Mark Clark: "Forget ‘Getting to Yes' Practices of Transformative Dialogue"
Summary: Mark Clark, CEO of global peace-building organisation Generations For Peace, shares the Premises, Principles and Practices of a new way of communicating, called transformative dialogue. It’s an approach that values autonomy and relatedness to support pro-social conflict interactions. Mark argues that there are times when we should forget “Getting to Yes”; and that whilst facilitating transformative dialogue is not easy, nor is it some magic bullet, it offers an important possibility for improving conflict interactions in our relationships, organisations and communities, and offers a valuable additional option for coaching and consulting practice.
tCL Oxford 2016 post-conference summary
Theme : At our Oxford 2016 conference in September, we examined the relationships between Influence, Power and Change, and their overall role in change processes. As power is a critical resource for every actor, be it in organisations or in society as a whole, the conference aspired to help us understand how some individuals acquire power while others do not; why some individuals retain their power once they have attained it; and why others fall from their lofty positions in spite of the political advantages power provides. Given the role of power in organisational and societal processes, it is important to understand how the dynamic of power changes and how power can inhibit or enable change.
In addition, the detailed knowledge was subsequently ‘unfolded’ into more detailed discussions using the unconference approach. This engagement framework enabled participants to put more contextual sense and meaning around the topics using a consensus-based approach, and generated a further set of learning outcomes.
Going forward, a SPREAD paper will be produced, articulating the key discussion points and learning outcomes from the conference.
We started by sharing our first thoughts on power: the taboo, the negative connotation versus power as a positive source, the different types of power, the origins of power, and the unavoidable presence of power. The questions that we had going into the conference mainly focused on how to better understand power and how to apply power within organisations.
Our first speaker Phil Wall is a CCC graduate and the founder of WeSeeHope, a charity enabling children isolated by poverty to create a better future. He introduced the notions of the power of purpose, the power of courage, the power of vulnerability and the power of responsibility. Phil helped us see how the powerless and underprivileged can be viewed through a new lens such that they can be empowered and inspired to create better futures.
Leading the second session, Martin Hermann a Physician by training, focuses on implementing complex change in global health and development. He contrasted the knowing, certain, control and individual with the not knowing, the uncertain, the not in control, and the group. Martin’s activity-based sessions helped us to re-evaluate the time-bound myth that power is the possession of the privileged few, and to analyse what is really is a pervasive and multi-dimensional property of wider human interconnectedness and relationships.
Our final presenter, Stewart Clegg is an Australian professor in the field of Organizational Studies and the author of many books, including the Sage handbook of power. Leveraging a seventies’ TV political satire and Luke’s power structures, he created a frame of reference of different aspects, bases, and concepts of power. This frame highlighted the endless political ecosystem struggle that leverages influence, rhetoric, and resources in pursuit of political agendas. Stewart’s insights helped to surface and illustrate the many components and states of ‘power’ as they exist and influence the real world.
Dorthe Sorensen prepared and orchestrated the unconference process, and facilitated further unfolding of the topic such that attendees could create more contextual sense and meaning. This created a further set of learning outcomes and activity-based engagement, which Dorthe captured.
In summary, many interesting questions and new ways of looking at power in organisations and wider society emerged during the course of the conference. These comprehensive perspectives demonstrated how tCL has evolved as a platform for reflection enabling meaningful conversations within a diverse group. There will be many outcomes resulting from this impactful conference starting with the SPREAD paper later in 2016.
The Change Leaders Oxf16 conference SPREAD paper
Influence, power, and change
This paper details the key points from the Oxford 2016 conference on “Influence, Power, and Change” and charts how the subject matter was subsequently ‘unfolded’ into more detailed discussions using the unconference framework. This engagement framework enabled participants to put more contextual sense and meaning around the topics using a community approach, and generated a further set of learning outcomes.
To download the SPREAD paper please click here
Activism by Mike Staresinic
'Activism' was published by Mike Staresinic in January 2011.
On every continent, citizens brave jail and torture to win basic rights, provoke breakthrough, and achieve dignity. ACTIVISM answers the question, How does change operate? by capturing the wisdom of movements that break through.
A decade in the making, with contributions from principled nonviolent movements around the world, ACTIVISM is for those who can't let go of the dream of freedom.
ACTIVISM is a practical guide to toppling authoritarian regimes, using Gandhian principles of non-violent resistance.
Many of the methods outlined in the book were successfully used by protesters in the Maldives' recent struggle for democracy. ACTIVISM is indispensable reading for pro-democracy campaigners everywhere.
President Mohamed Nasheed, the Maldives.
President Nasheed, a former political prisoner turned President, is the first democratically elected president of the Maldives following three decades of dictatorship. Maldivians used Gandhian methods to defeat government violence. --Personal Correspondence.
Mike is a leader in international affairs, democratic governance, and organizational development. He helps those advancing change in rapidly changing countries worldwide. Mike studied at Penn State, HEC Paris, Oxford (UK), and Harvard's Kennedy School of Government. He has a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering and Masters of Science in Consulting and Coaching for Change.
Esmeralda Hemels: "Developing Leadership Teams - Where the Magic Happens"
Summary: For Leadership Teams that want to thrive in today’s complex world, team members’ intention should be to ‘complete rather than compete’ each other. Esmeralda presents the 5 steps approach she developed based on her work with Leadership Teams over many years combined with contemporary leadership and change frameworks and field research. The 5 steps provide an approach to reach the depth needed for sustainable development of effective Leadership Teams. The paradoxical nature of some steps seems to be crucial elements for success.
Dennis Vergne: "Stop Trying to get Buy-in"
Summary: Get more work done by reducing consultation and increasing participation in decisions
Lisa Francis-Jennings: "The Subtle Perspectives of Resistance"
Summary: How many Organizational Change Projects fail because the project team does not connect with, or understand their audience? Lisa Francis-Jennings uses a composite story-telling technique to illustrate cultural disconnect and engagement failure. This disconnect, she posits, is the root of much Project failure. She encourages Change Agents to ask themselves three simple questions, that set perspective and that guide the OCM project team to focus on their audience and the ‘user experience’ of Change.