“A master in the art of living draws no sharp distinctions between his
work and his play, his labour and his leisure, his mind and his body, his
education and his recreation. He hardly knows which is which. He simply pursues
his vision of excellence through whatever he is doing and leaves others to
determine whether he is working and playing.”
L.P. Jacks, Education Through
Recreation.
Communities and
organizations can sustain their working together efforts with this type of
blurred movement between work and play. In fact, our partnership, Raising the
Village Consulting, started in the realm of fun. We (Tammy and Tracy) met at a
women’s kayaking and cycling course and while dodging (or aiming for) mud
puddles and navigating waves in the pouring rain, we found our combined
commitment to creative group processes. After co-authoring our book Raising
the Village, we quickly discovered that we were NOT the only ones on
the pursuit for more creative interaction, fun and engagement in communities. The biggest request we have received since the book is
for MORE ways to engage groups and more ways to facilitate creative processes
that hold meaning.
When
it comes to participatory methods we’ve used a slew of creative processes (and
honestly, not always successfully) such as:
- Collaging
exercises or play-dough to create vision statements
- Blocks
to discuss the difference between collaboration and cooperation
- Graphic
recording to keep people’s attention and open up the right side of the
brain
- Balls
to signal when it is someone else's turn to share/talk on an agenda (keeps
people awake and
- on
their toes too)
- Champagne
toasts to create mission statements
- Strategic
plan scavenger hunts around town
- Comedic
comedy clips or cartoons to bring issues alive in an indirect way
Through any process we bring our humour and
let our quirks shine. We certainly admit to when an activity “bombs” or doesn’t
quite land which brings an authenticity that keeps things light and real (and
boy does that help when dealing with complex issues)! For example, one time we
facilitated a creative visualization around moving through obstacles and
challenges. People seemed very reflective during this but when it came time to
share stories the room was more silent than expressive. In hindsight, people
weren’t yet ready to share intimate details and stories with a room of people
they did not know. We adjusted on the fly and turned the opportunity into a
dialogue about obstacles in general instead of sharing stories. During a
similar workshop the following week we “warmed” the climate first by playing an
“obstacle bingo” game which was a light and perhaps safer way to explore the
challenges that face collaborative work. After the tone was set, deeper stories
were spontaneously shared in small groups with expression aplenty.
Now creativity, fun and group process is not
all about gimmicks, role plays and props (although it certainly can be). It is
also about how people approach one another and work together. It can be your
ticket to higher participation, maximized engagement, expanded collective
thinking and meaningful action.
“Mark Beeman, PhD, at Northwestern University, found
that people have an easier time solving a puzzle after watching a short comedy
clip. Having fun, perhaps by easing tension, may facilitate neuronal
connections that are helpful for greater mental flexibility and creativity. In
another brain imaging study, Dr. Beeman found that activation of pleasure
centers in the brain predicted successful puzzle-solving. These findings
suggest that well-being helps us think more creatively and could potentially
help us resolve challenging situations.”
Spirituality & Health, May-June 2011 ~ Emma
Seppala
The benefits
of using creative group process are massive. We have seen firsthand how taking
a playful approach together can lead to:
- Extraordinary
fuller dialogue that captures many voices
- Engaged
WHOLE brain activity (the left and right)
- The
spirit of play – which is key to innovation.
- Increased
shared experience and co-created meaning
- Less
daunting complexity and increased creative solutions
- A
spirit of celebration and “can do” or “we” type of attitude
- Enriched
relationships (and often a shared leadership/ownership)
- Expanded and reframed challenges
Creative
group process can instigate an environment of fun, but it will be different for
everyone. It’s important to know your
group and know your own leadership style so that you can pick the processes that
will 1) work for you and 2) STRETCH but not hinder your engagement with others.
A bit of discomfort and a bit of a stretch is good, but if you push too far, people
may put up walls that no creative process is getting through. So do match the
leader and the situation so that creativity has the ground to flourish. Meet people where they are, add a dash of fun and grab
your ticket into higher participation infused with a collective smile.
For more ideas and resources on creative group
process visit our website www.raisingthevillage
and watch for our soon to be released book that is busting with 60 group
activities,
Village
Raising. Learn, Think, Innovate & Act Together. Engaging Activities for
Group Leaders.
You’re Turn! Village
Raising Questions:
- Where does your distinction lie between work and
play? How are the two combined?
- What participatory methods have you used that
bring a sense of collective fun?
- How do you resolve challenging situations in
groups?
- Where is your comfort zone with participating in
or facilitating creative group process? What benefits are there to
stepping out of this comfort zone? What benefits are there to respect
people’s different boundaries around participation?
