Workshops

Who are the one-day ‘Introductory Workshops’ designed for?

These introductory, or ‘taster’, workshops are designed for executive and developmental coaches, L&OD / HR professionals as well as executive, organisational and senior team leaders and provide an introductory experiential learning. As part of the day there are many opportunities to learn about and experience the methodology – both in the exercises offered, the dialectic teaching and in the constellations themselves.

For this reason these workshops offer a particularly good way for people who are new to this work to ‘test the water’ – especially as there is no need to decide if you want to explore your own coaching or organisational issue or come as an observer before the workshop. Issues and questions that come up for you can be addressed in the moment, and as it feels appropriate for you. As a result the day offers a rich experience and provides a learning about the methodology, the natural organising principles that sustain organisational leadership, teams, coaching and business vitality.

I came with an open if somewhat skeptical mind. The day proved to be one of the most rewarding learning experiences I’ve had this year. I left with a refreshing perspective on life at work, clarity on what had felt like a very stuck situation and renewed passion for my work.

What sort of issues and questions can I bring to a workshop?

Apart from learning about the ideas and insights that guide this approach workshops provide a good opportunity to see it in action when applied to issues or questions bought by the participants. Constellations are particularly effective when the source of the issue is not clear, where previous attempts to change have not endured or where there is a feeling of stuckness at the individual, team or organisational level. The kinds of issues which system constellation workshops can be particularly effective for illuminating and clarifying include these and many others:

What do I need to know to take part in a workshop?

Nothing. In fact the less you ‘know’ or think you need to know the better able you may be able to access the deeper dynamics that influence human relationship, coaching and leadership systems. Come as you are, not knowing and you may leave with more that you imagined.

How much does it cost to attend a workshop?

All the 2012 introductory ‘taster’ workshops are charged at £175 per independent coach, or £350 for funded coaches, in-house HR, Coaching or L&OD managers in order to provide an accessibly priced route into this way of working with systemic coaching and company constellations. Whether attending as a novice or with lots of experience, whether attending as an issue holder or observer, everyone has an equal place and an equal opportunity to learn through experience and enquiry.

What happens in a Workshop?

This way of looking at business and organisational issues takes place in a group setting. The workshops are small and there is explanation, demonstration and time for questions throughout the day.

The group sit in a circle and, under the guidance of the facilitator, explore the principles and practices of this approach. Where a constellation is thought to be useful the facilitator will use the space in the centre of the group to set up a kind of living map of the issue being explored. The person who is bringing an issue or question briefly describes, to the facilitator, the difficulty or challenge the coach, the business, the leadership team or organisation is facing. The facilitator then assists them in the selection of group members to represent the elements of the system being explored. This concept of representation is central to this way of working and is explained and experienced in opening exercises and throughout the day.

That was like organisational therapy – and that’s just what we needed. Nothing else has illuminated the issues with such clarity or had such a positive impact on our business vitality.

The issue holder guides each representative to stand in relationship to one another in a way that resonates with their deepest inner sense of the relationship dynamics. As a result a pattern is created, an external picture of an inner, often unconscious, pattern. This is the start of a constellation and, even at this early stage, often reveals fresh insights about the system being explored. The form of the rest of the constellation depends on the issue, the representatives’ feedback, the facilitator’s observations and the kind of solutions that emerge from within the system.

During the constellation the facilitator gathers information and insights from the representatives – they will experience distinct and precise sensations. As the dynamics gradually become clearer, the facilitator works with the representatives to bring reconnection and resolution to the whole system. The process of a constellation – lasting from a few minutes to over an hour – and the new image of resolution provides the issue holder with a new picture and fresh information for action and change. Combined with the post-constellation discussion and processing the issue holder leaves with insights,  fresh energy and resources for resolution. In many cases coaches attend with their client so that the insights and information can be returned back into the coaching relationship and process.

As an observer you may be invited to take part in other people’s constellations as a representative. It’s very common that someone else’s work will resonate and that through their constellation you will clarify a business, leadership or coaching issue of your own.

It felt risky to bring my client to a workshop facilitated by another coach but you created an atmosphere in which the difficulty of the issue and our working relationship was given priority and that in itself was very helpful. I’ll be back for another company constellation soon. Thank you.

Can I attend with my client?

Yes. The original vision for these workshops was to create an experiential learning environment made up of an eclectic mix of executive coaches, OD professionals and leaders in a collaborative and creative space. So we welcome clients with their coach and have found that the insights and learning that emerge from these days can be taken back into the coaching relationship and process enriching the learning journey for both coach and client as well as being a deep learning experience for all workshop participants.

To assist coaches who would like to consider offering a one-day workshop as part of their clients developmental journey or for clients who are interested in this approach to issue resolution and organisational health we have created a sister website which is designed for founders, leaders and senior managers. For coaches looking for a constellation workshop environment to bring their clients to, please visit our sister site: BusinessConstellations

What about confidentiality?

I’d prepared my story and so was surprised when you suggested that we do a ‘blind’ constellation. You simply asked me what outcome I wanted and I said I needed to have a difficult conversation with two other people and that was all the data you worked with. I remember thinking ‘that isn’t going to work’ – but I was proved very wrong!

At the start of the workshop an appropriate confidentiality framework will be negotiated and verbally agreed with the whole group. This can be reviewed at any time as required. In addition it is possible to constellate issues ‘blind’, where no information is shared in the group and the facilitator works with only the basic information, towards a resolution.

This provides another layer of confidentiality and also offers an opportunity for the workshop attendees to experience the ability of a system to balance itself with minimal intervention.

Are the workshops emotional?

Because this approach evolved out of workshops exploring relationships in family systems it developed a reputation for strong and intense emotional experiences.  This is common and natural within family workshops where the issues are often to do with trans-generational trauma, loss or the disconnection between a parent and child. Naturally these are emotional issues and the emotions expressed are often that of a child to its parents and appropriate and healing levels of grief for loss are sometimes expressed. Family systems are by their very nature vast and almost timeless. Organisational systems are only ever temporary in the scale of things. For this and other reasons overpowering emotions are not often a part of a workshop that’s exploring coaching, leadership and organisational issues. When strong emotions are experienced it’s a reflection of the strength of the bond or the depth of the trauma. If the bond is very strong in an organisational system that often indicates a confusion or projection involving a family system issue or loyalty. If a personal issue emerges in a workshop setting it is respected and boundaried and only explored with the express permission of the issue holder. In an organisational context, even a business issue with emotional intensity, resolutions can often be found with a light touch.

Do I have to have an ‘issue’ in order to attend the workshop?

No. You are welcome to bring an issue or attend as an observer or ‘representative’ for others’ work. Simply attending as an observer has an impact and provides a range of insights that increase the capacity to manage the complexity of the human experience in organisational systems. If there are several people wanting to work at the same time, we support the negotiation until it is fully resolved. This in itself is a systemic practice – everyone has an equal place, an equal voice and the balance of giving and receiving is acknowledged.

Participants will often find themselves very engaged in and affected by other’s work, and so the need or expectation of bringing a constellation, or indeed the reverse, of not bringing one, often changes as the day goes on. This is why we take this open, inclusive and flexible approach to the day, because it allows all those present to tap into and benefit from a shared experience of the universal dynamics that influence all human systems.

Each participant has an opportunity to benefit from the day in a number of ways:

• By hearing about the organising principles which sustain systems and asking questions about them and the methodology.
• By having a constellation facilitated for an issue or question they have brought. (Being an ‘issue holder’)
• By taking part in someone else’s constellation. (Being a ‘representative’)
• By simply observing another participants constellations and the day as it unfolds.
• By asking questions about complex or stuck issues in the relationship systems in which they work as leaders or coaches.

Who facilitates these introductory workshops?

These introductory workshops are facilitated by John Whittington, executive coach and constellations trainer. For more on John please see here. For a diary of all his workshops, ‘taster’ and conference sessions please go to the diary page.

John has a remarkable ability to tap into the problem behind the presenting issues. I recommend using his systems-based 
approach and attending his workshops. Not only will you come away with new insights into a situation but the insights will have also created a clear path forward to resolve the problem and enrich the outcome.

Is this a training in constellations and systemic coaching?

One of the best ways of learning about this work is to experience it in a workshop setting, however these one-day workshops are not a training but a brief experiential introduction or ‘taster’. Training in the fundamentals of this work is available for coaches, OD and HR professionals through our annual learning circles a six day training in the fundamentals of system-orientated coaching and the application of constellations in coaching. Four learning circles are available in 2011 – the first two in London, starting in May and June, the third in Italy starting in September and the fourth in Bristol starting in October. For more please see the diary page.

What is the timing for the day?

As these workshops often attract coaches, consultants and leaders from across Europe and everyone’s time is at a premium it’s important to start the workshops promptly at 10:00 so we can close at 17:00 and allow those who have to catch flights to leave. Others are welcome to stay until 17:30 for informal Q&A as appropriate.

Where are the workshops held?

These introductory workshops are held in a light and spacious venue in Islington, North London called The Window. Please see their site for information, however directions together with full full joining instructions are sent to you after confirmation and payment.

How to book a place?

If you would like to book a place on one of these workshops or make any kind of enquiry about them please go to the contact page for more.