ZED template | Page 2

Page:

KUALA LUMPUR IAF asia conference july 2007 REPORT

Hi all,

I have just returned from the Asia Facilitators' Conference held in
Kuala Lumpur. There was a handful of us Aussies amongst the 200 people and 28 countries represented.

Each day started with a plenary demo of a large group process - Day 1 it was World Cafe and Day 2, Appreciative Inquiry... Everyone was very generous with their knowledge and ideas.

KICKFLIP EXTREME

The highlight for me was learning about Kensankai Aikido Dojo. Aikido is a Japanese martial art, focusing on peace and harmony. We learned about presence and welcoming and centring and deflecting and movement and responding and blending techniques (entering and turning). This is a fabulous metaphor for the role of a facilitator, and don't even start me on Improv!... Great stuff!

AND,you can understand Aikido at a superficial level after a couple of years but it takes many, many years and lots and lots of practice to master - and even then there's still more to learn. Sounds a bit like the journey of learning facilitation to me!

Next year's conference is in Bangkok, last week of September.

Cheers

Viv
30/7/07

chessplayers in vegas

G'day all

I've just flew in bleary eyed from the Asia IAF Facilitators Conference - what a blast ! So much diversity in culture, all artfully wedded together in a facilitated journey of 'discovering the gems' from Facilitation. Colour, mixing of groups, amazing spirit with lashings of Asian food - it was the place to be - at least until our Adelaide November Conference event !

Adding to Viv's great reflections - Viv and I were actually locked wrist to wrist in the Aikido session with one of the process instructions being to smile - genuinely - and say welcome to your 'opponent' as you gently change the interaction dynamics - the mirror to Improv's accepting of everything as gifts was uncanny. We both looked at each other at that point and the 'wow'of the penny dropping was audible !!

There was also the IAF global board meeing in Kuala Lumpur - I attended as one of the incoming IAF Australia & New Zealand representatives.

Go well
Tom
30/7/07

KENSANKAI AIKIDO DOJO

aIKIDIOIOD

Grateful appreciation to Azim Pawanchik for permission to reprint the photos of the Aikido session with lessons learnt [above] taken at the recent Kuala Lumpur IAF Asia Conference.

For further information Azim can be contacted at:

Alpha Catalyst Consulting

www.alphacatalyst.com

Warm thanks also to Ann Epps for her referral to Azim.

HAIKU POETRY

Another highlight during the Kuala Lumpur IAF Asia Conference, was atending a workshop on reflective pauses where I learnt about the uses of Haiku poetry for reflection in a workshop. The process of writing a Haiku poem ( the topic of a haiku poem usually deals with nature and is a Japanese poem where the first line contains five syllables, the second line has seven syllables, and the third line five syllables again) enables us to clear our minds of a lot of the 'noise' that accompanies a workshop and allows what's most important to make its ay to our consciousness.

A great insight!

Viv McWaters

O Oh, here we go!
We are up, up and away
On the edge, no limits here!
Sharon

Keep the spaces clear
Let more saying 'n' doing
Come from the other selves
Cynthia

UNITED NATIONS REPORT RECOGNISES IMPORTANCE OF FACILITATORS IN CATALYSING GLOBAL SOCIETY

Ann Epps from Malaysia, who has recently been involved in co-ordinating the IAF Asia Conference, recommended in conversation with the editor that a viewing of the IAF Global Flip Chart was well worthwhile. During July, the IAF Global Flip Chart contained this article excerpted below:

"One of the chief objectives of the International Association of Facilitators is to advance the awareness for the need for quality facilitation in all walks of life and sectors of society. Now, it appears, the United Nations itself agrees, as evidenced by a recently published report."

In June of this year the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secratariat issued Participatory Dialogue: Towers a Stable, Safe, and Just Society for All - a landmark publication meant to explore the potential role of participatory dialogue as a tool for facilitating social integration processes.

The report establishes that effective participatory dialogue does not usually happen without a facilitator... [and that] facilitation is often hard work—but works best when it "looks easy...

The report, which will serve as a central blueprint for United Nations' efforts in economic and social development around the world, cites many participatory dialogue methods that are familiar to IAF conference attendees.

For the full article please view the IAF website at:

www.iaf-world.org

July, 2007