Expanding possibilities

"Physician, heal thyself"

I’m my own best client. Most of the positive changes in me and my life are due, in so far as anyone can tell, to the work I have facilitated for myself and I don’t ask clients to do anything I haven’t done.

But we all have blind spots and more to learn, so I’m a great believer in also constantly seeking out the most effective teaching and facilitation available in 1:1 sessions and group experiences. Both can greatly expand our effectiveness and the possibilities available to us. I advocate using a third approach as well - collaborative exploration.

Beyond money

One of the dangers of the teacher/facilitator model is that money is involved. As a facilitator I have sought to mitigate this by creating an independent income for myself.

If you are a facilitator (coach, therapist, healer, counselor etc.) or teacher, imagine there were no money in the world. Would you still do what you do? Would you still do it with all the same people, in the same way? Most people I have asked this questions answer ‘yes’ to the 1st question and ‘no’ to the 2nd. So, in general, money influences our professional choices, such as who to work with and in what way.

When we work with colleagues, especially when one is seen as ‘the teacher’, money (and control, power or prestige) often lead to fights and break ups.

Beyond status hierarchy

There is also a danger of ‘the teacher’ not getting or receiving valuable feedback and students not contributing as much as they could, not because they are unwilling but because it is not drawn out of them.

Part of the advantage of effective collaboration is that it stretches everyone involved, drawing more from each. This allows us all to, collectively and individually, go further than any individual can as a ‘teacher’ and, therefore, than any led group can. It also empowers everyone involved so that, when people go their separate ways, they leave stronger, better able to continue alone or to contribute to future collaborations.

Since we are all equals, it is easier for everyone to give and receive feedback and avoid projection. No one is ‘lonely at the top’ or on their own. Rather, we :-

• benefit from the energy and contribution of all
• have our contribution drawn forth, received and enhanced
• benefit from the group energy
• get feedback
• connect as equals
• have fun

Synergy

The main main dangers of collaboration in my experience are :-

• it becomes a talking shop
• everyone wants to take
• almost no one contributes

It is good to be aware of these dangers and, interestingly, they do not necessarily apply to collaborative exploration. In my experience of running the UK Matrix Energetics practise group, especially when we explore playfully, everyone does contribute as well as benefit. It is an example of synergy - we all receive more value than we contribute. How else can we go further, together?

This entry was posted on Tuesday, July 1st, 2008 at 12:59 pm and is filed under connecting. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.