Introductory Liberating Structures (LS) workshop presented by

Lucia Dura, Ph.D.

UTEP, Department of English, Rhetoric and Writing Studies

Eva Moya, Ph.D.

UTEP Department of Social Work

Lauren Perez, M.A.

UTEP Positive Deviance (PD) Ambassador

In partnership with

CAPSHR

College of Health Sciences

Center for Civic Engagement

Social Justice Initiative

Department of English

Liberate your Structure: Unleash Creativity and Participation in Meetings

Structures are Everywhere

• Do we notice them?

• Are we conscious of how they impact performance and results?

Over-Controlled Presentation/Lecture

• Too uniform

• Engaging only one person or a select few in shaping

direction

• Flow in one direction

?

Under-Controlled Open Discussion

• Unstable relationships

• Anyone can jump in

• Flow too random to shape direction

Distributed (tight & loose)

Liberating Structures

• Distributed control, flow from any point, any direction

• As the action unfolds, direction is shaped by participants

themselves out of local interaction

Appreciative Interviews

Creating Momentum by Building on and Designing

with “What Works”

Find a partner you do not know well. Tell a story about a time when you

worked on challenge with others in a meeting/group setting and you are

proud of what you accomplished. What is the story and what made the success

possible?

Tips on InterviewingStories lets us “see” through others’ eyes

• Ask about the context – When

– Where

– Who

– How

• DO NOT tell your own story at the same time

• Collect details of the journey:– Status quo, barriers, action, surprises,

discoveries

• Find a moment that sums up the meaning

First Configuration• Pairs

• 4 minutes for each story

• Total time 8 minutes

• Bell after 4 and after 8 minutes

Second Configuration

• Groups of 4 (2 pairs together)

• Take turns telling your partner’s story

• 3 minutes per story

• Total Time 12 Minutes (Bell after 12 Minutes)

• Listen and look for patterns

• What conditions repeat?

Third Configuration

• All together

• Collect success patterns

1. Space

– Open

– Sitting

2. Participation

– Everybody at once and at the same time + equal time for all

3. Configurations

– Pairs

– Quads

– Whole Group

4. Time allocation

– 5 minutes per person

– 3 minutes per person

5. Structuring invitation

– Appreciative question

– Asking for a story

– Look for patterns

Structure of Appreciative Interviews

Why and When? Appreciative Interviews

• Build positive energy & momentum

• Solve problems based on what works

• Identify conditions for success

• Spark peer to peer learning

• Reveal collective wisdom

Why and When? 1-2-4-All

• Engage everybody at the same time

• Expand diversity of inputs

• Enrich quality before sharing

• Separate and protect generation of ideas from whole group discussion

25 Gets You 10

Rapidly Generate a Group’s Most Powerful Actionable

Ideas

Structuring Invitation: If you were ten times bolder, what big idea would you

recommend to your organization?

Write your big idea on one side of an index card.

Sequence of Steps• Everyone stands• Mill around and pass cards from

person to person• When the bell rings, stop and

score the card between 1 and 5 points (5 = heck yes! 1= meh). Write the number on the back of the card

• When bell rings, mill around and pass cards from person to person again

• Five rounds• At the end of cycle five, add up the

scores on the back of the last card you are holding

All Together

• Identify top 10 scores

• What caught your attention about 25 Gets You 10?

Why and When? 25 Gets You 10

• Create an environment in which good ideas can bubble up

• Encourage novice innovators to think boldly and come up with practical steps

• Obtain results that are more likely to endure because they were generated transparently from within

25 Gets You 10

Rapidly Generate a Group’s Most Powerful Actionable

Ideas

Structuring Invitation: If you were ten times bolder, what big idea would you

recommend to your organization?

Write your big idea on one side of an index card.

Impromptu Networking DebriefRapid Networking and Idea

Exchange

Pairs (2 minutes each round)

Answer:• What did you see, hear, do today that

inspired you?• Do you see yourself making any

changes in your organization?

Why and When? Impromptu Networking

• Generate energy

• Invite refinement or deepening of ideas

• Opportunity to learn from others

• Can be used to open, close or take temperature

• Debrief provides opportunity for reflection

Next Steps

• Save the date for follow-up Liberating Structures Workshop

• Wednesday, November 16th

• Focus on “Purpose”

• Why do you do what you do?

• How do you get from purpose to practice?

• Asking for help

For more information on Liberating Structures:

www.liberatingstructures.org

For a local resource contact:

ldura@utep.edu

Call to Community

• We invite you to add to the menu!!

Do you or your agency employ a unique approach to your work that may be useful to others?

We would love for you to add to the Food for Changed Thought Menu!

Email Jennifer (Jenna) Lujan at jmlujan@utep.eduor Eva Moya emmoya@utep.edu