Deep Democracy: Facilitation, Leadership and Whole System Transformation

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This two day seminar introduces the facilitation methods of Worldwork, a participatory style of facilitating organizational and collective change based on the principal of Deep Democracy. Developed by Arnold Mindell through research into human consciousness, deep democracy is the idea that sustainable group life depends on all the voices, positions and roles being heard and valued. It recognizes that growth and creativity frequently originates in the margins, in the disavowed experiences and perceptions of group members. In addition to people, positions and voices that are marginal or underrepresented in a group, deep democracy also refers to states of consciousness, emotions, feelings, and other subjective experiences that have a profound influence on group life.

Worldwork facilitation offers a set of robust tools that help leverage the innovation, creativity and learning organization that is implicit in conflict. These two days will introduce you to three basic pillars of the Worldwork method:

• Skills for facilitating and leading large and small groups, and harvesting the creativity, innovation and learning implicit in conflict, polarization and difference
• From Power to Eldership – discovering and using your personal power and unique style to create conditions for change and growth.
• Earth based methods for sustainable leadership – learning how to care for ourselves and stay centered in the midst of stress, pressure and extreme conflict.

The Worldwork Approach

Worldwork is the group application of Process Work, a method of working with human and organizational change developed over the last thirty years by Jungian analyst, author, and former physicist, Arnold Mindell. Process Work is based on the simple yet powerful premise that obstacles and challenges are opportunities for profound change, creativity and growth. What appears as an obstacle, when approached with curiosity, openness, and awareness skills, becomes a unique opportunity to transform ourselves and the groups in which we live and work. Worldwork developed in the mid to late 1980s as Mindell began to apply Process Work methods to group life. Since then, the principles and methods of Deep Democracy have been applied in various fields, including conflict resolution and mediation, organizational change and development, community development, leadership development, and facilitation of group processes and public forums.

Julie Diamond, Ph.D. is a trainer, facilitator and consultant, who has been working in the field of human and organizational change for over 25 years. She consults and trains internationally and locally on leadership development, group dynamics, team development and conflict facilitation for organizations, businesses, government agencies, NGOs, non-profits, schools and universities. She currently serves as the Vice President of Academic Affairs for the Process Work Institute of Portland, a graduate institute devoted to research and training in the Process-oriented model of individual and organizational transformation. She writes about the problems of leadership, power and learning on her blog, A User’s Guide to Power

Date: Thursday, Oct. 28th-Friday, October 29, 9:00am-5:00pm
Location: Centre for Social Innovation, 215 Spadina Avenue, Downtown Toronto
REGULAR  RATE: $400 plus HST including lunches, snacks and all materials
Contact: Info@AnimaLeadership.com or (416) 644-1024 for more details.

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