[Dialogue] Values for the Archives

[Wayne Nelson]

To me one of the key values is the ability to find stuff.  I think this
means referencing keywords and making them searchable.

I find that when I go to dig around in ours, I have to rely on my own memory
to find something on a topic. ³ I remember so and so said something about x
topic in a lecture about y. sometime in Œ71 or 72.²   I¹ve been somewhat
lucky, but I¹ll lose that memory.  There are some who would go looking who
would have no direct experience to reference.

We use our archives especially when we work on ToP facilitation curriculum
and writing. I poke around for the evolution of our facilitation methods,
tools and techniques. There is some great stuff that goes into reasons,
rationales and roots. I call it doing ³backbearings² - a term I borrowed
from LeCarre¹s Smiley novels. Sometimes it is only the way a phrase is used
that give a lead.  Sometimes it is a whole explanation. Rarely is it
academic references, but sometimes we get lucky. We had a conversation with
David McClesky a few years ago that was a journey into the archive itself.
WOW. 

Our facilitation approaches are a living, continually evolving body of
knowledge and practice. We use the archives to ensure that we build on our
foundations.  We¹re looking for the what and the why and the how. We try to
be very clear when we are extrapolating within that framework and when we
are merging another approach with our core. Brian made great use of these
files in writing Courage to Lead, for example. Referencing the other
conversation, I would love to have a look at Joe¹s doctoral work.

We were lucky in that we had the files from the organization to start. Later
we were given 2 extensive personal collections by Ken Fisher and Greg
Harris. They were both great file collectors and we¹re grateful to them. I
am always glad they saved these things, because I didn¹t.

\\/

< >  < >  < >  < >  < >
Wayne Nelson - ICA Associates Inc
ICA - 416-691-2316 - - - Cell ­ 647-229-6910
http://ica-associates.ca


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