Learning Moments

When Conversations Come Alive

Liberating Structures in practice — inspiration from the new storybook

I believe in conversations. I am moved when I see people huddled together, immersed in deep discussion in workshops I facilitate — those moments of sharing, listening, and thinking together.

Meaningful conversations can happen on their own. But often they don’t. In most meetings, a few people talk, others stay silent, and the best ideas never surface.

That’s a pity. A waste. Absolutely not necessary.

With a bit of help, good conversations can happen — and maybe that’s my contribution to the world. A little bit of caring, structure and support to create the space for conversations to grow.

One of my trusted allies in this adventure is Liberating Structures — a set of simple methods that transform how groups meet, think, and work together. If you know them, you know what they can do.

Liberating Structures: Stories from the Field – a new storybook that shows what this looks like in real life — 30 inspiring stories from practitioners across the globe, in workshops, organisations, communities, and conversations that mattered.

Why stories?

The Liberating Structures methods are freely available at liberatingstructures.com and https://liberatingstructures.info/liberating-structures/. But stories do something different. They show the practice in action — the human experience, the unexpected moments, the challenges, and the impact.

I’ve seen it myself: conversations full of discovery, laughter, and genuine connection. People listening to each other and sometimes even hearing each other differently. Relationships growing while meaningful work gets done.

Conversations that lead somewhere.

30 stories from practitioners bringing Liberating Structures to life
Three of them mine.

I’m proud and happy to be one of the co-authors, contributing three stories of my own — moments from my practice that stayed with me. I’d love for you to have a look at them.

In the TRIZ story, Aryanti Radyowijati guides her group through three conversations that help them flip the problem, reveal the behaviours blocking success, and identify possible next steps. Together with Nur Rokhmah Hidayati, Anna Page and Kim Caarls, I’m honoured to share Aryanti Radyowijati’s legacy and inspiration
In the second story, Nur Rokhmah Hidayati uses Ecocycle Planning with her team to structure their annual review, make work visible, and decide what to grow, transform, or let go of.
And finally, in the third story, I use What, So What, Now What? to structure end-of-day reflection, surface shared insights, and turn collective experience into a shared manifesto during a four-day workshop.

Explore these 3 and the other 27 stories. Each one is a window into a different world, a different context, a different conversation that mattered.

The book is waiting for you.

Liberating Structures: Stories from the Field – Unleash Collaboration.

Get the book here — signed by either Anja Ebers or Birgit Nietschalk, through Verlag Montagshappen, or on Amazon.

Who in your network needs this book right now? Share with friends and colleagues – carry the stories into the world.

💬 What’s your story with Liberating Structures — have you tried them yet?
Share in the comments, I am curious.

The bit at the end

Exciting events on the horizon to support your exploration:

What if the most rebellious thing you could do right now is pause?
Pause with us—find out more about Rebel with a Pause here and join us for a free monthly 30-minute pause.
Curious to experience Street Wisdom for yourself — inspiring, surprising, and quietly powerful? Reach out, and let’s wander with wonder through the streets, alleys, and bridges of Alkmaar or Amsterdam. Learn more about Street Wisdom here.
Join the next Unhurried Conversation—a space to slow down, listen, and connect. We meet on the 2nd Monday of every month. It’s free, and you’re warmly welcome. Sign up here.
For more Learning Moments, subscribe to my newsletter and get timely updates straight to your inbox.

Reach out, I’m always open for a chat.
Creatively,
Nadia

P.S.The paintings featured on the blog are my own.

Nadia von Holzen

26/05/2026

Collaborative Learning, Dynamic Collaboration

collaboration, facilitation, Liberating Structures, toolkit

3 responses to “When Conversations Come Alive ”

Chris Corrigan

May 26, 2026 at 4:12 pm

hey there. Mind if I push back on something?

meaningful conversations happen all the time mostly on their own. Every meaningful conversation I have ever had , I dare say, largely happened “on its own.” As a practitioner of “the art of hosting meaningful conversations” this must seem a bit strange. But the art of hosting is not about methods or facilitation but about patterns of what makes for a meaningful conversation. We draw from a simple framework: being present, participating, making contributions and co-creating. Hosts can help craft conditions for these things but the key thing is “the less the better.” Because people already know how to have meaningful conversations and they are having fun them despite what happens in meetings. There is a reason people say that the real work happens in the breaks.

My own practice is to pay attention to as much of the meangjnfdul conversations that are already going on in organizations and try to remove as many of the obstacles as possible to enable these to happen in “meetings” too.

liberating structures and other methods are useful scaffolds to meaningful conversations happen, but they are more used for purposeful conversation. Like, we have to do this, what if we worked together this way. I believe the structure interactions and work but they don’t guanratee meanginful.

I use these methods all the time because they are useful and they help a group look at problems and each other in different ways. My experience is that the novelty is exciting and energizing and also the focus on a good outcome is a satisfying way to meet.

but as much as we craft experiences that are meaningful let’s be careful to give credit where it’s due. Human beings are all capable of creating meaningful conversations and do it every single day without us being involved at all. That is a resource. It’s good news. It helps us do our jobs better.

Reply
1. Nadia von Holzen
  
  May 27, 2026 at 8:20 pm
  
  Hi Chris,
  
  Thank you for your “pushing back”.
  
  I agree that conversation is deeply human. We become human in conversation. We connect, think together, and find solutions together — and that is something precious and unique.
  
  I also agree that Liberating Structures is “just” a tool — a scaffold, a repertoire — with no guarantee of meaningful interaction. It still depends on people: their willingness, presence, and openness to enter into real conversation.
  
  At the same time, I really value Liberating Structures and other participatory formats and practices. They are helpful companions and scaffolds in my work — things I wouldn’t want to be without.
  
  Best, Nadia
  
  Reply
  1. Chris Corrigan
    
    May 27, 2026 at 9:46 pm
    
    For sure. These methods are important. Thanks for the response.