A Terrific Weekend

Last weekend was just so wonderful I have to write about it.  A group of women invited me to speak about being an activist and my book, The Hungry Heart.  As if that wasn't enough, they asked me to spend a couple of days leading them through a cafe-style process to harvest their values, ideas and possible futures as activists. 

Lately I have been making a tasty stew of The Servant as Leader by Robert Greenleaf, Leadership and the New Science by Margaret Wheatley, Affirmative Inquiry by David Cooperrider and The World Cafe by Juanita Brown.  It seemed the right time to take this process out for a spin.  What good are beliefs if they aren't put to the test? 

I sent questions ahead for the explicit purpose of answering them both in advance and alone.

1. List, in order of importance, 5 issues you feel feminism is facing today.
2. What 2 or 3 things would you like to see feminist organizations offer women today?
3. Do you have a vision about the advancement of women in the US?  How can you make it happen?
4. What unique understanding do you have that should be shared?

A room covered in Post-its, bottles of water, a few computers, vibrating text messages, coffee with cookies and a kitty practicing yoga ~ now that is my idea of a party.  I brought with me a box of blank matchbooks (bought on eBay) and Sharpie pens so they could write a vision statement that fits on the cover as Winston Churchill recommended.  I had considered asking them to bring a roll of quarters and every time they mentioned any moment in the past, they would have to put a quarter in a jar but I thought it might have been too hokey.  They adopted the intention and made every effort to only address the present and future ~ without the fines. 

The outcome was all that the process promised.  Agreements surfaced.  Visions came into focus.  Intentions became honed and polished.  These four books, measured and mixed, have completely revolutionized my thinking, my hopes, my expectations.  Change is organic and natural.  Thwarting it is lonely and lacks oxygen. 

Buy some Post-its and Sharpies.  Start with a blank sheet of paper.  Ask the real questions.  Talk about what matters.  Fix the problems that are in front of you.  Have a terrific weekend.    

Comments

[Kirsten Bosch]

i had to look up the word 'thwart' and this was the best definition in the list:
"The supporting member extending across the canoe between the gunwales."

thank you for being our supporting member for our fabulous weekend. thank you for your wisdom and guidance and for providing to me the opportunity to emulate (not elevate!) you.

to other readers: find a way to be a part of this experience.