[Dialogue] Witness

[Lawrence Edward Philbrook]

In about 10 days begins the year of the horse.  For me it will be the beginning of my 60th year in the Chinese calendar, I am beginning my second cycle of the Chinese Calendar in January 2015 so I have a year to get ready.

I joined the ICA/order first when I was 10 and again when I was 16.  The three things that drew me to it the second time were:

·      Living a life of service to the world
·      Conscious intention to understand my self /others and to work toward living a life of self evolving discipline
·      Developing or finding and practicing methodologies, models, and tools that can used and shared to promote a more human existence in communities or organizations.
I often check myself to see if I am maintaining service as a priority and have changed my path to feel more aligned.  For many years I focused on the third, “developing and practicing methodologies”, with the second coming in only as insisted on by my colleagues.

Twenty years ago, colleagues suggested I go to a Vippasana retreat in Igatpuri, Maharashtra, India – near our old project in Vaviharsh. This retreat was followed very quickly by my first experience with M. Scott Peck’s community building process which is a deeply reflective structure.  I experienced a reconnection with spirit and a reconnection with my vocation.

Everything changed, it was like putting back on my glasses after several years of working without them.  I did not realize what I missed until I had it.  What had been missing was my ability/willingness to reflect with others on my interior or spirit and that of the group.  This has led me to twenty wonderful years working with colleagues at what I have considered a much more profound level striving in each encounter to hold the space for dialogue and deeper exploration based on the wisdom of each member (including listening to my own voice).

In the past few years I have been working with several exciting communities exploring leadership development and organizational change: Appreciative Inquiry, Strength Based leadership, Theory U are examples, constantly striving to combine this with our work in participatory process, contradictional thinking and image change.  I feel I'm on the edge of a breakthrough that won't quite come.

This is a breakthrough to re-integrating individual reflective disciplines with community/organizational transformation while developing operational structures.

I worked with Evelyn Philbrook, Dick and Gail West to develop a series of questions to ask people so they can contribute to our thinking of what is needed, here is our first draft:

           1.    Fast-changing world:  Where do you experience the greatest need for transformation?

           2.    Already happened:  What event/change has happened recently that you are pleased about? What are you most grateful for which has brought you to this point and which you see being called for in the future?

           3.    Leading the change:  What new do you see is needed now in the arena of leadership – challenges and opportunities?

           4.    Inventing from the future:  What do you sense is coming that demands change now? 

            5.    World and your current organization: If you were all-powerful what are the first changes you would make?

            6.    Not yet recognized:  What other question(s) should we be asking?

 Let me urge you to send me your current answers to these questions and others I should have asked.  Who else would be good to get involved in this conversation?

With respect, Larry

Lawrence Philbrook, Certified ToP Facilitator
CPF
Director Institute of Cultural Affairs Taiwan
www.icatw.com
Tel:8862 2871 3150  Skype: icalarry


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