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IDEAS, NEWS AND RESOURCES  | March 2018   
We hope you enjoy receiving our newsletter which includes constructionist ideas and practices as well as news and resources from the Taos Institute.
Brief Encounters with The Taos Institute

March 2018

This month, Kathy Isaacson, Taos Associate, shares with us some ideas on profound listening...

Profound Listening and the Listening Triad
 
By Kathy Isaacson, PhD
 
After decades of designing processes for engaging stakeholders in challenging communication, a new concept is emerging that has promise for including perspectives that often go unheard. Profound Listening is a component of the Listening Triad which addresses the question: If we are to design and implement processes that manage human interactivity where all appropriate stakeholder voices are heard, what types of listening are required?
 
The Listening Triad comes from my consulting work, where I guide people through difficult situations, toward the future they prefer to create. My motto in this work is: people support what they create. I often see this triad of listening choices emerge:
Practical listening involves the pragmatic and functional communication aimed at getting work done, goals accomplished, and progress in conversation. What do you need to hear in order to move through your day?
 
Relational listening illuminates how people in interactions jointly construct communication, and includes both listening and speaking. I was dismayed to see this bumper sticker, "Conversation is about competition and the loser is the listener." Poet Mark Nepo says the greater life of listening begins when we realize "we hear more together." Some simple components of relational listening include:

1. Be curious (start sentences with "I wonder" "I am curious about")
2. Acknowledge before responding (summarize to indicate that you heard the other BEFORE you give a response)
3. Create transcendent categories (manage the tension of opposing forces by creating a new category that subsumes the oppositions so that they are no longer contradictory)
4. Use generative questions ( open-ended questions that invite multiple responses and lines of inquiry.) 
 
Profound listening occurs when we gather meaning from the all the senses rather than to isolate and analyze the meaning from a moment or episode. Indigenous people talk about listening in a way that allows us to be touched by life, below the literal fact of things.
 
How do we listen profoundly?
  • Giving and receiving (talking and listening) become indistinguishable. In profound listening, we don't keep track of what is said and what is not said. Harlene Anderson has remarked that we are each guests and hosts in our communication.
  • Silence is honored and in that silence, what we hear enters us. We can honor silence in many ways, including not rushing in to fill silent spaces. ("Let's take a few minutes in silence to consider what we want to say".)
  • Not knowing and paradox are privileged. They let us fall beneath separateness into the living truth of how difference informs each other.
  • Self-reflection is key (What am I trying to say that others are having a hard time hearing? What are others trying to say that I am having a hard time hearing?)
  • Hold identity and perspective lightly.
  • Privilege nonverbal communication.
  • Privilege the creative act and provide space for it.
  • Offer strong and consistent acknowledgements and clarifications.
  As I continue to explore profound listening, I remind myself by having a note taped to my refrigerator: 
The quieter I get the more I can hear.
Taos Institute Events and Gatherings  

The Many Ways to Get Involved.....

  
Conferences

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The Taos Institute Silver Jubilee
25 Years of Innovation in Social Construction
A Conference and a Celebration!
 
November 8 - 11, 2018
(Pre-conference Nov. 7-8)
    
Cancun, Mexico
At the Fiesta Americana Resort  and Conference Center
 
We are very excited about this event marking our 25th anniversary since the founding of the Taos Institute. Save the date and plan to join us as we celebrate The Taos Institute's 25th Anniversary. This special conference will highlight the theories and practices of social construction over the past 25 years, as well as explore what the future may hold.

This is sure to be the event of the year! 


We hope you will join us and bring along with you someone new to social construction and relational practice - student, colleague, co-worker, friend! Let's co-create the future and engage with the next generation!
 


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 Relational Welfare
An International Conference in Collaborative Practices and Human Centered Governance
Relational Welfare and Relational Leadership

June 27 - 29 2018, Aarhus, Denmark


Workshops and Courses

Taos Workshops
Taos Online Courses   
For details about these workshops and to register visit: www.taosinstitute.net/upcoming-workshops 

Friends of the Taos Institute Workshops and Events
  • Communication, Collaboration and Relationships: Constructive Innovations in Organizations -
    An international Social Constructionist Conference in The Faroe Islands
  • 4th International Collaborative and Dialogical Symposium: HORIZON 2018
  • Relational Welfare: International Conference in Collaborate Practices and Human Centered Governance 
  • Summer Institute, with Harlene Anderson and Sylvia London An Experiential Learning Community in Postmodern / Social Construction Collaborative-Dialogic Practices across Cultures, Contexts & Disciplines
  • Appreciative Inquiry Community Jam! Early registration open.
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International Relational Research Network Meeting and Global Dialogues
The Winter Article Reading 
and Discussion Series Continues...

The Article Series continues as we offer an opportunity, for anyone interested, to read a scholarly article or chapter on research, and then join in a conversation about that article.  This article reading series is open to everyone. No need to pre-register. Free and open to the public. 

For everyone interested, join in a conversation about these articles/videos: 
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Friday, March 23rd at 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM US Eastern/New York time
Host: Papusa Molina
Instead of an article for this conversation, we will explore together this video on relational research.
Language:  English
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Friday, May 4th at 10:00 AM US Eastern/New York time time (English)
and 12:00 Noon US Eastern/New York time (Spanish)
Memories about the future - the social construction of time in research conversations
Host: Mette Vinther Larsen
Guests:TBD  
Article: To be available soon. 
 This talk will be dialogical and people will be asked to share their experiences 
with socially constructing time during research conversations.
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Details: For all the information including host, article, date and time of the conversation and link to join the conversation please visit the Taos Institute website at: 


How to join in the article series conversations: 
  1. Visit and then download the articles at www.taosinstitute.net/relational-research-network   
  2. Read the article
  3. Come prepared with questions, examples, comments
  4. Mark your calendar and arrive on time for the conversation
  5. No need to pre-register for these
  6. Use the zoom link provided on that web page to join the call
To sign up for the mailing list for the Relational Researching Network - go to: www.taosinstitute.net/relational-research-network 

World Positive Education Accelerator and Appreciative Inquiry Summit on Education

June 25- 28, 2018, Fort Worth, Texas

WHERE INSPIRATION MEETS ACTION
BE PART OF THE LARGEST POSITIVE EDUCATION EVENT!

The World Positive Education Accelerator (WPEA) is the first of its kind-integrating the  International Positive Education Network's (IPEN)  second Festival of Positive Education with Champlain College's  David L. Cooperrider Center for Appreciative Inquiry  methodology. 

Similar to the  2016 Festival of Positive Education , the 2018 WPEA will elevate the inspiration and ideas of over 1,200 researchers, educators, practitioners, positive psychologists, agents of change and other parties interested in promoting both academic achievement and character virtue development.

You will have the opportunity to turn inspiration into action by participating in an Appreciative Inquiry Summit-a strengths-based and task focused 3-day design-and-build process. Be engaged as co-designers, across all relevant and resource-rich boundaries, to share leadership and take ownership for making the future of positive education successful. 

Join in the event to begin a journey to transform education as we know it. 
 
For all the information see:  https://ipen-festival.com/ 

For registration see:
  https://ipen-festival.com/registration/ 
WORLDSHARE BOOKS

FREE Downloadable Books 
 
CHECK IT OUT AT:

WorldShare Books includes publications in English, Spanish, Italian, German, Chinese, Arabic, and even Farci. But at long last we have opened a significant channel of communication with the Arab World. 

Donate to the Peggy Penn WorldShare Books Fund 
This fund helps to cover the expenses of offering these online books free of charge to anyone in the world. 
Ilene Wasserman and Natalie Rascon
May 7 - 11, 2018

The Books:              

Free and open to all.
Plan to join in - May 7 - 11, 2018
Monday - Friday is an online open,
asynchronous 
conversation with the authors and 
then on Friday join the free webinar.
 
More about the books:

To join this webinar on Friday, May 11, register for this meeting by going to:
                      https://zoom.us/meeting/register/6715bec167941a6dc5b9141539e44ee6

Communicating Possibilities is an introduction to the Coordinated Management of Meaning (CMM), a practical theory which at its roots, is an approach to looking at our social interactions. In the process of stepping back to look at our interactions and how we construct our social worlds, we open possibilities of alternative paths and outcomes.   This book offers ways we can better notice how we shape our lives through the stories we create in our ongoing conversations, and, hopefully strengthen the quality of our communities at all levels. 

Coordinated Management of Meaning (CMM): A Research Manual invites those who are interested, intrigued, or invested in CMM to explore the theory as research method.  The manual provides contexts for applying CMM tools and models as well as many examples from researchers and professionals. Those who have been introduced to CMM and are interested in discovering possibilities for their research and practical interests at any level should enjoy the offerings of this book.

Buy the Books and read them prior to the Week in Dialogue. 
Get a 10% discount by using this code at check out: 
TaosCMM10% 
(for the research book) and 
TaosCPCMM10%
(for the introduction to CMM book) 
Tony Silbert and Joan Chadbourne                                   
HealingConvNow

Healing Conversations Now: Enhance Relationships with Elders and Dying Loved Ones
 
Save the date: 
June 11 - 15, 2018

Monday - Friday is an open online conversation with the authors and then on Friday is a free webinar.


Healing Conversations Now, the book , gives you the tools to satisfy the deep desire to connect with elders and loved ones in a meaningful way - before you miss the opportunity. Many of us are in relationships, important relationships, with our elders and those who are dying. Few of us would say they know just what to say to mend a relationship, to make a family member comfortable, or even to connect more meaningfully with an elder or dying loved one. HCN makes it easier to have these often-difficult conversations by providing tools, essential skills, and story examples. Join us this week to be in dialogue with the authors, share experiences, hear stories and learn with others around the world. 
 
More about the book:
Buy the Book and read it prior to the Week in Dialogue. 
Get a 10% discount by using this code at check out: TaosHCN10% 

Register in advance for this webinar at:
Click here to register.

After registering for the Friday webinar, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
PREVIEW & ORDER MORE BOOKS BY CLICKING HERE

Check out our Books: 
Paths to Positive Aging: Dog Days with a Bone and Other Essays
by Mary and Ken Gergen

Mary and Ken Gergen are devoted to the cause of reinventing aging. To focus on the gains of aging is to realize that the later years are among the richest and most rewarding of one's life. In their dedication to this reconstruction, the Gergens publish the Positive Aging Newsletter, an electronic newsletter, available in seven languages ( www.positiveaging.net). 
In this book, the Gergens share ideas and experiences designed to inspire others as they age. 

Communicating Possibilities: 
A Brief Introduction to the Coordinated Management of Meaning (CMM)

by Ilene Wasserman and Beth Fisher-Yoshida

Communicating Possibilities is an introduction to the Coordinated Management of Meaning (CMM), a practical theory which at its roots, is an approach to looking at our social interactions. In the process of stepping back to look at our interactions and how we construct our social worlds, we open possibilities of alternative paths and outcomes. CMM offers tools and frameworks to use so when we pause and notice what we are making together and how, we open up spaces to make better choices with more desirable relationships each turn of the way.  
Coordinated Management of Meaning (CMM): A Research Manual
 by Natasha A Rascon and Stephen Littlejohn

Coordinated Management of Meaning (CMM): A Research Manual invites those who are interested, intrigued, or invested in CMM to explore the theory as method. Through conversations, Rascon and Littlejohn discussed the many research possibilities and created a manual that offers several frameworks for practical research. The manual provides contexts for applying CMM tools and models as well as many examples from researchers and professionals. Those who have been introduced to CMM and are interested in discovering possibilities for their research and practical interests at any level should enjoy the offerings of this book.

For more information

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By focusing on the positive aspects of aging, and the availability of resources, skills, and resiliencies, research not only brings useful insights into the realm of practice but creates hope and empowers action among older people. By moving beyond practices of repair and prevention, to emphasize growth-enhancing activities, practitioners also contribute more effectively to the societal reconstruction of aging. 
Join the Taos Institute NING Online Community website
Participate in online conversations, share resources, ask questions, connect with others doing similar work. Also, we feature special events on this community website.

Join in many different forums, groups and conversations:

1. Taos Institute Europe
2. Collaborative Governance
3. Relational Learning
4. Relational Research
5. Taos Latin America
6. Intergenerativity and Innovation

and many more at:

http://taoslearning.ning.com/

 

 
IntJournalCollab
Welcome (Bienvenidos) to the International Journal of Collaborative Practices. The Journal brings together members of a growing international community of practitioners, scholars, educators, researchers, and consultants interested in postmodern collaborative practices.

Sponsored by Taos Institute and Houston Galveston Institute

I ssue 7- Available Now in English and Spanish - 
    AI Practitioner - An Online Journal

We invite you to discover an appreciative world in 2018 by taking out an individual subscription for AI Practitioner. Support the future growth and vision of the online journal and the continued publication of articles written by and for practitioners and scholars of Appreciative Inquiry and related disciplines. As a member of the Taos community, you are eligible for a 25% discount when you use the coupon code - taos25% - when you sign up for your subscription.
 
Explore the appreciative, curious voice through. Subscribe now to receive 4 issues each year.  https://aipractitioner.com/product/subscription-practitioners-2018/ 
You can help to make a difference...

These are challenging times, and you can make a difference by supporting the Taos Institute's efforts to bring about more promising futures.

Help us to continue our work in:
  • Creating and Expanding Collaborative Practices Globally
  • Promoting Dialogic Means for Reducing Conflict 
  • Providing Degree Opportunities for Practitioners
  • Offering Cutting Edge Publications in Multiple Languages: Free or at Low Cost
  • Generating Resources for Positive Aging
  • Creating Global Forms and Conferences for Constructing New Futures
     

Given the perilous global context into which we are moving, we feel the work in which we are engaged is more important than ever. We hope you can join with us as we continue to develop resources to aid the global community in co-creating more viable futures.


To make your donation, large or small, go to: www.taosinstitute.net/donate-to-the-taos-institute.

The Taos Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and all donations are tax deductible in the US.
The Taos Institute's mission is to bring together scholars and practitioners concerned with the social processes essential for the construction of reason, knowledge, and human value.

We are committed to exploring, developing and disseminating ideas and practices that promote creative, appreciative and collaborative processes in families, communities and organizations around the world through a social constructionist lens.

We look forward to your participation in the dialogue.  Keep up with our updates!

Dawn Dole, Executive Director
The Taos Institute
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