Learning Together

Many years ago, myself and a few colleagues were playing with alternatives to the statement, “The business of business is business.” We were challenging the product and profit narrative. We were wanting to emphasize other aspects of being in groups and communities. “The business of business is community.” Or, “The business of business is learning.” It didn’t take long to get a good and attractive list of riffs that changed each of the placeholders in the original statement. “The _____ of _____ is _____.” It was fun, and helpful, to explore and get to important purpose statements.

I’ve learned that all these kinds of statements are true. I’ve learned that some are emphasized more at certain times than at others. I’ve also learned that the periodic deliberate exploration of such a basic is helpful. Exploration itself is necessary and fruitful, just for the memory of feeling and exploring.

I know that there are lots of ways to learn. Individually and with groups. There are lots of learning modalities. In my work, I love to bring a mix of things small group, whole group, and individual. I love to bring a mix of words, images, silence, movement. Sometimes it is for content. Sometimes it is for process. Sometimes it is for building connection.

Recently a colleague mirrored back to me what is so often a preferred learning mode for me and how I work with groups. I was flattered to hear it. The mirroring from my colleague was about working with her group. It had a lot to do with a core approach for me about creating connection and learning.

1) You come alongside us. Rather than standing aloof or falsely disconnected.

2) You listen. Rather than just telling from presupposed sets of instructions. I heard it as enter in to the unknown of it all together, rather than disassociated distance.

3) You grow with us. Rather than treating as separate. There is deep principle in this one — making ourselves available to learning together and strengthening the act of learning.

I’m doing a fair bit of coaching these days with people that are in the programs I’m offering. I love the calls. It’s so good to check-in with people met at either online or in-person intensives. So often what I’m saying to them as overarching framing of our coaching calls is about “keeping learning alive.” I keep reinforcing the principle with them and myself that if you give it attention, stuff tends to show up to deepen or nuance the learning.

So, here’s to many forms of learning. Many styles. And here’s also to the reclaimed narratives that my colleagues and I were challenging years ago, that are about how to move together as groups and systems in ways that I hope add more than just profit and product narrative, but also kindness, consciousness, and flow narratives.

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Gifts of Circle - Question Cardsasd
Gifts of Circle is 30 short essays divided into 4 sections: 1) Circle's Bigger Purpose, 2) Circle's Practice, 3) Circle's First Requirements, and 4) Circle's Possibility for Men. From the Introduction: "Circle is what I turn to in the most comprehensive stories I know -- the stories of human beings trying to be kind and aware together, trying to make a difference in varied causes for which we need to go well together. Circle is also what I turn to in the most immediate needs that live right in front of me and in front of most of us -- sharing dreams and difficulties, exploring conflicts and coherences. Circle is what I turn to. Circle is what turns us to each other."

Question Cards is an accompanying tool to Gifts of Circle. Each card (34) offers a quote from the corresponding chapter in the book, followed by sample questions to grow your Circle hosting skills and to create connection, courage, and compassionate action among groups you host in Circle.

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In My Nature
is a collection of 10 poems. From A Note of Beginning: "This collection of poems arises from the many conversations I've been having about nature. Nature as guide. Nature as wild. Nature as organized. I remain a human being that so appreciates a curious nature in people. That so appreciates questions that pick fruit from inner being, that gather insights and intuitions to a basket, and then brings the to table to be enjoyed and shared over the next week."

This set of Note Cards (8 cards + envelopes)  quotes a few favorite passages from poems in In My Nature. I offer them as inspiration. And leave room for you to write personal notes.

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Most Mornings is a collection of 37 poems. I loved writing them. From the introduction: "This collection of poems comes from some of my sense-making that so often happens in the morning, nurtured by overnight sleep. The poems sample practices. They sample learnings. They sample insights and discoveries. They sample dilemmas and concerns."

This set of Note Cards (8 cards + envelopes)  quotes a few favorite passages from poems in Most Mornings. I offer them as inspiration. And leave room for you to write personal notes.

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