Debriefing is a part of our culture at GWI. As Susan says, “A regular practice of reviewing work together in a spirit of co-learning – rather than in a spirit of finding fault or placing judgment – strengthens a culture of learning and builds trust.” We do this internally after our workshops or events and often we ask participants to engage in it as well. Sometimes it is as simple as just asking ourselves or others to complete 3 statements – I noticed…I liked…and I wished…
Since the beginning of 2023, we have begun to more actively coach other organizations in democratizing their work. Sometimes this takes the form of an ongoing relationship and other times is a single workshop. Here’s my debrief of this growing part of our work, using the simple framework I just mentioned.
- Something that I have liked: In a recent workshop, I believe we were able to help unstick dynamics and tensions by providing tools and practices that allow for clearer communication and more explicitness about where power is and how decisions are made.
- Something I have noticed: More and more people are interested in a deeper alignment of their internal workings and their external work. I have also noticed that when we wield power we can be susceptible to having blindspots that make it hard to see the effects of the power we have over others.
- Something I wish (and it’s a big wish): I wish that we as a species, move into a different relationship with each other and all life by moving into a different relationship with power. I see our misuse of power at the crux of how we treat each other and other life on our planet. It is hard to be in right relationship without also addressing the power within the relationship.
