Rebecca Stockley and Matt Smith led one of the most engaging workshops I attended at the Applied Improvisation Conference. I never totally connected the title "Shifting Resignation to Empowerment Workshop" to the activity until I slept on it for a few days and then was treated to a little "neuron connecting" via Viv McWaters. Viv blogged about the learning intersection between improvisation and facilitation. This probably was the door that allowed my thinking to go a bit further than a fascination with an applied improv method. In "Facilitation Tips for Improvisers" Viv gently reminds both sets of practitioners how much they know, add and, perhaps, don’t know about the other’s practice. I love how she teased out the mutual learning that is possible at the intersection of these practices and for me, thinking about how and where to use an improv exercise or method needs that practice-boundary-crossing. Then, after I drafted the first part of this post, Viv posted about the exercise. That made this blog post easier. Thanks, Viv. Bacl to Rebecca and Matt. They shared three improv exercises to help shift thinking, to get out of that "stuck" spot. To see possibility. They started with "Invocation," part of a more complex style of long form theatre improvisation known as "Harold!" (I’ll let you read about that yourself!)  After a little searching, it seems that the Invocation is often uses as an opening for longer form improv. But we were interested in the application of this form in business or organizational life. Here is how Viv summarized it (Viv, I hope it is ok I’m borrowing so boldly!) Here’s how it works. You start with an inanimate object. Anything really - a hat, a salt shaker, a cup,a book… There’s four rounds. In groups of say four people, you can throw comments in at each round. It’s okay to talk over each other, to jump in. The idea is to keep the comments coming. There’s no need to incorporate other people’s ideas, although that might happen. Anyone can move on to the next round whenever they choose. Once one person moves on, everyone else moves on too. Whether they’re ready or not. Basically you invoke the object as follows: It is… You are… Thou art… I am… You can discover things about yourself through objects. You can also do an invocation on fear, age, stress or something else you are wrestling with. We then moved on to Naikan, which comes from a Japanese reflective process. The form is: What have I received from ______ (name the person, thing, group)? What have I given _____? What troubles and difficulties have I caused ____? Clearly my upbringing in a guilt centric religion caused me to first experience this as GUILT GUILT GUILT! But I do appreciate it can, in its deeper form, be really useful. I would not use it in a meeting. No way. No where! But then they gave us a mashup between the Invocation and Naikan, the Nipon Invocation   and this one was more accessible to me and thus I can see using it. In fact it is already slipping into a few designs. Here is how Viv described it: And for people completely out of touch with their calling, here’s another one that Rebecca and Matt mashed up. It too is powerful. In fact, I think I like it even more. Rebecca and Matt demonstrated this as a pair. I think it could also be done in small groups, or individually. It’s a way of using improvisation to go deep with people - or with yourself. Let’s say the subject is ‘talent’, and I’m using this on myself. Here’s the script for the Nipon Invocation: My (talent) is… To serve my (talent) I… My (talent) has served me by… The trouble I have caused my (talent) is… Viv, I am your (talent) and I… Viv is experienced with improv, so I think she "saw" the application before I did. I had to experience the form, then muddle on it. Matt and Rebecca role modeled this form so brilliantly, I was a bit awed and intimidated by the high performance standards — both are seasoned improv actors.  But they assured us that "real people" do this to great results. While I still don’t quite see the traction for these methods in shifting from resignation to empowerment, I REALLY do see their application in unpeeling something to get at it from different perspectives.  As I said, I plan to use this. I love the APPLIED part of this whole improv thing! (Next step, take another improv workshop here in Seattle. Soon!)

I am preparing a background article for week 5 of our Hague Technical University "Project Community" course. I realize I have not written a general piece in a long time. As prep, I’ve started by scanning older articles I’ve posted on my blog and the very old stuff in my Online Community Toolkit. Here is what I’ve harvested from 2008 on when I moved to WordPress. I still have 2004-2008 to harvest. Mama mia! It is interesting - some of it has aged poorly, some of it rather well. I even listened to a keynote I gave in 2010 and found some resonance. I was pleasantly surprised. Any thing here you remember as useful? "This isn’t what I thought it was: community in the network age" http://www.fullcirc.com/2012/08/28/this-isnt-what-i-thought-it-was-community-in-the-network-age/ Facilitating Learning Online with Magy Beukes-Amiss (podcast) http://www.fullcirc.com/2012/07/09/maggy-beukes-amiss-on-facilitating-learning-online/ Reconceptualizing facilitation and participation in a network (MOOC) context http://www.fullcirc.com/2012/05/03/reconceptualizing-facilitation-and-participation-in-a-networked-mooc-context/ Relating Community Activities to Technologies http://www.fullcirc.com/2012/02/14/relating-community-activities-to-technologies/ Reflecting on my TAFE workshop approach http://www.fullcirc.com/2011/12/22/reflecting-on-my-tafe-workshop-approach/ = Transcript from Workshop Google+ experiment (advance facilitation workshop) http://www.fullcirc.com/2011/12/21/transcript-from-google-workshop-experiment/ and the slides http://www.fullcirc.com/2011/12/21/converge11-keynote-workshop-and-reflections/ Reflecting on #socialartists and #change11 http://www.fullcirc.com/2011/11/08/reflecting-on-socialartists-and-change11/ Follow-up from the Leadership Learning Webinar (Q&A on facilitation) http://www.fullcirc.com/2011/10/17/follow-up-from-the-leadership-learning-community-webinar/ Community and Social Media Policies and Guidelines http://www.fullcirc.com/resources/online-community-toolkit/community-and-social-media-guidelines-and-policies/ Carl Jackson on Supporting Online Communities in International Development http://www.fullcirc.com/2011/06/02/carl-jackson-on-supporting-online-communities-in-international-development/ Questions: a thread through current work http://www.fullcirc.com/2010/08/07/questions-a-thread-through-current-work/ The Role of Visuals in Online Community http://www.fullcirc.com/2010/04/14/debrief-the-role-of-visuals-in-online-community-management/ What does it mean to facilitate and online meeting? http://www.fullcirc.com/2010/03/25/what-does-it-mean-to-facilitate-an-online-meeting/ Useful Books for Online Community Building http://www.fullcirc.com/2010/03/12/useful-books-on-online-community-building/ References on Lurking http://www.fullcirc.com/2010/02/26/references-on-lurking/ Online Facilitation, Twitter, Backchannel and Keynotes http://www.fullcirc.com/2010/02/24/online-facilitation-twitter-backchannel-and-keynotes/ The History and Future of Online Facilitation http://www.fullcirc.com/2010/02/22/itc-keynote-the-history-and-future-of-online-facilitation/ My Old Online Facilitation Curriculum http://www.fullcirc.com/2009/12/30/my-old-online-facilitation-workshop-materials/ Designing and Facilitating Online Events http://www.fullcirc.com/resources/facilitation-resources/designing-and-facilitating-online-events/ Telephone Conference Call Tips http://www.fullcirc.com/resources/facilitation-resources/telephone-conference-call-tips/ Synchronous Trip Scheduling Tips from Jonathan Finklestein http://www.fullcirc.com/resources/facilitation-resources/synchronous-scheduling-trips-in-larger-distributed-groups/ D’Arcy Norman - How do you connect to people online? http://www.fullcirc.com/2009/11/30/darcy-norman-how-do-you-connect-to-people-online/ Social Media in International Development Podcast Series http://www.fullcirc.com/2009/09/30/social-media-in-intl-dev-sarah-blackmun/ Backchannel Resources http://www.fullcirc.com/2009/09/11/backchannel-resources/ What Do We Mean By Engagement Online http://www.fullcirc.com/2009/09/08/what-do-we-mean-by-engagement-online/ Raising the Bar on Online Event Practices http://www.fullcirc.com/2009/08/11/raising-the-bar-on-online-event-practices/ How I Use Social Media http://www.fullcirc.com/2009/08/04/how-i-use-social-media/ Skills for Learning Professionals http://www.fullcirc.com/2009/07/06/skills-for-learning-professionals-part-3/ Social Media Planning and Evaluation for NGOs http://www.fullcirc.com/2009/06/07/social-media-planning-and-evaluation-for-ngos/ Simon Hearn on Online Facilitation http://www.fullcirc.com/2009/06/03/simon-hearn-on-online-community-facilitation/ Facilitating Online Curriculum http://www.fullcirc.com/2009/05/22/facilitating-online-curriculum/ netWorked Learning: connecting formal learning to the world http://www.fullcirc.com/2009/04/03/networked-learningconnecting-formal-learning-to-the-world/ CoP Series #9: Community heartbeats http://www.fullcirc.com/2009/03/19/cop-series-9-community-heartbeats/ (with links to the 8 earlier installments) Faciliplay: play as an online facilitation technique http://www.fullcirc.com/resources/online-community-toolkit/faciliplayplay-as-an-online-facilitation-technique/ On-ramps to Online Engagement http://www.fullcirc.com/2008/09/03/onramps-to-online-engagement/ From Courses to Community http://www.fullcirc.com/2008/08/27/from-courses-to-community-a-personal/ Online Community Purpose Checklist http://www.fullcirc.com/resources/online-community-toolkit/online-community-purpose-checklist/ (which I adapt and update all the time — but haven’t posted an update in a while! I should!) Free workshop: Facilitating Online Communities http://www.fullcirc.com/2008/07/24/free-workshop-facilitating-online-communities/ Thinking About "Slow Community" (particularly online) http://www.fullcirc.com/2008/07/08/thinking-about-slow-community/ Glossary of Online Interaction http://www.fullcirc.com/resources/glossary-of-online-interaction/ Musings on Community Management Part 1 http://www.fullcirc.com/wp/2008/04/28/musings-on-community-management-part-1/  and Part 2 http://www.fullcirc.com/2008/04/28/musings-on-community-management-part-2/ GEWR Online Event After Action Review http://www.fullcirc.com/2008/04/20/gewr-online-event-after-action-review/ Harvesting Knowledge from Text Conversations http://www.fullcirc.com/2008/03/16/harvesting-knowledge-from-text-conversations/ Using the "Clock" on Telecons (and webinars!) http://www.fullcirc.com/2008/03/14/using-the-clock-on-telecons/ Online Facilitator Humor http://www.fullcirc.com/2008/02/25/online-facilitator-humor/ Drawing Together Online http://www.fullcirc.com/2008/01/14/flnw-event-january-16-drawing-together-online/ Using Google Translate Tool in Wikispaces http://www.fullcirc.com/2008/01/10/using-google-translation-tool-in-wikispaces/ Online Community Toolkit http://www.fullcirc.com/resources/online-community-toolkit/ What are your most useful synchronous online facilitation practices http://www.fullcirc.com/2007/01/25/what-are-your-most-useful-synchronous-online-facilitation-practices/ The Masks We Wear http://www.fullcirc.com/weblog/2007/11/masks-we-wear.htm Whose Space? Differences Among Users and Non-Users of Social Network Sites http://www.fullcirc.com/weblog/2007/11/whose-space-differences-among-users-and.htm

[<a href="http://storify.com/vivmcwaters/applied-improvisation-network-2012-world-conferenc" target="_blank">View the story "Applied Improvisation Network 2012 World Conference" on Storify</a>]Have you been intrigued by my AIN12 posts? Here are some more goodies via Viv McWaters - Applied Improvisation Network 2012 World Conference (with images, tweets) · vivmcwaters · Storify. Look at all the little gems, or perhaps more aptly, facets that the tweets expose. I think you had to be there for the gems. I think my favorites are: "‘Go towards the thing you’re scared of.’ Gary Hirsch#ain12" "@improvapy: "Trauma sucks people into the past. Laughter pulls people into the present." Genie Joseph#AIN12" #AIN12 @brentdarnell Traditional training is a conspiracy create by sellers of 3 ring binders #ain12 Matt Smith: "do what you can to get into a sense of gratitude before you perform" …or teach, or host, or lead, or… Adam Blatner: "I’d rather learn something new than be right" #ain12 "You have to find people who are broken and help them heal. Laughter is my weapon of mass construction." Genie Joseph #AIN12 Gotta love "laughter is my weapon of mass construction" from a woman who uses improv to help soldiers heal from the trauma of war. Mind blowing.

When I was in Singapore for KMSingapore, I was able to visit the offices of Straits Knowledge, where Patrick Lambe, Edgar Tan and Ng Wai Kong do amazing things to help their clients create and share knowledge. I’ve always enjoyed reading their Green Chameleon blog and have greatly appreciated (and envied, I must admit) Patrick’s sketching skills! While in the office, Patrick gave me a hands-on with their Knowledge Toolkit and I said, THIS IS SO COOL, let’s make a quick video to share. So here it is. Please forgive the typos on the text. You know me. Typo queen! I’m going to share this on KM4Dev as well, as i think my colleagues there will really like this as well. So GO SHARE KNOWLEDGE! via Patrick Lambe on Straits Knowledge’s Knowledge Toolkit - YouTube.

They have 20 free slots still open if you are up in the Vancouver area! JIBC is hosting a World Café style Speaker Series on Tuesday October 16th, 2012. Description: There are many practices from the field of facilitation that can engage individuals quickly and meaningfully into learning processes. When we shift process, shift the locus of engagement from "teacher to learner," we also shift away from simple transmission of information into discovery, ownership of learning and, most important, meaning making. Come experience some of these practices and see if they have meaning and application in your classroom. Facilitator: Nancy White is going to facilitate this great session. Nancy is the founder of Full Circle Associates. She helps organizations connect through online and offline strategies. She is internationally recognized as an online interaction designer, facilitator and coach for distributed learning, teams and online communities. For more information check out: http://www.fullcirc.com/about/about-nancy-white/ For registration contact: Tracie Gavriel, facultydevelopment@jibc.ca Date: Tuesday October 16th, 2012 Time: 5:00 - 5:30 Food | Refreshments, 5:30 - 7:30 Collaborative Session Location: JIBC Café. 715 McBride Boulevard, New Westminster, BC. via Practice for Engagement in Learning in the Classroom «.

We are deep into week 5 of the Project Community course. The course explores the role of online communities and networks in open, innovative design engineering. (See previous posts here and our shared Faculty blog.) Shahab, one of my co-faculty, and I did a Google hangout on online facilitation. Here is the short 12 minute version. You can find the longer 19 minute version here. I mentioned the Community Roundtable about half way in and want to share the link so viewers have an easy link to follow! The week’s reading on online facilitation is here. via Nancy white on Online facilitation - YouTube.

I am becoming obsessed with the challenge of "not enough time" that I am seeing with ALL my clients, friends and colleagues. We are doing more, and it seems, getting less out of this frenzy. I am riveted to the concept of "creative destruction" to help understand and decide what tot STOP doing. As a consequence, I’m seeing ideas everywhere. Here is one from Kevin Cashman from his book, The Pause Principle: step back to lead forward.  And expect to hear more from me on this topic! 1.  Pause for understanding.  Certain that you know the answer?  That’s a good time to step back, gather more information, ask another relevant question, listen to someone else’s perspective, consider alignment with values and purpose. .. 2.  Pause for growth.  Schedule time and invest in your personal leadership growth through self-awareness and learning.  Help others grow and develop their talent… Step back to reward risk-taking; celebrate and appreciate failure for the learning that emerges. 3.  Pause for teams. Lost your focus? Feel like you’ve gotten off track?  Take the time to give everyone opportunity to express concerns, share their genuine feelings, ideas and listen authentically in the spirit of real collaboration… 4.  Pause for resilience.  Step back from the hurried, hectic pace, the onslaught of information and demands for energy, clarity, and fresh perspective.  Go for a walk or run.  Sit by the river… New ideas and innovation emerge in the spaces between the doing. 5.  Pause for significance.  Engulfed in hyper-speed and productivity?  Next time you pick up your mobile device for a stream of transactions, pause and ask yourself, "What is really important today?"  When you step back to reconnect with what you really value, what will you choose to do or not do? via BK Communiqué Author Lists Blog: Five Non-Traditional Ways to Pause. Thanks to Christopher Robbins for creative-commons-ing his beautiful photo so I could share it again.

Too great NOT to share this from Amanda Gibbs… And now, at what I might call mid-career, all my assumptions about creativity, about who is a creative and a maker of meaning have changed. I’ve started to view creativity as the ability to support participatory spaces and in particular, a drive to support public participation in disrupting and shaping the places where we live. I believe that cities are the ultimate machines for creativity — people living and sharing ideas in close proximity. Urbanity — being an engaged, alert, connected citizen — can provide the perfect conditions for creativity. I am inspired by projects that unite people — design professionals (artists, makers, videographers, graphic designers, architects, urban planners, technologists and web specialists) with community-based advocates and researchers (organizers, government officials, academics, service-providers, policymakers, and citizens). I think there are some fancy new terms being thrown around for this work: social innovation, community-based social marketing, and public engagement. But at the end of the day, it is about creating opportunities to break down the complex systems that shape urban life and to share and create knowledge to make those systems understandable and useful to more people. via CreativeMornings/Vancouver • Amanda Gibbs - Profile and Q&A.

Choconancy1 posted a photo:

Choconancy1 posted a photo: