Notes by Laurence Claerhout from Mark Strom’s workshop (2012 11 9-10)

Wisdom is about having a conversation.

The conversation goes beyond a connection, a “fellow feeling”. It is about constructingmeaning together.

The conversation assumes all people have wisdom in them to solve a problem. To trigger a conversation, we use open questions or side questions. Stories tell something about yourself. Big doors swing on small hinges. You only need few people of good heart to move things forward. But stories need to be maintained in an environment of presence. Don’t move immediately to an action plan. The commitment in the conversation if the commitment to the people and not to the goal you’re after.

The conversation has to take place on the human level.

When we all think about a person who brought a spark of wisdom to us, we end up with contradictory sources of wisdom. Wisdom is circular. From our childhood onwards we have lead and followed (kids games). Sometimes the wisest way to lead is to follow.

All true knowing begins with indwelling. All true knowing occurs within the relationship.

We know wisdom when we see it. Just like love.

Management vs leadership

It is like a brickwall made of bricks and mud (=mortar). A brickwall is made for 90% out of bricks (what you see on the front), but what makes the wall strong is the mud. And you need an excess of mud to build a strong wall.

Management is like the bricks. You spend 90% of your time on lists, analysis, …

But wise leadership is about the mud thrown on the bricks. You need to learn the stories and write new stories together.

A wise leader only gets to do the 10% “mud” because he does the rest (90% daily management) well!

Communication vs. conversation

When based on logic and analysis, the communication is often a “powerpoint cascade”, it’s sharing created meaning. Often nowadays strategies of companies are built in a board room and are based on logic and numbers. When cascaded down, the strategies get no buy-in from the teams below.

In conversations we create shared meaning. It’s through the art of conversation that strategies should be written. The conversation leads to co-design. It fosters a community and helps build confidence.

<LIFE>

Ways of being and knowing

By which we indwell and read patterns of life insightfully,

Bringing this indwelling and insights to contexts with

discernment, nuance, integrity and care.