[Ailist] Positive Core of America: responsibility

[Sue James]

Hi Mary-Alice

Thank you for such a thoughtful and thought-provoking post!

I loved the concept of ME and WE being reflections of each other.

In my work over the years, I've often thought of the act of bringing 
people together as moving from 'I and YOU' to WE'
This has been particularly true perhaps when seeking to help people 
bridge traditional divides.

I actually incorporated this idea into a description I wrote about the 
'mandorla', a symbol with both personal and professional significance 
for me:
http://www.bjseminars.com.au/sue.html#mandorla

However your post has prompted me to reflect even more on this idea - 
that we're not 'moving from' one 'to' the other,
but instead we are really creating a space for both perspectives to 
coexist and nourish each other.

I feel the need for a rewrite coming on! :-)

Thank you for adding to my understanding.

Warmly
Sue

Sue James
Facilitator & Consultant
Ph: +613 9758 2528
BJ Seminars International
inspiring and connecting people
www.bjseminars.com.au 
Twitter: SueJ1



Mary-Alice Arthur wrote:
> Hello all!
>
> I've been following this thread with interest.  I'd like to add to the
> conversation about 'responsibility' the two words 'connectedness' and
> 'engagement', because I think they help to grow the capacity for
> response-ability.
>
> In November last year I was in Japan, one of a facilitator team at an
> international development conference.  We were working on the 10 UN themes
> and my facilitation partner and I were leading the group on 'Disconnection
> and Barriers to Engagement'.  Now all of the themes are stated in this
> negative way, which makes them very difficult to get excited about and even
> harder to feel like there is hope or an answer.  It didn't surprise me at
> all that the sign announcing our space fell off on the first day and would
> not allow itself to become reattached to the wall!
>  
> Through the five days the group worked on this topic, we had very
> interesting conversations, and one stayed with me.  The group had been asked
> to take part in an Appreciative interview in twos and we had one group of
> three.  The two young women in the trio agreed they got connected with other
> people first, then they got engaged.  The young man said he got engaged
> first, then he got connected.  They drew a little circular diagram that
> connected the words 'connection' and 'engagement'.
>  
> They then went further and defined 'connection' as something that happens to
> you -- a feeling.  You can become connected to something or someone without
> even being able to understand it.  'Engagement' however, they defined as an
> action; acting on the connection you feel.  I had never heard it defined so
> simply.
>  
> The group went on the put ME/WE as the central part of our work (and if you
> can imagine ME on top of WE you will see that they are actually reflections
> of each other in word form).  We came to the conclusion that if ME and WE
> are beautiful reflections of each other and individual and community
> well-being are beautiful reflections of each other, then the world is a
> beautiful place.
>  
> This seems very simple, but, in fact is a very radical idea, if you place it
> in Japan, where WE dominates and overpowers ME or the in the US, were ME
> overwhelms and overshadows WE.
>  
> Years ago there was a cover story on FAST COMPANY about Yahoo called 'Love
> is the killer app'.  I believe it is so. If we loved enough there would be
> no power plays at work.  If we loved enough there would be no war.  If we
> loved enough there would be no hunger or global desolation through our
> actions.  Imagine a business where leaders loved what they were doing, where
> people loved each other into their best expression, where people loved
> working and clients loved doing business.  This would be the type of world
> where we would naturally take responsibility because it would be an
> outpouring of our love.
>  
> Loving enough IS a radical act.  I am continually asking myself whether I am
> up to it.
>
> Blessings,
>
> Mary Alice
>
>
>
> Mary-Alice Arthur
> SOAR
> PO Box 10-868
> Wellington
> New Zealand
> mobile:  +64-21-687-627
> email:  mary-alice at getsoaring.com
> web:  http://www.getsoaring.com
>
>
>  
>
>
>
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