Just-in-Time-Convening: A Client Success Story

Photo Credit: Craig Neal

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by Rachel Harris

There are many key aspects in convening with purpose and productivity. To ensure your organization's meetings are highly effective for attendees, Heartland presents a list of 10 key Principles of Convening. Many of our clients use these 10 Principles to further their convening skills. One of our recent clients - a team leader in a regional engineering agency - often finds himself in interdepartmental team meetings led by people of varying abilities.

He has taken the Art of Convening training and understands there are always opportunities to take advantage of employing the Principles of Convening in meetings. In his role, he travels from building to building meeting with different teams. He also understands the Principles of Convening are great equalizers in meetings within his role.

Wanting to ensure his time is effective, he envisioned an opportunity for convening principles to be posted and referred to in meetings. Upon hearing his request, Heartland collaborated with the Organizational Development department to install the Principles of Convening Poster in conference rooms. Once added, the interdepartmental teams' ability to collaborate increased. Here at Heartland, we have created a list of 10 key principles to advance and improve the practice and art of convening.

Listen: Respect everyone’s voice; hear their contribution and refrain from fixing, problem-solving, advice-giving.

Speak from your own experience: Speak from the “I”, your personal experience creates trust.

Slow down the conversation: Allow pauses between speakers to create space for collective genius and innovation to emerge.

Speak with sincerity and brevity: Speak your truth and make each word count.

Suspend certainty: Ask yourself, “What don’t you know?” Look for the surprises.

Allow space for difference: Seek to understand, welcome the divergent and convergent views.

Explore new ways of thinking and being: Look for and expect surprises.

Presume positive intent: Be aware of your judgments.

Each person has a role to play: Know that everyone is needed and each person has come to contribute the outcome.

Any engagement can be transformed through essential conversations: Intention to speak and act authentically from a common vision can transform any meeting Heartland's 10 Principles of Convening.

Following Heartland's 10 Principles of Convening will allow for your organization to conduct proactive meetings more successfully and thoroughly. These principles will encourage clarification, engagement, and open-mindedness within your convening. If you have meetings with people of varying skill level who seek to collaborate effectively and are occasionally challenged in doing so, consider adding the Principles of Convening your conference room. Contact Heartland today to maximize your collaboration, leadership or convening capacities. Follow us on our LinkedIn page to receive weekly updates on our blog and convening skills! Contact us at 612.920.3029 for your next consultation on the Art of Convening.

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The Circle Way: A Leader in Every Chair

photo credit: Craig neal

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Craig's May 18 conversation with Christina Baldwin and Ann Linnea, Co-founders, PeerSpirit Inc. was as engaging as any conversation we've had. Christina and Ann bring wisdom, authenticity, humor, love to all that they do.

In their work Christina and Ann noticed that more and more organizations are looking for alternatives to rigid, top-down hierarchy as people realize that good ideas can come from anywhere and that fostering collaboration and group cohesion is vital to any healthy enterprise. But what approach can best create an environment that ensures clear speaking, compassionate listening, and the making of well-grounded decisions? Circle.  Th  The Circle Way lays out the basics of circle conversation based on the original work of the coauthors, who have studied and standardized the essential elements of circle practice and implemented them in a variety of organizations for over fifteen years.

Circle is the molecular unit of democratic practice. Every voice counts. When you are in the circle it doesn’t matter who you are outside the circle.

Peer spirit circles: when we’re practice our engagement as peers, spirit floods through us. The wisdom is in the room, the wisdom is in the circle. We lean in and stay in even when the going gets tough. Then the wisdom comes flying through sometimes the most unusual person.

The circle depends on us to hold together the agreements of civility. If someone is incapable of maintaining an attitude of civility, then the circle won’t hold. Anger or incivility can be directed into the center, into the candle, for instance, but not directed at an individual. The circle and hierarchy are not mutually exclusive. Circle can be particularly challenging if the person(s) holding hierarchy in an organization don’t wish to have a leader in every chair.

The structural elements of the circle are akin to the human structure. Each person that carries circle language or form back to their organizations or families is the right person to create the form and language that fits their group.

The circle by its very nature creates something that occurs —a recognition without having to say anything at all. What do you say about the circle that has inherent properties that makes it work so well? 

The circle is an archetype, part of our collective unconscious and our social DNA. People often come into a room and say, “what is happening here?” and nothing has been said yet. It’s just that the chairs aren’t bolted down in rows. And a different kind of presence is called for. No multi-tasking, no control from the front of the room.

The circle invites the whole of us to be present. We’re all visible. People are searching for a place where their whole self is welcome, not just our technical or sales savvy.

Advice from Christina and Ann: just try it. Just try a check-in and check-out. Try it in gentle places. Follow your heart with it. Know you always have support. Just keep breathing.

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1/19/10 Heartland Network Call: 2020 Vision: Reflections on Copenhagen

Photo credit: craig neal

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1/19/10 Heartland Network Call
2020 Vision: Reflections on Copenhagen
Many thanks to those of you on the call. As Paul said, thank you for your kind attention and willingness to take action for a healthy climate.

Many thanks to our Conversation leaders:
Paul Thompson, One Cool Planet
Katherine Ball and Alec Neal, SeaChange Gallery

I. Learnings from Copenhagen
II. What we each can do
III. How to influence policy makers
IV. additional URLs/information

quote from JRR Tolkien (found in a Climate Magazine by the Federation of Young European Greens, Green Economics, A Youth Perspective): "It's a job that's never started that takes the longest to finish"

I. Learnings from Copenhagen
There is power in people gathering and connecting. There is power in learning how to create global connections that can affect global change.
Leaders can only lead as fast as the people can move into creating the politics and actions for new ways of being.
Participation in the conference gave me inspiration to continue to act and strengthen my individual actions around climate change.
Prince Charles, spoke as an advocate for rainforests, talking to the world leaders. His call to action: 20 years from now will our children ask, “what did you do?”  

II. What we each can do
http://www.earthaid.net/dashboard: sign up for a simple way to monitor your gas and electric usage and receive incentives for lowering your emissions

Mexico City Peoples’ Climate Summit: let’s all bike together to the Summit. Katherine and Paul are exploring how this will happen.
Bike whenever you can.
Figure out a way to green your house and/or lifestyle. Eating less meat is a great start.
Organize your neighborhood.
Build a community garden.

http://www.instructables.com/
Compost bins – wind turbines – solar panels
Build a bio swale on your boulevard
Turn your toilet tank into a garden

Activate love as the guiding principle (listened to Martin Luther King yesterday)
Build relationships that are strong and support everyday lives. Have a solid foundation to go out and do the bigger things. Support us in the essential conversations that need to happen.
This is the conversation of my life—I want to have kids— there is a lot of work to be done to focus on love and where that guides me. And showing up. Just showing up.

Harness the new powers of being able to communicate with one another; with global conversations affecting local action.

There are over 6BB people on the planet, more connected than ever. Most are at the same place economically, striving for the same thing: good quality of life, freedom from oppression, healthy environment. How can we harness the technologies of communication and healing and bring those people together the common cause of social justice?

III. How to influence policy makers
Catalyzing investment in a low-carbon economy. Encourage and support businesses to change toward a green economy. Shine a light on the positive changes.
Acts of non-violent civil disobedience with a focused message.

New media tactic: The Yes Men
A genderless, loose-knit association of some 300 impostors worldwide who agree their way into the fortified compounds of commerce, ask questions, ...

get a critical mass together: Organize bicycle rides, marches, mass actions

Campaign finance reform

Stop talking/take action
December: come to Mexico City Climate Change Summit

IV. Other URLs/information
Mexico City Peoples’ Climate Summit: A formal date for the 2010 conference has yet to be set.

Lessons From the Copenhagen Climate Talks

Progressive Democrats of America: environmental issues policy

Video on banner-making:  http://seachangegallery.org/
>NEXT CALL: 2/16  Register here

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Leader as Convener: The Power of Intelligent Community

Photo credit: Craig neal

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The question is: “Who you gonna be while you do what you do?" –song by Barbara McAfee

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Craig was joined by 2 other unforgettable leaders, Pablo Gaito, Cargill Corporation and Michael Trebony, Best Buy Corporation, April 3 at the Twin Cities TLG. Craig's life work has in large part been influenced by the concept of "Leader as Convener" and his remarks brilliantly outlined the tenets, practices and principles of this concept. Then it was brought into sharp focus for us when Pablo and Michael shared their very different paths, but very similar principles in leadership with the group.  This is what Thought Leader Gatherings are about.

Which brings us to another question:

Why are we still here?

For 11 years the Thought Leader Gatherings has convened over 1800 leaders in Minnesota and the Bay Area to explore and practice what it means to be an authentic leader.

We get to be the leaders and we get to convene. It doesn’t mean you are a leader with a big title. It is the relationships that we have. No matter where we are, we find that a lot of what we do is based on principles—core principles. When those principles are enacted and community is enacted, we see what is present is our own choice. People feel they have a choice. There is wonder. It isn’t just for children.

There is trust and faith, and understanding and safety. How do we feel safe in this community? The underlying principles that we use. We deeply listen to one another. We use inquiry and questions and the ability to look beyond.

Reflection: a leadership quality of reflection, to deeply reflect about who we are and who we’re going to be; allowing collective wisdom to surface; realization of our interdependence. The success of each of us as individuals is connected to the success of us all. One is based on the other. We create communities of success and intelligence.

Listening, speaking from their own experience, allowing pauses, suspending certainty, and allowing space for differences. These principles carried the day and brought enthusiastic participation within the gathering of about 60.

Patricia filled the role of convener this time, with Wendy Morris assisting. They set the conversation that day to one of "power rather than predictability" and clearly held us all in their hands. Patricia took her role to heart and when Craig, who is usually the main Convener of the TLGs, began to advise, she simply said "Who's the convener?" We all knew.

Barbara McAfee, singer, musician, poet, speaker, muse and much more, closed the gathering with a performance of her song that says it all: "Who You Gonna Be While You Do What You Do?" Watch the video here.

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Life as Ceremony with Pele Rouge & FireHawk

Photo credit: Craig neal

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We gathered around the VisionHolder campfire to engage in the "Heart of Leadership" with our dear and wise friends, Pele Rouge and FireHawk, guides and teachers of the Medicine Way. For 10 years they have partnered with Heartland to convene the Bay Area Thought Leader Gathering sharing the Earth Wisdom teachings in many ways. They have brought the power of beauty and the practice of "stringing the beads" or hearing all the voices to each gathering. This evening they spoke of leadership as  stepping forward in energy.Listen to the full audio recording of the interview with Craig Neal in the column to the left.

Our Vision

The people gather

in a Sacred Way

Listening deeply

Wisdom emerges

Courageous action ensues

Healing happens

Awakening occurs

Pele Rouge & FireHawk

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Angeles Arrien VisionHolder Call

photo credit: craig neal

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Angeles Arrien in September

On September 16, Angeles Arrien, cultural anthropologist, award-winning author and educator, will talk about The Four-Fold Way and how to "walk the mystical path with practical feet." Register here

The Four-Fold Way™ Program is an educational experience that demonstrates how to "walk the mystical path with practical feet." It is designed to increase our respect for nature and each other, and enhance our ability to work cooperatively and creatively in teams. The program inspires "spirit in action" using the cross-cultural components of leadership and communication skills, creative problem-solving, health care, and education. The Four-Fold Way™ Program emphasizes four major principles that integrate ancient cultural wisdoms into contemporary life.

1. The Way of the Warrior or Leader
2. The Way of the Healer or Caretaker
3. The Way of the Visionary or Creative Problem Solver
4. The Way of the Teacher or Counselor

7pm - 8pm CT

Learn More

email:  registration@heartlandcircle.com

phone:  952-925-5995

web:  http://www.heartlandcircle.com

Patricia & Craig Neal

Heartland Inc.

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Transformational Leadership: A Partnership of Science and Spirituality

photo credit: craig neal

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From a participant reflecting on the Friday TLG: The entire philosophy, spirit of approach, the wonderful container for safe communication. To receive and give. To respect and be respected. Makes the whole experience feel sacred. It is a complete community.

Our Friday TLG with James O'Dea, of the Institute of Noetic Sciences, was rich. As Amy Lenzo noted in her Beauty Dialogues, James became the mesmerizing storyteller to lead us through stories of how human evolution is moving to integration with ourselves, our surroundings and all beings and how this can lead to a wisdom that creates wholeness for us and those around us.

Amy: The [story] that made the strongest impression on me was of Orpheus & his ability to counter the call of the deadly sirens (which O'Dea compared with the necrophiliac lure of cultural 'norms' like war and greed) with the enchantment of his own poetic imagination, with love of life or biophilia. The meaning I made of this story is that I can find solid ground in my innate love of life & my relationship with nature, that I must call on the power of my creativity to address the challenges of my life & times... and that new answers won't be found in old forms.

James called us to a heightened level of liveliness, invoking awareness that we are at a critical opening of consciousness in the human evolution:

You can participate in social healing in tangible ways.

• Practice Imagination! That’s different from fantasy… imagination is the yearning, where neuro-plasticity exists, where the brain grows. Practice everyday richly imagining.
• Learn to shift states. You can change your biological flow in seconds.
• If I am stuck in judgment I am not seeking to understand. What do you need me to understand? It’s in that process that the juice arises.
• Belief – comes from what you really love. When you no longer love it, be brave enough to change your belief.
• Support emotional intelligence and social intelligence.
• We are hard-wired for challenge. We are up to this moment. Don’t let the breakdown depress you, because we love a challenge, we rise to a challenge.

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