I love Dynamic Ecology‘s Friday LinkFest, so I’m taking blatant inspiration from it. I’m bringing you my own digital linking journey for the week.

This week, I’ve been diving deep into the worlds of facilitation and coaching through two courses at Royal Roads University. Join me as I share the digital rabbit holes I’ve tumbled down that might inspire your own learning journey!

Liberating Structures: Freedom Within Framework

Have you ever participated in a meeting that felt truly energizing and productive? Chances are, it might have used Liberating Structures – a collection of open-access facilitation tools guided by 10 powerful principles:

1. Include and Unleash Everyone
2. Practice Deep Respect for People and Local Solutions
3. Build Trust As You Go
4. Learn by Failing Forward
5. Practice Self-Discovery Within a Group
6. Amplify Freedom AND Responsibility
7. Emphasize Possibilities: Believe Before You See
8. Invite Creative Destruction to Enable Innovation
9. Engage in Seriously-Playful Curiosity
10. Never Start Without a Clear Purpose(s)

You might recognize some of these methods under different names: Wicked Questions, What3 Debrief, Wise Crowds, and more. The best part? There’s a completely free app called LiSA that puts all these structures at your fingertips!

The Liberators: Community-Driven Innovation

Speaking of liberation, The Liberators from the Netherlands blend Liberating Structures with the Scrum framework to create something truly special. Their community-driven approach and commitment to open sharing resonates deeply with me. What could your team accomplish with these methods?

Fascinating People I’ve Discovered

My classes have introduced me to some incredible professionals:

• Charina Cruz – A Vancouver-based coach doing remarkable work that I had the pleasure of meeting in my class. Her approach is refreshing and insightful! Check out her work
• Elaine Alec – An Indigenous author from the syilx and secwepemc nations who created the Cultivating Safe Spaces framework. I’m eager to explore her perspective more deeply. Learn about her work

Leadership Development Questions

I’ve been browsing through programs from the Center for Creative Leadership, particularly their Higher Education Leadership training. Their website offers interesting training possibilities. Has anyone here participated in their programs? I’d love to hear your experiences!

Finally, “Quiet Leadership” by David Rock was recommended to me and caught my attention. From the title alone, it seems to align beautifully with my leadership philosophy. Has anyone read it? Worth the investment?

Here’s some videos I watched on these topics: How to tame your Advice Monster | Michael Bungay Stanier | TEDxUniversityofNevada; Celeste Headlee: 10 ways to have a better conversation; The power of listening | William Ury | TEDxSanDiego; 5 ways to listen better | Julian Treasure | TED

What learning journeys are you on this week? I’d love to hear where your curiosity is taking you! What links you are clicking on these days?