Consultant lingo – it’s so common there is even a parody Twitter account called “Shit Facilitators Say,” tweeting out ditties such as, “Tell us about your group process. How did you decide who would write on the flipchart?” High on any list of consultant-isms is always the phrase “Safe Space.” Part of the job of … Read more
What qualifications do we want people have, to teach classes on behalf of Creating the Future? That question, in any other realm, might begin a conversation that brainstorms qualifications. People might suggest bringing in a faculty development expert. Others might begin suggesting one-on-one mentorships or online classes or other formats for instruction. The question would … Read more
For almost three years, Creating the Future has been teaching consultants and workshop leaders how to reframe their thinking, to help their clients create a healthy, vibrant future for their communities. As we begin expanding our programs, it’s clear we are going to need additional teachers who are qualified to teach those courses. Which means … Read more
If creating the world we want means getting people to change what they currently do, how can we get people to change? That’s a question we hear a lot when we tell people what we’re doing at Creating the Future. We share that we are building a movement for making visionary community results the norm … Read more
What stops the Community Benefit Sector from achieving its potential to build a healthy, vibrant world? I know I ask that question a lot – it is the “B” side of the question that guides all our work at Creating the Future. (The “A” side of that question is, “What would it take for the … Read more
Happy Magical Monday, everyone! And it is indeed magical. After last week, I cannot help but see magic in everything around me! Last week, in a small room papered with wisdom and passion, six of us shared our dreams for the future we want to create. We laughed and we cried and we learned. In … Read more
Most of my quasi-sabbatical time has been spent exploring what I have been calling a “Continuum of Becoming” – a placeholder name, but a descriptor nonetheless. The “continuum” is a critical component to the work we are doing at Creating the Future. If we are seeking to engage everyone doing social change work in the … Read more
On August 1, I embarked on a month of “semi-sabbatical,” writing and exploring and planning and reading. I say “semi-sabbatical” because I only decided mid-July that the time was right. So there are still some tasks to be done, some projects with timelines that won’t allow me to simply abandon ship. This post is about … Read more
An interesting discussion ensued on Facebook the other day. As I pondered a blog post that has been brewing in my mind, I asked, “Coaches: I’m working on a list of the ways coaching is different from consulting. Any ideas / thoughts?” I was not prepared for 18 responses, some contradicting others, all of which … Read more
I confess that sometimes even this Pollyanna gets fed up. I don’t get fed up with the same things as most people in this field, though. I get fed up with blame and intolerance. I get fed up with pointing fingers at symptoms, focusing and refocusing on addressing those symptoms, drilling deeper and deeper, unpacking … Read more