Working with Larger Systems

Dr Sally Denham-VaughanDr Leila Davis

Dr Lynda Osborne

www.relationalchange.org

A Relational Framework Anchors our Work

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Theoretical Concepts that Inform our Work in Organisations

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Field RelationalSystems TheoryComplexityStorytelling

PhenomenologyResiliencePositive PsychologyEmbodiment

Dialogic RelatingDeep Democracy

Presence

An Organisational Self

One Map.• Id : Less visible internal dynamics of an

organisation. Usually less in awareness and not articulated. The ‘sensing’ function

• Ego: Most visible part - what the organisation says it does – or does. What is supported?

• Personality: Sedimented ways of being which are linked to the prevailing narrative and culture- these sustain the organisation.

The Relational Movement

• Intrinsic/decentralised Vs Extrinsic organising strategy : TRC/RM/RC

• Community Action Networks- CANs• Communities of Practice- COPs

(Shared Situated Relational Leadership - Jean Lave and Etienne Wenger).

• Relational Public Narrative: SOS

Exploring our wider Community

• The centre of room represents the heart and soul of the Gestalt Community

• Position yourself at a point in the room where you feel in relation to that

• If the space is empty….experiment with framing it as a ‘Liminal Space’ that has no pressure to fill.

Exploring our wider Community

• Speak from your position so we hear voices from the margins and from the centre…represent all voices

• These voices are the ‘form’ of this Situation/Gestalt Community right now

Exploring our wider Community

• Form groups of ‘X’ from people nearest to you with a facilitator

• Question 1 :What was most vivid for you?

(Brief answers…not discussion)

Exploring our wider Community• Question 2:• “What is my personal contribution/(leadership)

that I bring to this community?

• “What would catalyse me to take up greater leadership in this Community?”.

• “What could this small group bring to nourish the Gestalt Community: these are the leadership gifts we have to share”

Exploring our wider Community

• Create a group statement: Brief

• Small groups share: Facilitator reads out to the larger community.

Exploring our wider Community• Experiment with making the moves you just talked about

in your small group within the large group-where do you stand now?

• How does the community change as leadership, (decisions, risks, responsibilities), is shared?

(Shared NOT ‘equalised/rotated’…we all have unique strengths and contributions).

• What different movements/actions do you as a shared leadership community now feel called to make: what might you do if this new form were in existence ?

Exploring our wider Community

“Thought for the Day”: in pairs

• What actions am I willing to commit to in order to sustain the gestalt community and protect the community’s future?

Hear from some couples.

References• Chidiac, M.A. and Denham-Vaughan, S. “The Process of Presence”. British

Gestalt Journal, (2007), 16, (1), 9-19.• Denham-Vaughan, S. “Will and Grace: The Integrative Dialectic in Gestalt

Psychotherapy Theory and Practice”. British Gestalt Journal, (2005a), 14, (1), 5-14.

• Denham-Vaughan, S. “The Liminal Space and Twelve Action Practices for Gracious Living”, British Gestalt Journal, (2010d), 19, (2), 34-45

• Denham-Vaughan, S. & Chidiac, M-A. (2010) ‘Dialogue Goes to Work: Relational Organisational Gestalt’, in Hycner, R. and Jacobs, L. (Eds). Relational Approaches in Gestalt Therapy, Gestalt Press, Cambridge, MA.

• Denham-Vaughan, S. and Chidiac, M-A. “SOS: A relational orientation towards social inclusion”. (2013), Mental Health and Social Inclusion, 17, (2), 100-107

• Clark, M. Denham-Vaughan, S and Chidiac, M-A. “A relational perspective on public sector leadership and management”. (2014), International Journal of Public Sector Leadership, 10, (1), 4-16