Years ago, when The Whitman Institute board put our spend out in motion, we envisioned our final retreat. A large, warm gathering of colleagues who had become friends and family would rest and reflect under the beautiful stars and trees of California’s northern coast. There would be toasts over fire pits, connection, inquiry, dancing, and…
When we last wrote a reflection on TWI’s spend out, we lifted up our uncertainty and vulnerability as we looked to 2022 as well as our commitment to being transparent about the journey ahead. Here we are, over a year later, and uncertainty and vulnerability remain constant companions – as they are for just about…
For the past ten years, TWI has explored bringing people together in authentic, unconferencey ways. In early October, we are bringing together over one hundred partners for a weekend of “trust in practice.” As we turned our attention toward this convening, I reviewed the feedback and lessons learned from last time. I came across…
Thinking forward towards a gathering TWI will be hosting this fall, I’ve been reflecting on the delicate art of the Un-Conference. I think of these as experiences that relatively quickly cultivate authentic connection and intimacy between strangers, stimulate new learning, and are spacious enough to allow for emergence. There’s a facilitation metaphor that fits here: …