Learning Layers
The Practice of Upwording
An exploration of how the current habitual use of language underpins coercive behaviours and oppressive systems and how to develop the shifts crucial to dismantle them.
2.5-3.5 hour interactive group presentation
The practice of Upwording raises awareness of linguistic tools constructed to enable hierarchies of superiority and authoritarianism – including patriarchy, white supremacy and many more. We rarely even notice how such language has become habitual in everyday communication. Upwording encourages us to co-create environments free from coercion, stress and anxiety, where our microcosm impacts and reflects what we would love to see happening throughout the world.
Upwording
and…
Introducing, testing, and integrating Upwording within particular contexts: at work, at home, in educational environments, social settings, social media, networks, and so on.
2.5 hour flexible format.
We are integrating the core fibres and approaches to develop effective healthy communication, mutually beneficial collaboration, leadership, parenting, relating and earning.
Prerequisite: Introduction to Upwording - session or podcast
EARS Engage, Acknowledge, Reflect, Support
How to support people in distress and remain impartial.
2.5 hour group workshop
An increasing number of people are seeking the skills to support others – a colleague, student, friend and family member – in distress or frustration. This workshop provides you with an approach for empathetic engagement to hold space for another person to purge and let off steam, without you getting drawn into the specifics of their emotional drama. Instead, EARS encourages attentive listening environments with deep care and full presence. Without problem-solving, injecting personal opinion or apportioning blame, EARS leaves the person feeling acknowledged and re-resourced.
Prerequisite: Upwording 45 min podcast
Fresh Futures
Re-imagining future leadership, dismantling status and co-creating an emerging future with people.
2.5 hours
Future leadership is not about managing people. Increasingly, it is less about status, superiority or being “the boss”. It’s less about the stick of reprimand and the carrot of reward convincing, coercing or forcing others to follow a prescribed path. Instead, progressive leadership is moving towards co-creating an emerging future WITH people in a climate where each person, regardless of role or level of pay, is encouraged to take responsibility to be resourced, nurtured and supported. Whilst changing from established structures and systems can be challenging and induce resistance, theory and practice have proven that an environment where everyone actively engages and collaborates in shaping a shared vision is most conducive to meaningful work and positive well-being.
This structured exploratory session provides space for self-reflection, group re-imagining and sharing best practices to guide your first steps to fresh, future-proofed leadership roles.
Note: This initial 2.5 hours is intended as a scene-setter to open the possibility of shifting from or reducing hierarchical structure. Once potential and desire are established, we will co-design an expanded day-long adaptation or series of sessions in collaboration with your organisation. Drawing on the work already undertaken and our comprehensive offer of learning layers, we will support your team through its shift, moving from how you are to how you want to be.
FLOW of Considerations
A fresh framework of prompts creating a flow of considerations to transform situations, aid innovation and realise endeavours.
3.5 hours
This framework of prompts expands familiar formats, such as the GROW Model.
Through a range of considerations designed to aid innovation, expand mindsets, identify what is crucial and what is desirable, what to decrease or let go, and what to increase or invite, FLOW assists in transforming situations from current realities to desired futures,
and how to shape the routes and realise the impacts.
FLOW of Considerations encourages realistic idealism, guiding users from realisations to imaginations to actualisations. You will practice using the prompts for self-guided explorations, one-on-one, and together in partnership and team settings, and you be able to create your own set of FLOW considerations to take with you.
WoW
Words of Witness
A fresh layered approach to obtain and to share impressions of work in progress of any kind.
2.5 hrs for 2 cycles of applied learning. An additional 2.5 hrs focus on inhabiting the facilitator’s role.
A fresh system of giving and receiving feedback on work-in-progress or (final) presentation, performance, exhibition. To disperse anxiety and remove fearful anticipation, we created a rigorous enjoyable approach that is informative, constructive, without the unasked for judgments and advice, aiming to inspire the recipient to take the conscious considered informed directions.
WoW is a co-creation with Maurice Carling for and with refinements by Islington Mill Art Academy IMAA in 2018/19, merging elements from Edward DeBono’s Thinking Hats, Simone Forti’s descriptive approach to feedback for work-in-progress, and Upwording.
A round of WoW takes 30-45 mins each plus prior viewing/experiencing of the work to be discussed. Maximum three artists/companies in one session = 2.5 hours including break. Suitable for artists, choreographers, directors, curators, educators.
Creating our Climate
How to co-design agreements with your team and project partners, cultivating a team of willing, engaged, fulfilled members, participants and learners.
90 mins – 2.5 hrs. For teams who will continue to work together on a project or ongoing basis, whether established, or newly formed.
Creating Our Climate; how do we want to work?
What are the ingredients of a wonderful working climate? How can you co-create one with your colleagues, project partners, teams, partners, parents, co-parents and carers, children, learners, and community? And what are the ways to maintain it? This workshop is ideal for people who wish to create, review, renew or refine their ‘working, communicating, living, being together.
Elements may include values, capacity considerations, expectations, support, boundaries and agreements and making decisions.
Prerequisite: Upwording podcast
SOS Stress or Stretch
How to work stress-free, with periods of stretch & sprints
90 mins – 2.5 hrs flexible format.
Acknowledging the detrimental impact of stress on mental and physical health, well-being, communication, and interaction with others, SoS moves conversations about workplace wellbeing into action.
Can you imagine stress-free working?
Would you like stress- and pressure-free work?
Is stress an inevitable and acceptable part of life?
A close look at what leads to stress, the popularity of being stressed, toxic productivity, and how we may inadvertently contribute to that. Instead of ‘managing’ stress, we can shift our focus on how to alleviate, reduce, and even refuse it, and prevent slipping into unhealthy working conditions.