Day 3: How do we design for wiser action in service of Scotland?
PROCESS
::: Framing the day ::: Meta Harvest ::: Check In ::: The 8 Breaths of Design Architecture ::: Designing for Wiser Action (Framing the process) ::: Co-design Project (Groups) ::: LUNCH ::: Peer coaching (Groups) ::: Reflection ::: Groups regather and harvest ::: Gratitude Circle ::: Close
Framing Day 3's activities - Leadership and Co-creation exercise
Groups of 6 people learned about leadership and co-creation as they sought to build a beautiful structure from ropes they had been instructed to hold without letting go.
After the exercise, groups were asked to reflect on their answers to two questions, "What did you learn about leadership?" and "What did you learn about co-creation?" Their responses are below..
What did you learn about leadership?
Step up to lead the way
Points to step back and allow others to play part
Awareness / being conscious of where others are in the process
There are many ways to come to the same outcome
Process was beautiful
Automatically looked at one person as leader
Unwinding was beautiful
Not something one person does
We all had to invite people to do something
You had to observe
You had to be aware
Even if no gestures were allowed we would have got there
Different people took the lead at different times
Everyone took a turn
Leader had the best perspective
Natural choice of leader at each stage
Everyone is paying attention to the process – had their role and applied it
Process of learning is important
Competition with other groups was a positive driver
Some moved more than others
Shared responsibility
There was a patience and a listening
We got closer to each other as we got closer to the goal
You must focus on your timing and your contribution
First stage was more emergent
Music was quite important – it was helping us dance
No matter what you created, it would be beautiful
Had we had one person designated leader, it would have been a lot less fun
Allow yourself to be led
It’s a lot of fun!
Can take the pressure off when leadership is shared
Allow shared purpose to lead
What did you learn about co-creation?
Focus on the outcome – all had a rope and the task mattered
Awareness of each other – no silos
Small steps – direct each other
“A dance”
Beauty arrived unexpectedly
Easier to undo – flow
Each taking a time to step in and stay back
Plan changes – near disaster averted
Created a beautiful process
Coming apart was easier than creating
Felt better once the music started - Torville and Dean flowing together
Different phases required different paces
Not over-thinking
It was a dance
Certain conditions gave the impulse: competition with other groups, music, ease with bumps into each other, silence created flow.
A lot of fun
People being invited, suggestion
Making different ways of connecting, eye contact and touch
Relief when finished.
SUMMARY OF THE DAY
We began the day with a Framing session on Leaderhip and Co-Creation led by Wendy then the Meta Harvest team gave a summary of the learning from Day 2, using music, drama and even some dance to illustrate the Groan Zone and the Chaordic space. We were introduced to the 8 Breaths process; Toke and Fiona then framed the process of designing for wiser action and 9 projects were introduced by their callers. Next we formed work groups and set to work putting into practice what we had learned about Participatory Leadership so far in the co-design stage of the project. After lunch Mark introduced us to a peer coaching session followed by a time for reflection and learning for callers and other group members. To complete the Design for wiser action section of the programme, the original groups regathered, integrated and harvested the wisdom relating to each project. Toke and Fiona led us into the closing stages of the course with a Gratitute Circle and Gordon closed the proceedings with thanks to the Hosting team and all participants. It was hard to leave!
The 9 "Design for wiser action" projects we worked on were:
1. Edinburgh City Council Health and Social Care Sarah Holiday and Guilia Lucchini
2.Gorbals: Thriving places (Bridging the Gap/The Barn) Tricia McConologue, Roz Adams, Catriona Milligan, Mischa Doyle and Chris Mitchell
3. The Forest of Falkland Ninian Stuart, Tess Darwin and Hilary Constable The forest of Falkland, a place where land gives life to the people and people give life to the land
4. Fife: Fife Diet Fergus Walker
5. Govan: A Folk University Mike McCarron, Gehan Macleod and Verene Nicolas The question: Design a public engagement process for a Folk University in Govan that would contribute to authentic participation.
6. Dundee: Inclusive responses to complex problems Jenni Inglis The question: How can we create an ongoing process to include those most affected by complex problems in creating shared understanding and responses? The initial focus is on loneliness and isolation, which tends increase with age.
7. What is church for? Andy Lippok and Rosemary Hector
8. A Rural Parliament Sandy Brunton
9. Deepening my Participative Leadership practice Gordon Carmichael The question: Who should I be talking to in order to deepen my practice of Participative Leadership?