Any More Rogers Fans Out There?

Carl Rogers, once believed his job was to fix people. His main question was,

“How can I treat, or cure, or change this person?”

Despite his best intentions, it didn’t work.

Ultimately, Rogers changed his approach, asking,

“How can I provide a relationship which this person may use for his or her own personal growth?”

I think that Rogers’ experience speaks to the heart of Enterprise Facilitation.

The effective Facilitator asks:

“How can my relationships with others encourage them to grow in self-confidence, passion, skill and clarity of purpose?”

_________________
Mike Chitty
Sirolli Institute UK
0113 2167782
07788 747954
mike'at'sirolli.com
http://sirolli.blogspot.com/
http://www.sirolli.co.uk/
"The future of every community lies in capturing the passion, imagination, and resources of its people."

Thanks for the thought provoking post Mike.

"We must become the change we want to see in the world." ~ Gandhi ~

This great quote from Gandhi is the "lens" I strive to view the world through each day. I love your question - “How can my relationships with others encourage them to grow in self-confidence, passion, skill and clarity of purpose?” I can (only) encourage this change in others as I grow in my self-confidence, my passion, my skill and my clarity of purpose.

A defining point in my adventure (life) was in Albuquerque NM with my five day Enterprise Facilitator training when Ned Web announced, "You may be the only one that will help a person become what they are supposed to be." Head knowledge is one thing but when you learn it in your heart too, you move to a new level.

The Enterprise Facilitation model absolutely works. As we fulfill our calling each day by asking the question “How can my relationships with others encourage them to grow in self-confidence, passion, skill and clarity of purpose?”, we are "changing the economic fortunes of the entire community."

Here is a fun quote you can mull over: "I get up every morning determined to both change the world and to have one hell of a good time. Sometimes, this makes planning the day difficult." ~ E. B. White ~

_________________
Melvin Hall
903-227-1649
Skype: melvindhall
Discovering & Nurturing Possibilities to Transform the World

Hi,

I run a time bank and volunteer as a panel member on one of the newest Sirolli projects in Kintyre, Scotland.

I am a community worker so I am very interested in how to approach people who need or want change in their lives. I am passionate about my work - which unfortunately makes me a workaholic. Thankfully I have a husband and children, who are my other passion, so I do go home!

I am very drawn to the work of Abraham Maslow and his 'Heirarchy of Needs' - although I see it as more of a ladder that you can go up and down (depending on what pressurises or feeds your aspirations) rather than the usual depiction of a pyramid. It highlights that we need to gain basic physiological needs (e.g.shelter, food, etc) followed by safety, love/belonging, then self esteem/ respect of others. Once these levels are reached then self actualisation can happen. Although once you have reached self actualisation you need less of the other layers to reach it again. http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/maslow.html

Sadly there are many talented people out there with exciting dreams who have never experienced self actualisation and find it harder to show their passion to others. Like a vicious circle these people can often take much longer to shine as they are not used to it. This is why I think that the Sirolli system works so well as Facilitators seem to be very good at building relationships with people and drawing out people's dreams and passions in a safe and respectful environment. With the level of community support giving the person the layer of self esteem / respect of others that is necessary for them to move them up to self actualisation.

_________________
In solidarity
Deirdre Smile

Deirdre! Thanks for the post and your wonderful heart of service. I just learned about Time Banks from your wonderful Lynn and am interested in learning more. Seems like it would be a plus-up on many levels.

In response to your post I think about the truth spoken by Gandhi; "We must become the change we want to see in the world." You living your passion demonstrates to others that it is OK to live this way. They in turn step out and benefit from the freedom and sheer joy. I know this works. I used to think I could change the world but had (very) poor results. Working the model of 'become the change' is now my mantra and I am changing the world. [here is a link for a great read about mantras http://blog.guykawasaki.com/2006/01/mantras_versus_.html]

"Enterprise Facilitation was founded on passion and on the assumption that self-motivation, energy and intelligence exist, right now, everywhere. They are like air, light, and oxygen" Ernesto Sirolli ~ Ripples from the Zambezi page 4 ~

Your life bears this out as you hold onto your desire to help people who need or want change in their lives. Just as air, light, and oxygen are all about you; people with self-motivation, energy and intelligence are there too. Ernesto continues on page 83: "FACILITATION IS BASED ON THE BELIEF THAT IT IS HUMAN TO DREAM." (his emphasis)

The Board of Intelligence (Panel) is as vital as the Facilitator in the dream fulfillment process. Thanks again for sharing your dream.

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.

We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?

You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We are born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.

It's not just in some of us, it's in everyone.

And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

Marianne Williamson, 21st century spiritual teacher
from A Return to Love

_________________
Melvin Hall
903-227-1649
Skype: melvindhall
Discovering & Nurturing Possibilities to Transform the World

Thanks Melvin.

I think you may be interested in reading some of Paolo Freire's work as well. He was an influential thinker and activist in changing the way education is used, with an emphasis on the learner and the tutor teaching each other. This is in contrast to the traditional idea of the tutor filling the learner with knowledge, rather like an empty glass being filled with a jug of knowledge. No one is an empty glass. We all come with some experience and knowledge. Likewise the Sirolli Facilitator works with the client and they learn together. Freire talks a great deal about love, hope and dreams in his writings which are the underpinning of much community work and literacy practice across the UK, and further afield.

_________________
In solidarity
Deirdre Smile

Thanks so much Deirdre! I will look for the books today. We could do a thread here and discuss a book or two. These are some of my favorite subjects (love, hope and dreams).

A wise man once said "You will be the same person in five years except for two things; the people you meet and the books you read." (Charlie 'Tremndous' Jones) I am changed having met you and will grow even more as I read Paolo Freire's work.

_________________
Melvin Hall
903-227-1649
Skype: melvindhall
Discovering & Nurturing Possibilities to Transform the World

Perhaps Freire's Pedagogy of the Oppressed could be added to the EF reading list?
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pedagogy-Oppressed-Penguin-Education-Richard/dp/014025403X/ref=sr_1_1/202-6641339-9718241?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1180023292&sr=8-1

_________________
Mike Chitty
Sirolli Institute UK
0113 2167782
07788 747954
mike'at'sirolli.com
http://sirolli.blogspot.com/
http://www.sirolli.co.uk/
"The future of every community lies in capturing the passion, imagination, and resources of its people."