Category: General Learning

The question asked was, “how to start a community of practice beginning with the invitation.” It was asked by a newcomer to the Art of Hosting list serve.

A response was posted by Chris Corrigan, some “pithy” principles. Sometimes the pithy are really the best, aren’t they.

• Don’t get so far ahead of everyone that no one is beside you.
• Use language that people can understand.
• Take time to continue learning how things work, and experiment and play.
• Some things will work.  Don’t get addicted to repeating them.  Some things will not work.  Don’t let them stop you.
• If you learn something, share it.

Good as gold.

I consider Bill Muhr a good friend / colleague. Since meeting 18 months ago at a leadership retreat I was involved in hosting, we have stayed in touch with helpful, playful, soulful Skype calls every 4-6 weeks. One part of his work is counseling and therapy. Another part is coaching and participative design. He’s very skilled at both. He’s doing a lot of work with faith communities, which is one of the things we share. I love Bill’s ability to see a big picture and connect multiple layers together.

Bill recently shared a list that he created with the above title. I find the list rich and thoughtful. Particularly for any of us that are trying to simplify the profound narrative shift of how we do things together. You need simple distinctions like this, I find, to help people struggling for even the beginning of conceptual understanding. Of course it’s not either / or. But starting with some “it’s not / it’s about” distinctions can really open the doors to that profound narrative.

• It’s not about critical mass; it’s about critical connections.
• It’s not about events; it’s about movement.
• It’s not about small groups; it’s about ecosystems.
• It’s not about discovering the next viral trend; it’s about discovering our unique story — a map and a trajectory for the future.

His full list is worth exploring in detail. Contact him. These are a few that get me started in helpful, playful, soulful ways.

One of my roles in this life is as a Dad. I like it. A lot.

One of my kids that I get to be Dad with is turning eleven in a couple of weeks. He’s a sweet boy. He’s large in stature. He’s tender in heart. I think of him as a “gentle giant.” He loves to laugh, dance, sing. He hates to make his bed.

My eleven year-old is black. He is African American. His Mom and I were able to adopt him at birth through an agency. His Birth Mom and Birth Grandma encouraged his placing.

My son has not experienced a physically dangerous kind of profiling. I’m grateful for that. This is not true, sadly, for many blacks in many parts of the United States.

It is rather disturbing and absurd that a video such as the one below must be made for a category of people to survive when encountering police and authority. Thank you Christina Baldwin for sharing this.

As a Dad to a gentle giant who loves to sing and hates to make his bed, this brings out fierce protection in me. And a few tears.

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Stop and smell the roses.

Stop and notice the colors.

Just stop.

Or pause.

This picture is from a walk on Sunday. It’s on the Burke Gilman Trail in Seattle, near about 105th. I love it that spring has arrived, with many colors. This yellow, white, and red caught my attention. Enough to put down the dog leash (stand on it), use both hands for the camera, and enjoy the moment.

Had to stop.