Learning Moments

Inspiration from a violinist  

My friend Gonnelieke and I often talk about music and conversation. Gonnelieke is a violinist. Before she retired, she used to travel the world with the Residentie Orkest The Hague. I am a facilitator; I assist groups in having engaging and nurturing conversations during their meetings.  

I realise that there are many fascinating parallels between her work as a violinist and mine as a facilitator. And that I can learn a great deal from her. When Gonnelieke talks about conversations I am all ears.  

One of the things that comes back in our exchanges is listening.   

Listening to the tune to come  

My friend is an amazing listener. I realise that playing in an orchestra is all about listening: To her own tune, the violins around her, the other strings, the woodwinds, brass, percussion, and the sound of the whole orchestra. Most fascinating I find that listening begins before any instrument is played. The listening to the concert to start, the sound to come, in the moment of silence in between.  

Listening on all levels and moments, during and before, triggered something in me.  

Listen to imagine  

I was unaware that listening and imagination play an essential role in my preparation work as a facilitator.  

Developing a workshop program means creating a world that does not yet exist. I draft a plan to orchestrate the workshop so that the conversation can evolve as naturally as possible.   

As an example, let’s say I plan to spend 90 minutes with a team reflecting on their meeting habits. The way the team holds meetings is no longer satisfactory or helpful. 

I sketch a sequence of smaller interactions on paper. It could look like this:  

Act 1: Setting the scene, connecting, and opening up.  

To get started I want to create a bit of a common ground of where the team stands with their dissatisfaction. Listening to each other’s frustration and hopes will help them sharpen their expectations of how to meet with ease and energy.  

Possible participation formats: Impromptu Networking, Drawing Together, Mad Tea Party* 

Act 2: Exploring possibilities. 

To create change, the team must identify what works well, what they can build upon, and what they want to destroy creatively. 

Possible participation formats: Triz, Ecocycle Planning, What? So What? Now What? 

Act 3: Action planning and closing. 

It is time for the team to summarize their insights and decide what needs to be done.

Possible participation formats: Min.Specs, 1-2-4-all or 15% Solution 

*To give some examples of possible participation formats from the Liberating Structures toolbox. 

That is the plan.  
Now I am ready to listen.   

Listen to the sound of conversation  

I know my plan is not the conversation. Conversations are freestyle ‘pieces of music’. There is no score. I don’t know the tunes beforehand. I have no control over who will say what and when in a conversation.   

Yet, I can listen.  
Before the conversation takes place.   
In my head and heart. 

• Does the process evolve naturally? Where eventually not?   
• How are the different conversations leading into each other?  
• What’s the pace? Will it feel good?  
• Does the series of smaller interactions create an interesting rhythm?  

I need to imagine a workshop in my head to feel well-prepared. 

I think as a species, we will thrive if we become less rushed and more able to really use the power of our imagination, to play together, and to adventure together in imagination.

Johnnie Moore  

  

Tuning into an upcoming conversation needs imagination. 

How do you prepare to facilitate a meeting? 

  Painting: By Gonnelieke van Oosterom and Nadia von Holzen

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• Listening like someone with hearing impairments 
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