One down, one to go

    I’m between conferences. The Chinese Facilitation Conference is over. It concluded yesterday with an open space session focusing on how to move facilitation forward. I’m afraid I can’t report much on what was said as it was mostly in Chinese.

However I can report on the energy and enthusiasm I saw. It’s going to be a big year in Taiwan in 09 with Harrison Owen visiting on his Wave Rider book tour, the Asia IAF Facilitation Conference and the World Open Space on Open Space.

During the Open Space I took advantage of an opportunity to record a podcast of people’s reactions to the conference. There were themes of growth, experimentation and exploration and a suggestion that such conferences provide ‘space to connect to self again’. There were many new faces at this year’s event, indicative of the growth of facilitation in this region. An interesting comment from Evelyn Philbrook: “Facilitation provides the tipping point of how we’re going to create a new society.” Sounds like something worth being a part of. You can listen to the full podcast here at WinkiPod. 

So now I’m on my way to the Applied Improvisation Network Conference in Chicago – and given the state of the Aussie dollar, I really should be tucked up at home. But this conference really is a must for me. I’m always, surprised, delighted, and challenged. And here’s a pic that bridges both conferences. I took this in Taipei – Paul Z Jackson’s Solutions Focus book in Chinese. Paul will be in Chicago. Nice segue.