Hosting Conversations about Questions that Matter
Last week we hosted 90 individuals from nonprofits in the greater Phoenix areas as we do three times a year for a free 2 hour workshop. Most often we bring in a speaker to talk about some capacity building need such as improving communication, fund raising, board development, etc. This time we didn't hire a speaker, as the Director of the St. Luke's Health Initiatives TAP (Technical Assistance Program) I made some introductory remarks about Positivity and the "wisdom is in the room" and explained that hosting at each of the 12 tables was a consultant with some area of capacity building expertise. The question to be answered at each table was "What is working for you and your agency in the area of..." The consultant's job was to facilitate the discussion not supply it. We had three thirty minute rounds. We do online evaluations after each of these TAP programs. The evaluations this time were probably the most consistently high that we have ever received - everyone stating they met new people they wanted to continue to engage with and that they went away with new ideas - which were our goals. I asked the consultants to write up their notes (we orally shared the three best ideas from each table) and I just sent out an 18 page document of the combined best ideas! I've attached the ideas if you are interested.
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Replies to This Conversation
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Permalink Reply by juanita brown on -
How fun!! (and productive too!)
Juanita
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Hi Bonnie
This is Stan Rowland from Alliance for Transformational Ministry and I am from Phoenix. I think we met at an AZ non-profit meeting. I use the World Cafe approach somewhat but would like to learn how to do more. I do a lot of facilitating around and like the approach. I'd love to connect with you. I am really interested in trying this via the web and with multiple small groups (the table) who can be rotated and then communicate as a large group.
Stan
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Permalink Reply by Amy Lenzo on -
Bonnie,
I want to encourage you to post this wonderful story/resource in the Cybrary or StoryNet area here so that others in the community (beyond this group) can access it.
In case you have questions about how to do that - it's basically just like you made this post, except you would put it in the Conversations and StoryNet area. Click the "Add a Discussion" link, and put your content in the main "post" area (don't forget to attach the "great ideas" pdf) and then add some tags, or "keywords" so that your material can be easily found. The last step is to choose one of the Categories in the drop down menu. Choose "StoryNet- if you want to categorize your post as a story, or "Cybrary" if you want to make it a shorter post that just gives some brief context and includes the pdf. Be sure to click the "add conversation" button at the bottom, which serves as a "save".
Thanks so much!
Amy
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Hi Bonnie,
When we did speed dating at another meeting you hosted, I was amazed at how much people got into it and wanted more. I suspect that among the features that people enjoyed, it was the rapid sense of connection and community that resonated with many.
Thanks for sharing so generously, Dear Heart.
Keep the Gift Moving
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