Re: fostering a culture of trying things out
From: Hans Tilstra (tilstrasmartchat.net.au)
Date: Mon, 24 May 2004 18:10:22 -0700 (PDT)
Following up on Rob's suggestion to cultivate a culture of trying things
out, it reminds me of quite useful discussions I sometimes facilitate when I
use personality preference material  (eg. www.keirsey.com or derivatives
from the MBTI, see www.typelogic.com ).

Imagine that individuals in a group find themselves (in a horse-shoe shape
so everyone can see everone else) on some of these continuums, after they
have done the questionnaire. Two dimensions are probably related to the
group culture theme Rob alludes to: the degree of preference for closure and
degree of interest in what is / what could be.

I use laminated posters of famous people who have a preference either way to
illustrate the merit of both ends of the spectrum. I also ask people with a
similar preference to describe in a courteous manner how they experience
their own preference and their non-preference. This small-group work may
help articulate the optimal allocation of roles & responsibilities. I would
predict that a well-facilitated dialogue would unearth both the objective &
subjective experience of figuring things out once and for all vs. keeping
things temporary. Theoretically, it could also help assign tasks to people
who should really be working together. For example, I'd hate a common room
to be designed with only extroverts or only introverts in mind, just like
I'd like the shared procedures to be mindful of both the need for closure
and the need for flexibility.

Hans
http://home.vicnet.net.au/~cohouse



> My advice  in general, Be open, experiment, try things out. In fact
cultivate a culture of trying things out. This is a major shift from the
> concrete  decision making you have been in, and you need a shift of
attitude. Almost nothing about living together is concrete, and most
> decisions you make about these things will be temporary. You will change
how you do things. Sometimes over and over again. This is a good thing, you
want
> to iterate, improve, change as you learn how things work or not. As new
people replace those who leave you need to adapt to new ideas, new needs.
> Evaluate your processes once a year in order to see how things are
working.
> The adage, if it aint broke, don't fix it, should be replaced with, If its
working, how can we make it work better. If its not working, lets figure out
> how to make it work.
>
> There are people who are not going to like this. They are going to want
> things done and figured out once and for all. Sometimes those people
figure
> out that community is NEVER figured out once and for ever. Sometimes those
> people get fed up and leave.
>
> Adapt and evolve, it is your destiny. And remember to laugh.
>
> Rob Sandelin



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