A Two-Part Workshop to Help Occupiers Communicate More Effectively through Decisive Discussions
LOS ANGELES – A year-long member of Occupy Los Angeles (OLA) plans to facilitate a two-part workshop on effective communication skills at OLA’s 1-year Anniversary weekend, a 4-day weekend with educations, speak outs, a walking tour, marches, actions, and some celebration.
Occupy the Conversation Workshop #1: Get Unstuck starts Saturday at 4:45pm and end at 6:15pm. Occupy the Conversation Workshop #2: Start with Heart starts Sunday at 5:30pm and ends at 7pm. Both workshops will be at Fletcher Bowron Square, where Occupy LA plans to hold a series of educations, panels, discussions, workshops, and other activities.
GET UNSTUCK
On Saturday, the workshop will teach participants how to figure out when they become “stuck”— not communicating effectively. Getting stuck usually means that there exists a “crucial conversation” or two that people have not handled well or have not handled at all.
This workshop will help participants learn how to identify these vital discussion and hold these discussions well.
As the workshop unfolds, the participants will learn to point out signs of being stuck so participants learn to understand not only how to use the workshop skills, but also when to use the “Get Unstuck” skills.
Second, participants should know that this workshop is not just about communication as an end but as a means. The purpose of the training is to enhance a handful of high-leverage skills that help people achieve the results they want. The training reminds participants that it is all about the results.
START WITH HEART
On Sunday, the “Start with Heart” training will delve into the concept of working on “me” first, “us” second. For many participants, the material contained in this lesson is among the most valuable and hard-hitting.
Why?
Because it gets at the underlying cause of many of their problems—bad motives. Unless the communicators change their motives to something other than “wanting to win” or “saving face”, the crucial conversation –and possibly the movement – are forever doomed.
After all, if the communicators’ motives are unhealthy, then their efforts to use the skills are likely to come across as hollow, insincere, and possibly even manipulative.
If participants were to implement no other skills but those contained in “Start with Heart”, they would walk away with a powerful set of tools to reset the course of a conversation – especially when conditions start to deteriorate.
“All are welcome. All are equal,” says one of the organizers, “Join us to learn skills for talking when the stakes get high. Our Revolution may depend on it.”
For more information or to RSVP check out these facebook event pages:
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