FW: Transfer in Process

[Michelle Cooper]

This came just to me and I believe Meg meant it for the list.
Michelle

-----Original Message-----
From: Meg Salter [mailto:meg.salter at sympatico.ca]
Sent: 19-Jun-02 09:10
To: mcooper at integralvisions.com
Subject: Re: Transfer in Process


Thanks Michelle for your explanation and stories.

I wonder if other people here on the listserve could comment on what they do
for "transfer-in" type processes - exercises that engage the whole person to
themselves, to each other and to the topic at hand.  This would likely be at
the beginning of facilitation processes other than OST. I recall Peggy
mentioning that she often asked people at the beginning of an OST to
silently reflect on what brought them there, then to share with another.
Somtimes people are asked to sit quietly for a moment's silent meditation/
body scan. I personally was at a 5-day facilitator training course some
year's ago where the transfer in process took 1 1/2 days, no physical
objects are used - and the course ended up being totally amazingly deep. I
would be interested in sharing ideas here, as I think that it allows
everyone in the room to "tune in" (a la tuning fork image) to different
frequency than they otherwise would.

Meg Salter

MegaSpace Consulting
416/486-6660
meg.salter at sympatico.ca
www.megaspaceconsulting.com



----- Original Message -----
From: "Michelle Cooper" <mcooper at integralvisions.com>
To: <OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
Sent: Tuesday, June 18, 2002 8:50 PM
Subject: Transfer in Process


> Would you kindly explain what you mean by "transfer-in process?" I am not
> sure I understand.
> --------------
> Thanks for your question Doug. The short answer is in the first two
> paragraphs. The rest are some stories and observations about my experience
> using it.
>
> The transfer in process is an exercise that is used to engage the right
> brain and to help people to be fully present at the meeting. It is
different
> than an icebreaker. The intentions of the exercise: to connect the person
to
> themselves, to one other and the group as a whole. I learned about this
> during the whole person process facilitation training offered by Birgitt
> Williams(part II of the Genuine Contact program)
>
> It is a three step process. Objects from nature, coloured markers,
pictures
> or whatever you think is appropriate to engage the creativity of the group
> are placed in the centre of the circle. Participants are asked to choose
an
> object. They are then asked to reflect silently on the object and to write
> down what the object says to them or what comes to mind with respect to a
> question about the theme of the meeting. They then are invited to find
> another person to share anything that they wish to share relative to the
> question and are given time to do that. The whole group is convened and
then
> invited to share anything that they wish to the collective. It is always
> invitational, particularly that people need only share what they want...A
> student brought it to my attention once when she said that the exercise
took
> her very deep and she did not want to share what came to mind...so I
> remember to ensure that I say it out loud...only what they want to share.
>
> I start every meeting this way. The time is well invested, even in a short
> meeting. Recently a group that I facilitated commented as part of the
> closing of the day how powerful the transfer in process was for them. It
> engaged people to talk who were normally very reticent. They said they
felt
> comfortable speaking because the ideas were reflected through the object
(in
> this case, stones).  Other comments were that they felt the exercise
> levelled the playing field and gave everyone an equal voice. I am always
> amazed and surprised...and of course, even the person who says "It is just
a
> rock" gets engaged.
>
> My observations as a facilitator: The time investment usually results in
> high productivity and creativity. They seem to leap forward in their
> creativity..especially in meetings that are about moving to a collective
> vision, coming to consensus etc. It can reveal much about where the group
is
> at with the topic at hand. It is also a great way to get to stories about
> the organization.
>
> I recently was asked to be one of the facilitators at a constituent
assembly
> for our local elected member of parliament (our provincial government).
The
> purpose of the meeting was to advise the representative on the
constituents'
> positions on a number of key theme areas. The topic theme that I was asked
> to facilitate was "Amalgamation" (Many small towns in the region were
> amalgamated into a "supercity" last year and there was much anger about
it).
> It had the potential to be highly conflicted. I did not get to design the
> meeting (encouraged the use of open space of course, but they were not
ready
> for it....yet) So, I arranged the chairs in a circle (as per usual) and
used
> the transfer in process. I allowed sufficient time for each step of the
> transfer in to be sure that participants had air time. Each person took
time
> to tell the story that came to mind as a part of the introduction process.
> They moved beyond the anger that brought them to the meeting and expressed
> very passionate stories about what their communities meant to them, how
the
> amalgamation impacted them and how they wanted to speak up for healthy
> communities. Everyone else in the group listened intently. At the end of
the
> transfer in, they summed up the themes that had been spoken, expressed
> amazement at the commonality of their views, did mind-mapping of the ideas
> that came up and then moved to the steps of recommendations to the
MPP...no
> conflicts, no fighting, highly constructive feedback. The MPP sat in on
part
> of the process and was amazed. Although the transfer in took close to an
> hour, we still achieved all of the objectives of the meeting in the
allotted
> 2 1/2 hour time frame. We did a closing circle at the end of the session
and
> each person expressed that they felt their ideas had been heard and
captured
> in the process.
>
> I trust this helps.
> Michelle
>
> Michelle Cooper RN, MScN
> Integral Visions Consulting Inc.
> 200 Crestview Avenue
> Ancaster, ON L9G 1E2
> Tel: (905) 648-4633
> Fax: (905) 648-1763
> Toll Free (North America): 1-877-405-9918
>
> "Inviting Organizational Effectiveness and Health"
>
> Once we know people's stories, we feel compassion instead of judgment.
> Today, practice remembering that everyone has a story.
>
> - Mary Manin Morrissey
>
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