Monthly Community of Practice for Facilitators

Actions Panel

Monthly Community of Practice for Facilitators

Join us as we learn & try out Liberating Structures facilitation. New hands-on demonstrations each month! Plus regular guest facilitators.

By DC Liberating Structures

Location

Online

About this event

About Liberating Structures

We're the Liberating Structures community of practice in the Washington, DC area, which also includes Virginia and Maryland. However, in an online world, we're open to anyone in the world. Liberating Structures are easy-to-learn facilitation microstructures that enhance coordination and trust in groups and quickly foster lively participation. We meet monthly to learn new techniques, try them out, and experiment with new ideas around group facilitation.

  • Most events are free to attend. You don't need to have experience in facilitation or using Liberating Structures. And you don't need to be in the Washington, DC area.
  • This practice group is hands on, uses active learning, and is designed to be appropriate for beginners and veterans.
  • Don't worry if you're new or don't know anyone in the group yet -- you will :-) Friends and colleagues are welcome.

Monthly Meet-ups

We generally meet on the second Wednesday evening of the month.


Upcoming dates:

  • April 10, 2024 | 6:00-7:30 PM ET
    Re-Considering Team Dysfunctions: The Fusion of Liberating Structures and the Five Lenses Approach

Welcome to this workshop crafted for anyone wanting insights into team dysfunctions and what to do about them. Team dysfunctions are often the result of system-level issues that need to be addressed holistically. This session merges the inclusive practices of Liberating Structures, including the Generative Star Relationships and Wise Crowds, with the framework of the “Five Lenses Approach” developed by Nami Ishihara. Participants will identify patterns of interaction that they see most often in their teams or organizations, and learn about the different “lenses” that could provide insights for improving teamwork in a holistic, systematic way. This workshop is a unique opportunity to explore the integral aspects of teamwork– Shared Big Picture, Communication and Meetings, Trust, Team Roles, and Capacity Building– while experiencing the power of Liberating Structures to unleash insight and co-created solutions.

Guest facilitator:

Nami Ishihara is an IAF Certified™ Professional Facilitator and Liberating Structures enthusiast who cares about creating opportunities for meaningful conversations and drawing out the wisdom of the group. She facilitates group processes for team development, with the philosophy that happy teams make successful teams, not the other way around. As an IAF Certified™ Professional Facilitator, Nami has facilitated impactful retreats and workshops for various international development agencies and NGOs, including UNICEF Indonesia, UN Resident Coordinator’s Office Indonesia, and African Development Bank. She has lived in the U.S., Japan, UK, Laos, and is currently based in Jakarta, Indonesia. She misses her friends in the U.S. and looks forward to meeting the LS group.

  • May 8, 2024 | 6:00-7:30 PM ET

Great Scott! It’s Critical Uncertainties!

In the face of an uncertain future, things can feel pretty heavy, as if we have no control over our own destinies. But as Dr Emmett Brown wisely said, "Marty, the future isn't written. It can be changed…” Using Critical Uncertainties, we will wield the power to imagine possible futures and shore up courageous strategies for resilience. Prepare to think fourth dimensionally and have fun as we hop in our time machines and go back…to the future.

Mashaal Ahmed thinks a lot about how humans can better thrive together. This drive to spark connections among people and ideas has guided her work in talent and organizational development. In her cross-sector career journey from market researcher to career coach to L&D leader, she has drawn potential out of people, strategies out of data, and productivity out of systems. She lives in DC (by way of Texas, Canada, and the UAE) where she sits for long periods of time virtually facilitating, geeking out on strategic foresight, and drumming in local bands.


  • June 12, 2024 | 6:00-7:30 PM ET

Liberating Collaborations: Strengthening Social Networks with Webbing and 15% Solutions

In this meetup we'll tackle the real stuff – connections, collaborations, and making things happen. First we’ll dig into Social Network Webbing, mapping out the who's who and what's what in our community, discovering surprising patterns and insights about how we're all linked. We'll take it a step further with 15% Solutions, through which we’ll figure out practical, doable actions each of us can take to amp up our potential connections with each other.

Guest facilitator:

Beth Cougler Blom is a facilitator and learning designer who, along with her team at BCB Learning Inc., works with client organizations to help them design and facilitate great learning experiences and meetings, both in person and online. Beth is the author of Design to Engage: How to Create and Facilitate a Great Learning Experience For Any Group and is the host of the Facilitating on Purpose podcast. Learn more about Beth, her team, and their work at bcblearning.com.


  • July 10, 2024 | 6:00-7:30 PM ET

Fixer Upper: Transforming Nonprofit Meetings with Liberating Structures

Join us for an immersive experience akin to an HGTV-style makeover for nonprofit meetings. Witness the power of Liberating Structures in action as we use Tiny Monsters, Triz, and 15% Solutions to breathe new life into mundane nonprofit meetings, turning them into dynamic and engaging gatherings that leave a lasting impact.

Guest facilitators:

Jessica Kohnen - Before founding hyve, Jessica worked in the non-profit sector, with a consistent focus on improving the health and well-being of people living in under-resourced communities. In addition to roles at the Family League of Baltimore and the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Jessica led two non-profit organizations, Evergreen Health Care and Playworks Baltimore, in the role of Executive Director. She has also served as an Interim Executive Director for non-profit organizations facing leadership transitions, most recently Reading Partners Baltimore. Jessica has a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies from Vassar College, a Master of Public Administration in Nonprofit Management from the Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service at New York University and is a Standards for Excellence Institute® Licensed Consultant. She actively participates in volunteer fundraising each year via a 100-mile bike ride on the Eastern Shore of Maryland for Moveable Feast.

Jennifer Meder - Over her 25 years in the field, Jennifer has worked with both non-profit and for-profit organizations to set strategy and develop leadership to accomplish organizational goals. Jennifer has led large-scale projects in organizational strategy, leadership development, succession planning, and employee engagement. Prior to founding hyve, Jennifer held senior roles at two large consulting firms and worked as the Vice President of Learning Organizational Development at a Fortune 500 company. Jennifer graduated cum laude from Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York and received a Master of Science in Organizational Psychology from Northwestern University. She is certified in Korn Ferry’s Leadership Architect™, a comprehensive approach to identifying competencies critical for leadership success, coaching leaders to develop leadership skills, and building leadership development programs. Jennifer lives in Arlington, Virginia with her family and is actively involved volunteering as a Girl Scouts troop leader helping to empower girls to become strong, independent leaders.


  • August 14, 2024 | 6:00-7:30 PM ET

Beyond Bob: Min Specs for Making Decisions in Small Governing Boards

Many non-profit governing boards cite Robert's Rules as their standard for running meetings. But merely referring to Robert's Rules can create problems for a board that doesn't know how to use them well. First, we’ll explore both the advantages and potential problems of using Robert's Rules. Then, we'll use the Liberating Structure "Min Specs" to identify the absolute minimum rules needed for a small governing board to make decisions. This is an experimental session, and we'd love to have you come join the fun!

Guest facilitators:

Barb Bickford and Daryl Yankee have been pursuing the elusive holy grail of efficiency, inclusiveness, and simplicity for making decisions in small non-profit boards for over a year. They always take the opportunity to introduce groups to simple liberating structures as alternatives to discussing things according to Robert's Rules. Neither one owns the 800-page unabridged version, and neither one aspires to!

Daryl Yankee doesn't like bullies. He helps meeting facilitators build brave space for all types of talent. Cats and Dogs making decisions together, that's what Daryl does.

Barb Bickford helps people learn to lead collaborative meetings with greater confidence. She also designs and facilitates engaging meetings, planning sessions and retreats. Connect with Barb on LinkedIn or visit her websites Bickford Collaboration and Improve Your Meetings.


  • September 11, 2024 | 6:00-7:30 PM ET

Session details to come

Guest facilitator:

Adriano Pianesi is a Leadership Development, (Co-creative) Change Management consultant and executive coach. He is an Italian-born Johns Hopkins Carey Business School adjunct professor, founder of pianesi.com, the small business he created after 20 years as a manager in Fortune 500 companies. He is very excited about the online change work he is currently doing in conjunction with the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School. He believes that conflict (the good kind) is a missing ingredient for mobilizing change and meet the demands of learning, adaptation and innovation.


  • October 9, 2024 | 6:00-7:30 PM ET

Session details to come

  • November 13, 2024 | 6:00-7:30 PM ET

Session details to come

  • December 11, 2024 | 6:00-7:30 PM ET

Session details to come

Etiquette and Preparation

  • Join us on a laptop or desktop, not devices with small screens, i.e., phones or tablets. It makes the experience better for you and everyone else.
  • Arrive before 6:00pm (US Eastern). We'll open the room at 5:55pm. (Check your time zone.)
  • Most of our online sessions are run on Zoom. Download and use the Zoom (desktop) app.
  • Plan to use your mic and camera. You'll be part of an interactive event, not a passive presentation. Use your computer's audio.
  • Have a few pieces of paper and a pen handy.
  • Having earphones/buds can reduce ambient sound and improve the experience.

Contact

We're a volunteer community of practice in the Washington, DC area. We send out a newsletter once or twice per month with updates on our future meetings. You can find more information via:

Organized by