Conversare – evolving recognition of its potential vital significance (quite long)
While considering now looming emerging of the place of Conversare Online in our Covid- 19 virus affected ways of being all around our little planet, 3rd from the sun …
And its potential significance and value to people everywhere. Particularly perhaps for people who wish to engage respectfully with others in these pandemic times from the safety of their own homes…
I got to thinking about some of the history underlying how I came to ‘discover’ this novel way of engaging with each other. Which is to have a face to face conversation for an hour with a stranger under the guidance of a skilled host.
For what Conversare is see https://conversare.net/introducing-conversare/
Arising from early and growing awareness of the place and significance of conversation as a core element of human life.
Starting with what I experienced as a teenager living in what is now Zimbabwe. Where I did quite a lot of hitch hiking, with a particular friend. Just standing by the road and waiting for a kind motorist to pick us and take us at least some of the way to our chosen destination. Which were two places, separately. One was to the Victoria Falls. The other the Kariba Dam and hydroelectric installation. Both on the Zambezi River, part of the boundary between Zimbabwe and Zambia.
The point here being having an obligation to talk to the driver in return for the favour of being given a free ride. And also listening – and hearing – some things about the driver and his (there were no women who picked us up) comments and perspectives on life.
In my mid twenties I had the opportunity to travel around the world for nearly half a year. Where I spent most of this time in Asia – The Philippines and Hong Kong – and in the US. Again I engaged in conversations with many different people. Which likely was significant in my being shown great kindness by strangers such as offers of accommodation or meals.
Some years later, as a Lecturer in Nutrition in a new medical school in Adelaide, I undertook projects with undergraduate and postgraduate students in doing qualitative research. Inherent in this is engaging in conversation with ‘subjects’ about why they made particular decisions, and took associated actions. About, for example, their everyday food choices and exercise habits.
The point here is that the quality of the relationship developed with the subjects in these kind of studies has a substantial bearing on the quality of the data collected. The more the researcher treats participants with genuine interest and respect the higher is the likelihood of the outcomes being of real value. In providing, for example, insight and understanding of how to resolve problems of obesity or improper management of diabetes.
Around the time of deciding to take an early retirement from academe (in 1994) I was gifted – out of the blue and from a sender who I have never identified – a book entitled ‘Open Space Technology: A Users Guide’ by Harrison Owen. Knowing nothing about it I read this and then tried out the method outlined for groups to examine and address complex matters being experienced by organisations of diverse kinds. To do this by inviting and enabling all present to suggest – and take leadership if they wished – in conversations about how to tackle and resolves particular components.
When I put to a professional group of which I was a member, “Let’s have a go with this” we did so. From which I was utterly amazed as to how everybody present responded and contributed.
Arising from this kind of experience I was determined to learn the skills and become a practitioner.
I did so when going on round the world travels in 1998 with my then fiancé Carmen (we were married in an ‘Open Space’ ambiance underpinned ceremony in 1999).
These travels included participating in a gathering called ‘World Open Space on Open Space’ (WOSonOS) in Monterrey in California. This is an annual gathering of practitioners of this wondrous way of resolving issues. From being there I ‘got it’ that this is what I wished to do as a profession. Which I have, through learning and applying the skills of being an Open Space facilitator.
Something related came to my attention while in San Francisco en route to Monterrey. This was meeting the two inventors of another conversational process now widely used to address complex issues. These were Juanita Brown and her husband David Isaacs who created The World Café
Having met them – delightfully – by arrangement at a café in San Francisco they then invited us to come to their home in nearby Mill Valley. This was to see where, through a set of circumstances at a particular event, this group process was born. See my review of their book.
From these experiences I have often used both of these processes as what I have called myself a ‘Professional Conversationalist’. And have applied them in diverse circumstances to acknowledged effectiveness.
And have participated in several more World Open Space on Open Space events in diverse places, including one near Melbourne in 2002. The lovely hotel in which this event was held was totally destroyed a few years later in a bushfire.
More recently in St Petersburg in the US (2013) and in Manila, Philippines (2016).
Something different – while closely related to the two process mentioned above – emerged when I went to live in Hong Kong for six years, beginning in 2005. This arose from my wife being appointed as a NET (Native English Teacher) there. For at that time every government school – primary and secondary – had this program in operation in order to maintain the standard of English proficiency.
While living happily there I continued to offered my services with the group processes mentioned above. But on one occasion, at a social gathering – using the World Café process in which participants sit around small tables in groups of four – I suggested something different to all present:
“What about having a meal together in pairs of ‘strangers’ ie people who have not met previously?”
Which they did! And reported that this was highly enjoyable. So much so that many asked for more and came back when this became offered quite regularly in the same café.
Which is how and when Conversare – from the Latin con versare was born.
This has now been applied in diverse places. Back in Adelaide from Hong Kong in several public places among which were the Adelaide Central Market after trading hours on weekday nights.
And at WOSonOS in 2013 in St Petersburg FL and in the then new home of the founders of the World Café at Burnsville in the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina. See Conversare in America
For a variety of reasons Conversare is now being adapted to be offered online. While the idea of doing this had been in my mind for ‘some time’ the impetus to do this has been brought on by the world wide Covid 19 pandemic.
Which means that pairs of strangers – who may be living in different parts of our little planet, 3rd from the sun – will be able to see and converse with each other.
How ‘cool’ is that?
There are multiple reasons why this may prove to be of great benefit many people.
Among these are the opportunity to listen and learn how someone else experiences life.
Not only but likely including how each is affected by the current lockdowns in place widely.
And not least to enable participants to become more aware of the value of listening with attention. Also when speaking to do so with bearing in mind what your ‘partner’ could be interested to hear. Not to try to impress!
Two items for you to consider regarding Conversare being online:
. to drop a note to me to suggest what you think could be the value to you and others of participating in an event.
. to say that you would wish to be informed when there would be forthcoming events in which you would wish to participate.
To conclude for now
Have you thought about becoming an effective conversationalist? One who speaks with poise and confidence in any situation.
Could being a participant in a Conversare event give you a taste of this. And a sense of how your life could change for the better if you developed skills to enable you to turn from other activities such as books, TV and the internet to … above all, conversation.
As you may appreciate I have been keenly following matters to do with climate change. Sparked originality by attending a seminar presented by James Hansen – a leading scientific expert in this field – when I was living in Hong Kong about a decade ago.
Among my many associated ‘noticings’ is this comment in an item which came to my attention recently:
See: How to Bring About Catastrophic Success in the Face of Climate Change,
The author highlights that ‘Care work and conversations’ are the tools to enable a society to change course. How does this resonate with you?
Looking forward
Al (formerly Alan) Stewart, PhD
Process Artist
Facilitator of conversations that matter and participatory fun
Senior Fulbright Scholar at Stanford Medical School
Blog: www.conversare.net
Em: alanmstewart@gmail.com
Member: American Society for Cybernetics
Member: National Trouble Makers Union <smile>
Residence: Adelaide, South Australia, since 1975
With time away in the USA (1981) and Hong Kong (2005-2011)
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“We are in this together to treat each other well. Whenever we do this good things happen.”
Al Stewart
Be yourself. And be it well.
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