Learning what I knew years ago

So. . . Many years ago (over 20 as a matter of fact,) I worked with an organization called the Institute of Cultural Affairs (ICA). One of the primary things I did was facilitate community “town meetings” and community youth forums. These were basically visioning and strategic planning workshops based on a methodology the ICA created which came to be known as the Technology of Participation. This was before facilitation or even participation, participatory planning or participatory rural assessment was in vogue. I loved it. I had a knack for it even at 17 and thoroughly enjoyed everything about the process, whether drawing charts or facilitating a group session or creating the report.

A couple of times after I left the ICA, I used these methods. I brought in someone to do a training at one place I worked; I facilitated a strategic planning session for the Board of a nonprofit I worked with. Here and there. Off and on. And each time, I loved it. But I was never in a position where it was a major element of my work.

It’s been years since I’ve done anything like that. Until I had to facilitate first the OD orientation and then the OD Self-Assessment workshop for NWADO. Oh, actually, I led a workshop at PRTC to rewrite a major project proposal also where I basically used ToP methods ‘cause they are very natural to me. And again I loved it. This is unlike anything else I’ve done in my professional life. I mean, I enjoy the satisfaction of solving a problem and I like to manage projects. Taking on daunting tasks and succeeding feels great. And I like checking things off my to do list. But facilitating participatory processes is in another league altogether. It is something I am very good at and yet, there is always more growth available and I want to follow that growth path. At the end of a day facilitating a participatory workshop, I feel exhausted and exhilarated – much like I feel after a long run.

One of the things that arose out of the OD Self-Assessment of NWADO was that they didn’t have a strategic plan and needed one. One of the difficulties in the organization is that they really don’t have a clear idea of what they are about and where they are going. So, at the end of March, with funding from the British High Commission via VSO, I facilitated a strategic planning workshop for NWADO’s members using the ToP methodology. It was phenomenal. The result was excellent—something I am quite proud of, frankly. I might even post the report here when it’s all finished.

And I learned all over again how much, how much, how much I love doing this. How can I do this for a living? I’ve never done anything that feels so good, that gives me such a feeling of accomplishment, that is both challenging and something I am very good at, that I would be happy to study and practice and devote myself to achieving mastery in.

I hope I can see what a job doing this would look like before I fall for the “you can’t do that because. . .” conversation.