[Dialogue] Values for the Archives

[frank bremner]

Thank you, Wayne, for the term "backbearings".  I'll be using it in many contexts.

 

Frank Bremner
 


Date: Thu, 21 May 2009 10:05:10 -0400
From: wnelson at ica-associates.ca
To: dialogue at wedgeblade.net; OE-bounces at wedgeblade.net; springboard-request at wedgeblade.net
Subject: [Dialogue] Values for the Archives


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. “ I remember so and so said something about x topic in a lecture about y. sometime in ‘71 or 72.”   I’ve been somewhat lucky, but I’ll 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 “backbearings” - a term I borrowed from LeCarre’s 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.  We’re 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 Joe’s 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 we’re grateful to them. I am always glad they saved these things, because I didn’t.

\\/

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

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