[Springboard] A call for advice for Wiegel, from Wiegel

[Larry Philbrook]

Dear Jim

I am unsure about the word similar because that particular place and this people have been through so much for so long I am sure patterns may be deeper etc.  I do most of my work in translation and have for the past 31 years.  I have lived and worked in several Muslim environments including Bangladesh, Malaysia, Kenya, India, Indonesia and the Philippines but only once in Egypt and that was with a group if ICA colleagues.

In the Philippines dealing in areas with rebels etc. and other situations the naming process becomes more difficult because so many areas have consequences if you surface them in a particular way.  It takes the group longer to build the trust and respect with each other to be able to talk through things because the risk is literally very high.  Slowing down and giving people more time to talk before to build trust and during the naming process itself to allow people to explore the name that really holds the authentic consensus.  Recognizing both because of translation and because of cross cultural misinformation it is very hard for me to really understand the significance of particular topics.  

Build your trust and community with your translators so they know you will stop when they feel the need until you begin to trust yourself and your own intuitions in the situations to push farther. This for me usually means time in dialogue just talking or in silence around the question of what will help this group or us work together more effectively. I use translators a lot and by getting inside their understanding it allows me to expand my own perception.  Not that they are always right but it gives me a closer set of eyes to see through as well as my own. 

Use the translation time to learn from the groups spirit and energy where they are. And to look for what are the indicators that they are ready to push deeper or farther.

Ask the group but do not be concerned if they answer or not - they may not yet have the eyes to see themselves but by asking it will open their reflection and you can ask again later.

I hope this helps

With respect, Larry

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: James Wiegel 
  To: Springboard Dialogue 
  Sent: Friday, April 18, 2008 03:14
  Subject: [Springboard] A call for advice for Wiegel, from Wiegel


  I am in Ramallah, Palestinian Territories, training 20 new facilitators to facilitate a series of 40 input workshops involving around 1000 people to develop proposals for the future of the Fateh movement and, afterwards, to provide strategic planning facilitation to various units around Palestine.  

  We are doing this in Arabic.  I am working with 2 people who have a good sense of facilitation, but little experience with ToP, and all believe there is something important in ToP methods that will help to develop a new, more collaborative collective spirit that can revitalize Fateh on behalf of the Palestinian people.

  All are working hard, though especially the naming is very disturbing and tense as they practice.  I believe this has to do both with the culture and also with the pressure and stress related to the Israeli - Palestinian conflict.

  Any similar experiences?  suggestions?

  Jack Gilles <icabombay at igc.org> wrote:
    Dear Colleagues,

    We are urging everyone to watch the Oprah show this evening and 
    participate in the Eckhart Tolle dialogue with his book The New 
    Earth. We are putting together a study/corporate reading methodology 
    and we want to use this book to begin that process. We will be 
    getting that out soon to everyone. It is well worth downloading the 
    previous discussions. We are taking Joe Slicker's advice to integrate 
    this example of new writing with some of our historical work on 
    consciousness and spirit.

    Grace & Peace,

    Jack

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  Strangely enough, this is the past that somebody in the future is longing to go back to. Ashleigh Brilliant


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