Get to know the CPL Team!

Photo Credit: Craig Neal

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Recently we announced our growing team of consultants, coaches and trainers. We are excited to be working with these wonderful and experienced leaders to improve purposeful leadership in every organization. Get to know these individuals below and see how they may be of assistance to you in growing yourself personally and professionally.  

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Rachel Harris: With over 15 years of leading teams for impact, Rachel consults for organizations in transition and trains people on collaboration methods. She also leads strategy and communications at CPL...Read More

Claudia Eisinger: As a qualitative research specialist and group facilitator, Claudia Eisinger has 25 years of qualitative research experience in both the United States and the United Kingdom. Specializing in complex, cutting-edge advertising and branding research, ...Read More

Vivian Jenkins Nelsen: Jenkins Nelsen is a nationally and internationally recognized and highly sought-after diversity consultant, trainer, planner, researcher and lecturer, who speaks to thousands of people...Read More

Barbara Shipka: Barbara has 30 years experience in executive coaching, leadership development, and organization effectiveness. Most of those years have been devoted to working in large US corporations including American Express, Cargill, General Mills, and Medtronic...Read More

Kim Kristenson-Lee: Over twenty-five years’ experience in increasingly challenging roles at a Fortune Five energy company have honed my ability to work with teams and individuals during times of transition and renewal. I am a service-oriented developer of team capability...Read More

Lynn Nelson: LIN PR Principal Lynn Ingrid Nelson has over 20 years of experience in public relations, public affairs and communications. She has extensive experience in virtually all facets of organizational...Read More

Sarah Flores: Sarah is currently a Senior in the Henry B. Tippie College of Business at the University of Iowa, majoring in Marketing Management with an interest in green marketing and sustainability. Sarah has been working with CPL for almost a year to increase and improve CPL's...Read More

Eric Todd: As the in-house photographer for CPL/Heartland, Eric has thousands of photos showcasing a vast array of thought leaders. His background in photojournalism, videography and media production is crucial support for CPL events...Read More

Cindy Wold: As co-author, with Craig and Patricia, of The Art of Convening: Authentic Engagement in Meetings, Gatherings, and Conversations, Cindy is a core collaborator and consultant to CPL. In addition to working with the CPL team...Read More

Mark Fawcett: As a core partner, Mac Men powers CPL with indispensable IT service. Mac Men is a professional computer repair, tech consulting, and training company based in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota...Read More

To read more about our team leaders check out our CPL Team Bio page here.

We are so lucky to have such a strong and skilled set of professionals on our team. CPL is committed to creating purposeful leadership and effective convening within your organization. If you would like to learn more about our programs or receive insightful tips, follow us on our social media, subscribe to our blog or give us a call at 612.920.3029

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We are now Center for Purposeful Leadership!

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Founded as Heartland in 1995, we are now Center for Purposeful Leadership, home to the Art of Convening! Though our name has changed, our values remain the same. At the heart of the matter in convening is purpose. We invite you to join us on this journey into new beginnings.

News: With the new blog, we lost our list of subscribers. We need your help to build our list: please subscribe now to keep getting this great thought leadership!  Please use the Subscribe box to the right  then follow instructions to verify. We don't want you to miss a post! Many thanks!

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Interview and Book Review

Photo credit: Craig neal

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A BIG THANKS to Wayne Hurlbert of Blog Business World and Blog Talk Radio for a wonderful interview and review of our book.

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The entire interview is available as a free podcast download here:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/waynehurlbert/2011/09/07/craig-neal-patricia-neal-the-art-of-convening

The book review can be found here:

http://blogbusinessworld.blogspot.com/2011/09/art-of-convening-by-craig-patrica-neal.html

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On Peggy Holman VisionHolder call

photo credit: craig neal

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I did enjoy this eye-opening call with Peggy Holman. I am inspired to read her book.

My impressions:

• that creative change engages diversity both of persons and of practices;

• that disruption, disturbance, the sense of things "falling apart" can be befriended for a new start;

• that the context of "we" , rather than "I and the other" challenges my sense of responsibility;

• that belonging differs from conformity and

• that an emerging community holds the imperative that each brings forth their best gift for the well-being of the whole.  

• (correlates with Peter Block's COMMUNITY...)   

Several years ago I participated in a seminar here with Harrison Owen's Open Space Technology. I was pleased to hear Peggy note this in her research. Harrison then reported on his successful work with US West in Phoenix.  
Lately I have been involved with the SHiFT community here and keep thinking that an Open Space event would be beneficial for those in transition.  After I study Peggy Holman's book, bringing it to the attention of others in my group, who knows what ideas may emerge?
Marie Thielen MA LP CPCC
Third Quarter Design
Coaching for What's Next
612-722-6760

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Welcome!

photo credit: craig neal

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Heartland: Convening as the Art and Science of Authentic Engagement
-Join the Heartland Network (free): Heartland Network
-Become a Convener or hone your Art: The Art of Convening TeleTrainings
-Be Inspired: by our unique VisionHolder Calls
-Attend & Engage: The Thought Leader Gatherings (MN, CA)

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Duane Elgin- The Living Universe

photo credit: craig neal

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I've known Duane Elgin for some time, author of the seminal 70's book Voluntary Simplicity - a blueprint for a whole generation on how to live a conscious life within the laws of natural systems. VS along with Silent Spring and the Whole Earth Catalog were for me the early warnings system for what is now a global awareness of what a generatively sustainable planet could look like.

Thanks Duane for being the advanced scout.

Tonight's VisionHolder call with Duane was a special treat for us all to witness a man alive and on fire about a living planet and universe. Duane’s new book, The Living Universe, explores a new paradigm that is vital for building a sustainable future; namely, a shift from regarding the universe as fragmented and dead to seeing it as unified and alive. Check out the advance video

Traditionally, science has regarded the universe as made up of inert matter and empty space. Duane Elgin brings together extraordinary evidence from cosmology, biology and physics to show that the universe is not dead but rather uniquely alive, an insight which, he shows, is in harmony with all of the world’s major spiritual traditions. He explores how this view radically transforms our concept of ourselves, our place in the cosmos, and the evolutionary trajectory of the human family. The non-living view of the universe has led to rampant materialism and global environmental degradation. To transform our planetary crises we need to move past a paradigm of separation and exploitation and learn to live sustainably on the Earth, in harmony with one another, and in communion with the living universe.

Craig

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An Conversation with Peter Block

photo credit: craig neal

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Tonight was a night like any other, except  we got to spend it with our friend, Peter Block. He's got a new book, Community, The Structure of Belonging

Below are quotes, and unless otherwise noted, they are all vintage Peter.

Craig & Patricia

"I'm not about outcomes and results. Everything we know about high performance points to the quality of relatedness." Does the organization create the opportunity for relatedness?

Of course I care about results, but to focus on results too quickly, too soon, does not lead to change or transformation. We’ve set it up that we need "a quick hit," "go for the low-hanging fruit," "the ideas that speed, results, evidence-based matter, are antithetical to transformation.

Book excerpt: “we change the culture by changing the nature of conversation.  It’s about choosing conversations that have the power to create the future."

The thread that ties all powerful conversations: a powerful conversation is one in which the person takes full responsibility for and commitment to their ownership, their authority, their citizenship.

The meme that is common to a powerful conversation is the good question. The question becomes the vehicle for a new conversation and the answer is useless.

How do we turn this ship around? Slowly. "Blowing on the bow of the Queen Mary doesn't turn the ship." We’re deduced by the saying things like “it's a critical time in history.” no it's not. That’s a self-importance that is a distraction from the things that bring us to real change.

The desire for quick results (keywords: urgency, crisis, etc.) is a defense/code against any kind of redistribution of power, or willingness to really create change. It means I don't have time to go deep, time to deal with the ambiguity or mystery of life. It’s the enemy of transformation.

Craig asks, "How do we create that spaciousness to create the depth and intimacy you speak of?"
The world isn't any more fast-paced that it used to be. There are still 24 hours in a day. If I decide to not be seduced by "quick results," "speed," etc., then time changes. If we keep reminding ourselves of what really matters, then we realize that quick results don't work.

Faith is to believe in something/give yourself over to something in the face of no proof. In the business world, the stance is to have faith that change can happen.

Leadership is the act of having faith in a future that is uncertain and unpredictable. That is when real change happens.
Change management doesn't change anything; it just repeats the old patterns.

It’s a choice to say, "Where does cause reside?"

Speaking to the questions:
If you bring people together in emergent space, how long can you keep them there? Not long. After about 3 meetings, you have to pick some simple project to act on what they’ve learned together. It’s gives people an excuse to stay engaged.

Some people are resistant/not coming to learn anything. The invitation makes a huge amount of difference. It has to warn people that we are here to connect with one another and invest in relationships with those who have come.

Meeting design is important: shift the context from problems to possibilities
•    Structure the meeting to include small groups.
•    Ask people to be with people they know least.
•    You have to stop people from giving advice. Tell them: Don’t be helpful, don’t give answers. Help is just a wish to maintain control and exert power over another.
•    No tables, and sit with your knees 9” away from one another.
•    Ask people to speak to what matters to them.
•    Have people switch groups 2 or 3 times, so that people know their small group isn’t unique, special.
•    Being in a small group, in a witness.

The thing you came to complain about: what have you done to contribute to the problem?

Story: most of us are trapped in our story. You have to help people let go of their story. Ask people how their story is a limitation to the change needed.

Speed is life. The only way to deal with that is to ask, “Are you interested in a future distinct from the past?”
Our communities in crisis. The truth is our communities have been in crisis for a long time. The people who are most vulnerable in our society are those without a support system, without a sense of belonging or connectedness.

Questions that put people on the line: Who would you betray if something changed? What’s the gift you’ve not yet brought into the world?

What can we do to lessen the fear? The only way to deal with fear is to name it. Once I’ve named, the power is taken away. It doesn’t necessarily take away the fear, but takes away the power. I no longer have to treat it like it matters.

Are we story-less? I don’t have to give up my story, but I just need to know it’s a story. I don’t want to take my identity from my story, or the future won’t be different. My story is a limitation.

The challenge in life is to convert fate to destiny.

The first-world is bent on achieving things that are ultimately unsatisfying. 

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