10, Lvl 5, CB10.05.580.

 

Enter fLorence, a captivating speaker who seeks to revolutionize our understanding of burnout. In this thought-provoking talk, fLorence presents a fresh perspective on the syndrome and, most importantly, introduces a novel approach to burnout prevention. The mantra is simple yet profound: Not working less; working better, achieving more.

 

Join us for an engaging session as fLorence challenges conventional notions, sparks a paradigm shift, and inspires us to become drivers of a brighter, more sustainable future.

 

About the speaker

Dr fLorence Cotel is a neuroscientist, burnout expert, non-profit founder & leader, endurance athlete and inspirational speaker.Building on 20+ years of experience in public speaking in Europe, America, the Middle East, Asia and Australia, she debunks myths about burnout and offers a fresh approach to enable both organisations and individuals to reach ambitious goals without burning out or compromising on the pace! 

And Dont forget the special September morning session on Technology and the Future. Last chance to register on August 7, 2023

Register HERE 

Technology and the Future of Facilitation - Special Morning Zoom Session September 12 (8am-20am)

 

Technology and the future of facilitation |  SFN Special Zoom morning session |  Tuesday September 12th from 8am-10am (AEST)

with Schelling Point

On Zoom 

Here is the link

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84505817922

If you havent registered for the session, feel free to come along and witness how the process unfolds. 

Dear SFN colleagues,
 
Following recent conversations about the future of facilitation, I was curious about how emerging technologies might affect our work in the coming years.   So, I went looking for an opportunity to get some first-hand experience with leading-edge approaches and try these out with the SFN community.
 
I stumbled upon on SchellingPoint, a Philadelphia-based company with experience using augmented intelligence, data science, and other collaboration software to support its facilitation activities. The software assists the facilitator with the things humans can’t do well repeatedly. They kindly accepted our invitation to showcase the approach with the SFN community.  There were some pre-session activities for this session, which many of you completed. Those who didnt register, are still welcome to come along and witness the program. 

The event will be different from our usual SFN monthly sessions. SchellingPoint has offered to conduct a ‘live’ Strategic Collaboration with some pre-session activities which many of us have now completed. 

The topic for the dialogue will be something around Technology and the Future of Facilitation. So hopefully the process will match the purpose. 

SchellingPoint’s CEO Michael Taylor and their Sydney partner Marek Lis will provide case studies and answer questions.

Through this exercise, we hope to get a better understanding of how technologies are being applied to the deeply human aspects of our work. I haven’t experienced the Shelling Point platform yet, so we will all be joining as novices in this exercise.
 
I look forward to walking along with you on this exploratory journey.
 
Kind Regards,
 
 
Ian Colley

SFN convening group

About Schelling Point

We researched and developed the strategic collaboration technology and techniques through over 400 projects, from Fortune 50 corporate strategies, global coalitions, and government policy development, to early-stage ventures, process improvement, and product innovation, to mergers, outsourcing contracts, and infectious disease strategies. 

Our solutions are based upon the work of Nobel Prize recipient Prof. Thomas Schelling, Harvard professor Chris Argyris, and our work in Relational Network Analysis. In recent years we have taught the derived principles, concepts, and methods at leading business schools.

SchellingPoint is how we make them available to those needing to create new outcomes through coordinated action.

About the presenters

Michael Taylor is a SchellingPoint principal and co-founder.  Michael holds a B.Sc. (Hons.) in Mathematics, Operational Research, Statistics, and Economics from the University of Warwick, England, and has guest lectured on Managerial Decision-making, Consulting on Complex Problems and New Methods in Consulting at  Cornell, Duke, Penn, SMU, Warwick, and Wharton.

Michael led the process for Andersen Consulting (Accenture)’s first software patent, an AI expert system, in 1992. Michael has been using AI at SchellingPoint since 2014.

Marek Lis is a Collaboration Architect dividing his work between Sydney and New York. Marek specializes in using the SchellingPoint platform to get groups of people heading in one direction.Marek spent many years in the advertising industry where he honed his skills in mediating highly subjective opinions of strong-willed people. And he has the scars to prove it.

After spending the last 25 years in New York where he grew increasingly frustrated in not finding a decent flat white, he and his wife moved back to Sydney late last year. Now he can enjoy client meetings over decent coffee.

COMING SOON - July, August and September 2023

Special September SFN Session with Schelling Point on Integrating AI with facilitation. 

Tuesday 12 September at 8am (this will be an invitation event with some lead up activities to demonstrate the approach).  More information coming soon.  

Deep ecology Workshop with John Seed 18 August, at Narara on the NSW Central Coast.  

Some of you may remember John Seed who led a zoom session on Deep Ecology for SFN earlier this year which many of us enjoyed.   He is offering a weekend of experiential deep ecology at the Narara Ecovillage August 18-20 with 25% of the proceeds to the Rainforest Information Centre.

Learn more about it or  book your place via this link 

INVITATION to  all the SFN Community I you have something you would like to try out or share with this community then come and Do a Monday night session, feel free to contact Ian Colley. There are always session times available  (ian.colley@makestuffhappen.com.au).

Lewis Deep Democracy CoResolve Course starting on the 24th of July, 2023.

CoResolve will give you the skills to manage the messy realities of groups. Learn how to recognise when resistance occurs and equip yourself with the tools to effectively resolve the tension and harness the group's potential. Register here:  https://3qiu0pvy5gq.typeform.com/to/DKW7rnuH, or visit our website for more information www.lewisdeepdemocracy.com

The (Fl)awesome Facilitator - Jacinta Cubis on Monday 10 July, 2023 5.30pm (AEST)

 

Session on Zoom at 
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86099279313

What kind of Facilitator are You?

It’s a challenging question that we’ll start to explore in this session, with a little honesty and vulnerability.

 You’re up for the challenge because you are a facilitator. Courage is your middle name. You need it to work with every group, as the only predictable thing about groups is their unpredictability.

Meet your facilitator:

Jacinta Cubis is a dynamic facilitator who lights up the room with her energy, creativity and enthusiasm. She loves guiding groups on their journey to make decisions, generate ideas and solve problems. 

Jacinta facilitates for you and builds your own facilitation capability to: 

q  Lead workshops and meetings with authentic flair. 

q  Elevate engagement and boost collaboration.

q  Generate valuable ideas and information from groups to make decisions that stick.

q  Deepen a team’s sense of belonging and appreciation of how to effectively work together.

q  Communicate memorable content fast in pictures.

With 25 years of experience, Jacinta has made her mark in various sectors, including government, universities, and community organisations, helping groups generate ideas, solve problems, and make lasting decisions.

Jacinta’s exceptional talent in visual thinking enables her to create captivating cartoons that help people tackle challenging topics with ease. She specialises in creative processes to help people express their thoughts and appreciate different perspectives. 

Her qualifications span community engagement, partnership brokering, corporate social responsibility, international relations, and communications. She is also an author and mentor, regularly sharing her expertise through a blog, facilitation resources, mini-masterclasses and her books. 

 

More information HERE

Invitation to present at SFN and Coming Events

Special Invitation - present an SFN monthly session

We have session times open in the next few months for anyone interested in sharing their practice, or trying out an approach.   Just contact Ian Colley on ian.colley@makestuffhappen.com.au

Coming Soon ...

1. Special September Session

with Schelling Point on Integrating AI with facilitation.

Tuesday 12 September at 8am (this will be an invitation event with some lead up activities to demonstrate the approach).  More information coming soon. 

2.  Lewis Deep Democracy CoResolve Course in July

Following the highly successful Myrna Lewis session in May, this is an invitation for those who would like to learn more

You are invited to a Lewis Deep Democracy CoResolve Course starting on the 24th of July, 2023.

CoResolve will give you the skills to manage the messy realities of groups. Learn how to recognise when resistance occurs and equip yourself with the tools to effectively resolve the tension and harness the group's potential. Register here:  https://3qiu0pvy5gq.typeform.com/to/DKW7rnuH, or visit our website for more information www.lewisdeepdemocracy.com

How to Keep our Brains fit and healthy - with Jeanne Walker

 

How to keep our Brains Healthy and Fit for Life! |  SFN Zoom session |  Monday June 19 at 5.30pm (AEST)

Session on Zoom

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86250511462

“We used to think our brain didn’t grow or change much after our twenties. We assumed the  main changes were about decline. Now we know that there are lots of practical things we can do keep our brains lively, growing and learning right up to our last breath,” says Jeanne Walker, our SFN facilitator for June 19.   Jeanne should know. In July 2022, she survived four hours of emergency brain surgery to remove a very large brain tumour, which had grown undiagnosed for ten years, despite visits to many doctors. Now 10 months into her recovery, all her years of coaching and facilitating in leadership, happiness and well being, and her enthusiastic reading of brain specialists like Dr Oliver Sachs and Dr Lara Boyd have all come together.   “In fact, I feel my brain tumour has been a friend in disguise. It’s really forced me to focus on what matters: the people I love, living fully and healthily, and helping everybody - including me - to keep our brains as active and fit as possible.”    “We’ll be exploring how attitude, gratitude, relationships  and a range of everyday habits like eating, drinking water & alcohol, overnight fasting, moving, sleeping, meditating, and learning - especially fun things – can all boost our brains. We’ll also look at how you can get assessments for yourself or a loved one. We may even have time to look at how our brains can soar with ease and flow." Jeanne Walker’s career has spanned radio and TV as a journalist and as an executive. She made her name for powerful reporting of mass demonstrations in New Zealand for human rights about racial equality, freedom from nuclear radiation, and laws to recognise homosexual rights. Her first Australian TV job was on the ABC’s Lateline team.  Jeanne went on to lead government behaviour change campaigns involving millions of people and to raise over $30 million for community causes.  Read more at:  https://www.linkedin.com//in/jeannewalkerlinkedin

Tools and Tips for facilitating in complex times - with Myrna Lewis. May 8 at 5.30pm on zoom

Session on Zoom 

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81235284600

May 8 at 5.30pm (AEST)

Discover a new lens to look at groups and understand group dynamics. Learn a useful diagnostic giving you insight into the dynamics and behaviours that interfere with groups, The Resistance Line. Experience what to do when there are diverse and charged views.

 

Myrna Lewis is a thought leader and practitioner in transformative leadership. Myrna and her late husband co-founded the Lewis Deep Democracy methodology. She is internationally known and respected for making critical soft skills accessible to individuals, teams, corporates, public sector organisations, and educational institutions, enabling them to work more efficiently and effectively. Myrna has consulted international corporates on change strategies, transformation, mergers and acquisitions. She has advised politicians and governments concerning transformation and large-scale social change in Sweden, Canada and South Africa.

Myrna is the recipient of international awards and the author of Inside the No, published in 2004 and republished in Dutch in 2022. Myrna continues her life’s passion as CEO of Deep Democracy Pty Ltd, working and consulting locally in Australia and abroad.

Speak Up | SFN Zoom session | Monday April 17 at 5.30pm (AEST)

Speak Up:  The neuroscience of psychological safety - with Sandy Killick

Session on Zoom 

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84816614372

'Speak up' cultures have a shared belief that team members won't be punished or humiliated for voicing their ideas, questions, concerns and mistakes. The Royal Commissions into banking and the Robodebt scandal shows what happens if people don't feel safe to speak up or listen to the 'no' in the room. This session explores the neuroscience of psychologically safe workplaces. How can the SCARF and TEAM models from the NeuroLeadership Institute help us create speak up cultures?

Sandy Killick, Director & Lead Educator

Sandy is a leading authority in democracy education, adaptive leadership & systems thinking. As an experienced adult educator and facilitator, Sandy creates spaces where people can have the challenging, necessary discussions about the big ideas affecting all of us.

See More Info HERE

(FInd out) Why Money is more Important than Sex

 

"Why money is more important than sex"

Face to face session with Jürgen Schmechel Listen and learn from relationship mentor Jürgen Schmechel who brings his wisdom and experience of nearly 30 years of marriage (to the same woman) to the stage. Jürgen has a unique ability to break down complex matters into easy to understand models. And what can be more complex than love and relationships. A session not to be missed. Monday 13 March 2023 l 5:30PM.    Face to Face: UTS Building 10, Lvl 5, CB10.05.580 Questions we might pursue together:  1.            What Questions should you not ask in a relationship 2.            When does commitment start? 3.            What are the biggest turning points in a relationship? 4.            What is Love/ Work/ Money for you?  5.            Is it OK to have Secrets ? Jürgen Schmechel, was born 1960 in Hamburg, Germany as the second son to his parents. He lived, studied, worked and married in Hamburg – to then be raising two sons himself. In 2004 his family moved to Australia to learn and live in a different culture. Jürgen is a keen observer of human psychology, he is a master in NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming), Ericksonian Hypnosis and a certified Results Coach. Over the past 30 years Jürgen realised that he and his wife are doing things differently in their marriage from others. Some of their behaviour was conscious, some more on the unconscious level. And with more and more relationships all around the world deteriorating, Jürgen decided to bring his wisdom and mentoring to the people. He started his Inspiring Relationships in 2017 and published a controversial book in 2019: “Why Money Is More Important Than Sex”. His mission is to inspire thousands of men and women to stay in loving, respectful relationships. Which has a ripple on effect to their Children and the World. More information here

Deep Ecology with John Seed | SFN session February 13 at 5:30pm

 

Zoom Session Link:   https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85442459488

Deep Ecology is a philosophy of nature which sees that underlying the environmental crisis there is a psychological or spiritual disease stemming from the illusion of separation between humans and the rest of the natural world.

The late Arne Naess, Emeritus Professor of Philosophy from Oslo University, Norway who coined the term "deep ecology" pointed out that our "ecological ideas are not enough to protect the Earth, we need ecological identity, ecological self". It was Naess’s view that in order to heal that illusion of separation while embedded in the anthropocentric culture which reinforces it at every turn, what was needed were “community therapies”. 

Working with Joanna Macy and others, since 1986 John Seed has been developing and facilitating experiential processes that dispel this illusion This workshop teaches participants processes that lead to a deepening of our felt sense of connection with the living Earth and I think that facilitators of other personal growth etc may find some of the processes we’ll explore useful in their own work.

John Seed is founder of the Rainforest Information Centre. Since 1979 he has been involved in the direct actions which have resulted in the protection of the Australian rainforests. He has written and lectured extensively on deep ecology and has been conducting experiential deep ecology workshops around the world for 25 years. In 1995 he was awarded the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) by the Australian Government for services to conservation.

More information