the generative capacity of dreams

THE GENERATIVE CAPACITY OF DREAMS

Connecting Strenghts in creating

connecting Dreams

Workshop – 26th April, WAIC 2012

Lou Van Beirendonck

Ann Bayart

© Quintessence Consulting

Inspiring, generative and creative

Dreams


Topic


• How can we truly be facilitators of

generative, creative and connecting

dreams?

• What can we do, as facilitators, to increasethe willingness to think and dream outside

current limits?

• How to increase attunement?


Key questions


• The topic choice: relevant and challenging

• Creating a feeling of meaningfulness and trust

• The groups represented in the room

• Highly qualitative questions

• The length and the quality of the discovery

phase: Focus on ‘What’s working here?’ and the

experience of a constructive collaboration, …

• Expert input

• Brainstorm guidelines

• … © Quintessence Consulting

What do we already know?

Discovery

Mining for the gold.



Discovery : What works?

Look back and remember one or more dream

phases you’ve had, either as a participant or as a

Facilitator.

Think about an intervention, a moment, a tool that

stands out as a high point of craftsmanship: what

was used, said or done to create creative dreams

and ideas outside the box?

• What happened?

• What did the facilitator do?

• What makes this a highpoint experience?


Dream



Guide Lines for Brainstorming

• Encourage “Wild Ideas”• Building on the Ideas of Others• Combine and improve• Be visual• No “but’s”, only “ ands”• Go for quantity – aim for as many new

ideas as possible

• Stay focused on the topic – keep thediscussion on the target

• One conversation at the time – no

interrupting – no rudeness

• No criticism• Have fun!



Roles in the Dream Phase

• Brainstorm facilitator : upholding the brainstorm

rules

• Recorder

• Timekeeper

• …


Dream

© Quintessence ConsultingSome imaginary questions:

• how to light a house with a single light bulb?• how to improve your travel from home to work ?• inventing a new game for the Olympics ?• how to improve institutional food without

increasing its cost ?


A warming up excercise


Imagine being cast ashore on a desert

island, nude and with nothing but a belt.

What can be done with the belt?

A warming up excercise



Dream

Imagine that we’ve developed our craftsmanship

in order to help people to increase connectivity

and creativity in the dream phase. What do we, as

facilitators do to make sure that

• dreams and aspirations are created,

• people are willing to think outside the box

• people feel connected in dreaming about the

future?

What language, tools and interventions do we

use?



Dream : results of the workshop ( part 1)

• Slow down, allow silence, create comfort zones for the participants

• Use Aikido exercises ( Yes, you can!) • Encourage others to look at the topic with an appreciative eye ( appreciative refraiming)

• Ask questions about possibilities • Imagine that something that was not possible had happened

• Pep up the group – move, dance• Use music ( classic, up beat,…) • Do breathing exercises • Make sure the room has day light and coffee!




• Foresee room and extra time for introverted people

• Mindful meditation ( brain body connections) • Use different techniques to create the dreams : talk, act, mind map, improvisation techniques,

make stories about the future,…

• Use different tools during the progress and let people choose amongst these different tools

• Create “ My Bestseller” : for individual development , for increasing self-esteem issues

• Be enthusiastic as facilitator • Invite the one who is in charge to make first steps




• Listen to the group dialogues and follow the rhythm of the group as a facilitator

• “force” people to look for other words then they normally use

• Get out of tradition ways of communication• Accept that not every one want to join us• Neurotansmitting ( read people minds and make connections)

• Make reflections on your ow opinions about dreaming as facilitator

• Use eye openers to invite people to think outside the box




• Start with small groups to increase the comfort zone

• Make connection with childhood ( toys, plays, ) & connect to present and future

• Use Lego : how to use strengths in the future ; using the blocks to create words ; make and

think!

• Use humor, positive and inviting language • Use window staring

• Use the nature/horses• Use colors




• Meditation/visualization • Create a wall of wonder • Bring the context into the room • Emphasis on meaning • Relate to what we already have ( success, talent,s…)

• Make the dreams personal • Show trust in people • Use role models ( f.e. Kennedy)




• Use a dream-catcher ( with objects, words, pictures) > Mobile

• Surprise people • Take them out of their daily context • Drawing : explain the method; tag-cloud • Acting out the metaphor • Stimulate informal interactions & play • Acknowledge people in their barriers /resistance/views

the generative capacity of dreams

Education