This facilitator's question is a good introduction to where I'm at with the project right now. On the one hand, I have some awesome resources collected (books!) that I will take a look at, and received some great leads and helpful bibliography from librarian/organizational development expert Keith Russell.
A side note:
As a person who is versed in Organizational Development techniques (such as group drumming, a new method, but one gaining popularity), Keith Russell pointed me to some fruitful resources that give a scholarly grounding to team building and OD (Organizational Development). I hope to translate these into practical steps that participants in the session can take away with them. In addition, Keith pointed out that grounding an experiential exercise like HealthRhythms on a scholarly basis, for people in educational organizations says to them "we're not making this stuff up"--it's based on actual research.
On the other hand, I'm questioning where I'm going in the project...questioning my key questions.
Key Question #1: "What relevance do techniques of group team-building have for educational organizations?"
My Question: Why does this question matter to my project?
I'm grappling with this question because I don't necessarily see anymore how it serves the end-product of the project--to present at a professional development day. I guess I wanted to give validity to the use of a team-building exercise; to convince participants that group drumming is a tool that can be used.
But, perhaps they can take away something of value from an investigation of what it means to work as a team. What kinds of situations they might find themselves in at work where team-building might be relevant, where more group unity/togetherness is needed, or where communication (as symbolized by the group drumming) could be a key to attaining group goals. The circle functions as a symbol of a group's common purpose, and perhaps this is where research into work teams could inform the session (ideas from Katzenbach and Smith, or from Senge).
The angle of using this particular team-building approach as a way to talk about teams and team building in general....I could ask for ideas from the group about the "what, so what, and now what" of the session, and what they might take away from the session to bring back to their areas, teams, etc. This feedback could provide some kind of answer to the question--how do team building techniques "matter" to educational organizations?
Friday, October 3, 2008
Monday, September 29, 2008
Systems in Motion
I've started researching aspects of the core questions of my project, corralling some good books together from the library I work at. Here's what I'm reading:
The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of the Learning Organization. (Peter M. Senge). Looks at teamwork and organizational effectiveness from a "systems thinking" perspective. A highly cited work.
Frames of Mind: the Theory of Multiple Intelligences. (Howard Gardner) Another highly cited work I've always wanted to read.
Intelligence Reframed: Multiple Intelligences for the 21st Century. (Howard Gardner) Updating his earlier work with new research and an several added intelligences.
This week I will be speaking with Keith Russell, a librarian colleague from Kansas who also works part time in his human resource office's Organizational Effectiveness unit (I think it's called). He's also a versed in group drumming as an staff development tool, so it will be good to ask him some questions and get his opinion on team-building.
The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of the Learning Organization. (Peter M. Senge). Looks at teamwork and organizational effectiveness from a "systems thinking" perspective. A highly cited work.
Frames of Mind: the Theory of Multiple Intelligences. (Howard Gardner) Another highly cited work I've always wanted to read.
Intelligence Reframed: Multiple Intelligences for the 21st Century. (Howard Gardner) Updating his earlier work with new research and an several added intelligences.
This week I will be speaking with Keith Russell, a librarian colleague from Kansas who also works part time in his human resource office's Organizational Effectiveness unit (I think it's called). He's also a versed in group drumming as an staff development tool, so it will be good to ask him some questions and get his opinion on team-building.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Tempo
Some reflections on Native American drumming:
We visited the Makato Pow-wow/Wacipi this past weekend, and I was amazed by the power of the traditional drumming. It was a feeling of being deep into a way of life. The drummers and singers kept a heartbeat to which the dancers danced. In the twlight, it was a unique site to see.
I watched the men sitting around the drum during one of the dances (one group of 32 drum groups which were there that weekend!)...Each person had a unique "voice" in playing the drum, and in keeping the beat. Sometimes the beat would be steady, and then one man would start an alternate rhythm to the main one. Their singing voices were in tune with the drumming, and the drumming was in tune with the dancers. It was really a show of unity, above all else.
If I could draw some conclusions from this brief dip into another culture, one which is all too often forgotten, especially in this region, I would say that there is a culture of drumming, just as there is a culture of dancing, of traditional arts, and of singing. The fact that the drum itself, and the drum beat, was a focal point of the event, the movement, and the meaning, is sort of a revelation to me. It would be interesting to see how this native culture of drumming works--what the men did, how they feel, what they know, who they are....what lessons could I draw from them?
Someone told me that drums and drumming had been "demonized " over the past century or so, and that it's been pushed to the side in our modern culture (except perhaps in rock and jazz bands!). Thankfully, the drums are alive and well, at least in a native culture within our dominant, non-drum-friendly (that may be a bit of an exaggeration, but that's how I feel) culture.
My goals is to drum up some research, which so far is sorely lacking from this project.
We visited the Makato Pow-wow/Wacipi this past weekend, and I was amazed by the power of the traditional drumming. It was a feeling of being deep into a way of life. The drummers and singers kept a heartbeat to which the dancers danced. In the twlight, it was a unique site to see.
I watched the men sitting around the drum during one of the dances (one group of 32 drum groups which were there that weekend!)...Each person had a unique "voice" in playing the drum, and in keeping the beat. Sometimes the beat would be steady, and then one man would start an alternate rhythm to the main one. Their singing voices were in tune with the drumming, and the drumming was in tune with the dancers. It was really a show of unity, above all else.
If I could draw some conclusions from this brief dip into another culture, one which is all too often forgotten, especially in this region, I would say that there is a culture of drumming, just as there is a culture of dancing, of traditional arts, and of singing. The fact that the drum itself, and the drum beat, was a focal point of the event, the movement, and the meaning, is sort of a revelation to me. It would be interesting to see how this native culture of drumming works--what the men did, how they feel, what they know, who they are....what lessons could I draw from them?
Someone told me that drums and drumming had been "demonized " over the past century or so, and that it's been pushed to the side in our modern culture (except perhaps in rock and jazz bands!). Thankfully, the drums are alive and well, at least in a native culture within our dominant, non-drum-friendly (that may be a bit of an exaggeration, but that's how I feel) culture.
My goals is to drum up some research, which so far is sorely lacking from this project.
Monday, September 1, 2008
SummerFall Again
The time of change between the seasons of summer and fall, SummerFall, is here again. The tone of the less hectic schedule of summer quickens to the more staccato pace of coursework, libraries, and Professional Development Plans. It is a time also a time for evaluating and reflecting, and setting off on new adventures.
I'm setting a similar course on this blog, in keeping the beat of the previous project. My goal now is to deepen my skills as a facilitator, using the Health Rhythms protocol, as well as to learn more about group dynamics, teamwork, and communication.
That's where I'm at, and I'm excited to start. Despite my nerves, I'll try to keep that beat. Watch this space for more.
I'm setting a similar course on this blog, in keeping the beat of the previous project. My goal now is to deepen my skills as a facilitator, using the Health Rhythms protocol, as well as to learn more about group dynamics, teamwork, and communication.
That's where I'm at, and I'm excited to start. Despite my nerves, I'll try to keep that beat. Watch this space for more.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
A New Circle
Today I was treated to another chance to facilitate a drum circle with HealthRhythms.
A librarian colleague and two of her social worker friends and I got together at the high school where my wife works to drum and discuss the method. What a great place the school was! Nobody around to bother with our drumming and even the classroom we squatted had chairs set up in a circle.
Surprise, surprise...each time I do this with a group, I feel nervousness, anxiety, worry about "will I get it right?". Afterwards, of course, I feel good about the experience. The more I practice this method, the more confident I will be in explaining the background, running the protocol, and learning to facilitate the rhythm of the group. I'm in uncharted territory, here, but I am learning to be open to the experience of what will happen next.
Today's group (Monika, Deborah, and Chris) had some recreational drumming experience already, and were using drumming with their social service clients. This makes me think that Mankato would be a good base to explore HealthRhythms. It could be a helpful adjunct to social workers and social service agencies, long term care facilities, and other health care places in the area. I'm finding that there are plenty of people who march to the beat of their own drummer here in Mankato!
The flow of the session went surprisingly well. I didn't worry about sticking exactly to "the script", but went with basics--the wellness exercises (I love that part), the say your name and play your name, shaker share, the drumming entrainment, and the final wellness exercise. At times I felt like I was "losing control" of the group, as if I had to live up to some prescribed method. I realized that this was a learning session, and that the two social workers were teaching me a little bit what they know from doing drumming sessions with their clients. They are even going to incorporate the name and shaker games in their work, as well as use some of the research and protocol material from the manual.
Overall, they were very interested in this, and was even invited to their drum sessions with their clients with severe mental disabilities. I wish that I was still living in Mankato to be able to follow up with this more. It seems like they are trying to get a more long-lasting, coordinated drum group together, but no one has time to do it. Could I help them out with this in the future?
I really need to practice this more with people like Monika, Deborah, and Chris. We'll see, maybe I can set something up with them for a weekend when I'm in Mankato.
A librarian colleague and two of her social worker friends and I got together at the high school where my wife works to drum and discuss the method. What a great place the school was! Nobody around to bother with our drumming and even the classroom we squatted had chairs set up in a circle.
Surprise, surprise...each time I do this with a group, I feel nervousness, anxiety, worry about "will I get it right?". Afterwards, of course, I feel good about the experience. The more I practice this method, the more confident I will be in explaining the background, running the protocol, and learning to facilitate the rhythm of the group. I'm in uncharted territory, here, but I am learning to be open to the experience of what will happen next.
Today's group (Monika, Deborah, and Chris) had some recreational drumming experience already, and were using drumming with their social service clients. This makes me think that Mankato would be a good base to explore HealthRhythms. It could be a helpful adjunct to social workers and social service agencies, long term care facilities, and other health care places in the area. I'm finding that there are plenty of people who march to the beat of their own drummer here in Mankato!
The flow of the session went surprisingly well. I didn't worry about sticking exactly to "the script", but went with basics--the wellness exercises (I love that part), the say your name and play your name, shaker share, the drumming entrainment, and the final wellness exercise. At times I felt like I was "losing control" of the group, as if I had to live up to some prescribed method. I realized that this was a learning session, and that the two social workers were teaching me a little bit what they know from doing drumming sessions with their clients. They are even going to incorporate the name and shaker games in their work, as well as use some of the research and protocol material from the manual.
Overall, they were very interested in this, and was even invited to their drum sessions with their clients with severe mental disabilities. I wish that I was still living in Mankato to be able to follow up with this more. It seems like they are trying to get a more long-lasting, coordinated drum group together, but no one has time to do it. Could I help them out with this in the future?
I really need to practice this more with people like Monika, Deborah, and Chris. We'll see, maybe I can set something up with them for a weekend when I'm in Mankato.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Define and Cultivate
I thought it might be important to at least provide a definition of Communities of Practice, and to highlight the suggestions for designing and developing an "alive" Community of Practice, from an accessible text on CoP's for organizational and community development--this is a good book to keep handy in the future:
Definition:
Communities of Practice are “groups of people who share a concern, a set of problems, or a passion about a topic, and who deepen their knowledge and expertise in this area by interacting on an ongoing basis.” (p. 4, Cultivating Communities of Practice, by Etienne Wenger, Richard McDermott, and William Snyder, Harvard Business Press, 2002).
Seven Principles for Cultivating Communities of Practice*
Definition:
Communities of Practice are “groups of people who share a concern, a set of problems, or a passion about a topic, and who deepen their knowledge and expertise in this area by interacting on an ongoing basis.” (p. 4, Cultivating Communities of Practice, by Etienne Wenger, Richard McDermott, and William Snyder, Harvard Business Press, 2002).
Seven Principles for Cultivating Communities of Practice*
- Design for Evolution
- Open a dialogue between inside and outside perspectives
- Invite different levels of participation
- Develop both public and private community spaces
- Focus on value
- Combine Familiarity and excitement
- Create a rhythm for the community (I love that one!!)
After the Circle
The first meeting of the Community of Practice went really well! (We didn't choose a name, though). After some setup and goodies--both food and drum kind-laid out, people came to the circle, and we began. I gave hearty thanks to everyone, introduced the purpose of the group, explained how I was working on an independent study project for graduate credit, and then went right into the HealthRhythms protocol.
This is where it was important for me note that I had only practiced once since the training (in our living room, the day before this meeting). Everyone knew I was a bit rusty, but that didn't stop me from going along as if I knew exactly what I was doing, and it didn't stop everyone else from giving me helpful comments, and even role-playing difficult group members!
During my run-through of the protocol, I felt safe and supported, even though I knew that I was probably messing some steps up. What a great way to learn this method, without having to fear that "train wreck" when a session doesn't go right. One person gave honest, and insightful comments--"you lost me at this point...". One person opened a great discussion on how to deal with participants who are disruptive or who are invasive with the way they are playing their drum. On the way home, I had to jot down people's comments and my learnings before I forgot them!
Overall, I am amazed at how well the Community of Practice meeting went; I felt we connected as a group again, especially during our free drum jam. We are currently trying to decide on our next meeting; evaluations were positive and still coming in. Also, I am looking forward to another friendly practice session this coming weekend with a librarian colleague and two social workers at a local park.
With this project, I saw even more how embodied, project-based learning (not just writing a paper, but actually doing something) is another great way for me to learn new skills, while also building up skills and abilities I already have (such as organizational and communication skills).
This is where it was important for me note that I had only practiced once since the training (in our living room, the day before this meeting). Everyone knew I was a bit rusty, but that didn't stop me from going along as if I knew exactly what I was doing, and it didn't stop everyone else from giving me helpful comments, and even role-playing difficult group members!
During my run-through of the protocol, I felt safe and supported, even though I knew that I was probably messing some steps up. What a great way to learn this method, without having to fear that "train wreck" when a session doesn't go right. One person gave honest, and insightful comments--"you lost me at this point...". One person opened a great discussion on how to deal with participants who are disruptive or who are invasive with the way they are playing their drum. On the way home, I had to jot down people's comments and my learnings before I forgot them!
Overall, I am amazed at how well the Community of Practice meeting went; I felt we connected as a group again, especially during our free drum jam. We are currently trying to decide on our next meeting; evaluations were positive and still coming in. Also, I am looking forward to another friendly practice session this coming weekend with a librarian colleague and two social workers at a local park.
With this project, I saw even more how embodied, project-based learning (not just writing a paper, but actually doing something) is another great way for me to learn new skills, while also building up skills and abilities I already have (such as organizational and communication skills).
Friday, July 18, 2008
Ready for the Circle
I'm excited about tomorrow's drum circle meet-up. Things have been coming together nicely, and the weather should be nice enough--rain isn't forecast until the afternoon. So, maybe we'll get chased under the party tent by a thunderstorm!
I've created a bit more content for the wiki, which I hope might serve as place for information about the CoP in the future. I'm still investigating a colleague's interest in a practice session with her and a couple of her friends--they're social workers, which would be a great trial group to work with.
I began reflecting about my attitude and feelings about this group earlier this week. I noticed that I was a bit annoyed (?), or maybe just flustered, when another group member invited more people to the meeting (they are flautists interested in group drumming). It served as a "reality check" to me; I became too "close" to this meeting, and needed to back off, and just let things happen as they're meant to. I feel a lot more at ease, and I'm really happy that this meeting is coming to fruition! Despite my initial reaction, I'm really glad that more people are expected.
Here are some of the things I've been reading:
I've created a bit more content for the wiki, which I hope might serve as place for information about the CoP in the future. I'm still investigating a colleague's interest in a practice session with her and a couple of her friends--they're social workers, which would be a great trial group to work with.
I began reflecting about my attitude and feelings about this group earlier this week. I noticed that I was a bit annoyed (?), or maybe just flustered, when another group member invited more people to the meeting (they are flautists interested in group drumming). It served as a "reality check" to me; I became too "close" to this meeting, and needed to back off, and just let things happen as they're meant to. I feel a lot more at ease, and I'm really happy that this meeting is coming to fruition! Despite my initial reaction, I'm really glad that more people are expected.
Here are some of the things I've been reading:
- A guide for a special facilitation method for schools: The Art of the Focused Conversation for Schools, by Jo Nelson
- I just had to read something about Project Management, to see what the buzz is about. Hopefully it will help me with future projects (group drumming related?), as well as my upcoming contract year at Southwest Minnesota State: Project Management: Techniques and Tips for Today's ILS Professional, by Barbara Allan
Monday, July 14, 2008
Getting It Together
The first meeting of the HR CoP is fast approaching this weekend, and my head and notebook are full of things to do...my plan is to use the blog to document the lead-up to the first meeting, so I can reflect on how it came together, how I feel about it (excited and a bit nervous about my skills using the protocol), and, after the last drum has stopped beating, how I think it went.
I decided to make a wiki to serve as an online version of a manual for the CoP. I'll send an invite to Scott, so he can see it too.
I decided to make a wiki to serve as an online version of a manual for the CoP. I'll send an invite to Scott, so he can see it too.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
I have been bad...very bad.
It has been a very busy month. I can't believe I haven't posted anything here in more than a month!
Project update:
Project update:
- The Community of Practice is set to meet at French Regional Park in Plymouth, July 19th. There will be 6 particpants. Everyone in the group seems really excited about it, as am I.
- Starting to get references together for my literature review; books, journal articles, and web sites. It seems Etienne Wenger is one of the main people writing about Communities of Practice.
- I am going to set up a wiki to serve as an electronic manual for the CoP. Looking forward to that, as it will also serve as professional development for future positions.
- Am organizing an informal group to practice the method again, after the first CoP meeting. Should help cement the process.
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