A constant, unchoreographed dance of tension and harmony, of structure and emergence, of psychological safety and sincerity, of client and group: facilitation is an artful balancing act.

And my guest this week Dr Jason Fox, is a master of equilibrium. A wise and mercurial keynote speaker and facilitator, he straddles the opposing realms of speaker presence and facilitator invisibility with shapeshifting ability, fusing deep philosophical thinking with meaningful future action.

We ride the facilitation see-saw in episode 266, exploring the alchemic balance of the facilitator, soaring from beautiful philosophies and the ideal conditions for achieving progress, dipping into Vipassana learnings and the potential of a spacious agenda.

Jason fills our conversation with such wisdom, charm and intrigue, I hope an hour with him leaves you feeling as inspired as I was.

Find out about:

• Why the alchemy of cooking is like that of facilitation, both requiring acuity, synthesis, and intuition
• The difference between meaningful progress vs. delusional progress
• Psychological safety: is there such a thing as too much? Can it lead the group into a state of toxic sincerity?
• The importance of seeking healthy conflict from a place of psychological safety
• Striking the balance of imperfection and friction, from the tools we use, to the environment we choose
• Jason’s teachings from meta-modernism, meta-rationality, Vipassana, and Indigenous Australian philosophy

Don’t miss the next episode: subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player.

And download the free 1-page summary, so you can always have the key points of this episode to hand.

Links:

Watch the video recording of this episode on YouTube.

Connect to Jason Fox:
On LinkedIn
https://foxwizard.com
https://drjasonfox.com/

Support the show

Check out Dr Myriam Hadnes' NeverDoneBefore Facilitation Community and Facilitation Courses
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If you enjoy the show, consider a one-off donation and contribute to the ongoing costs of running the podcast.

From free jazz and the musical echelons of piano concerto, to indigenous beats and the didgeridoo, this week’s episode is an invitation into the wondrous world of Music Thinking.

Christof Zürn is the inventor of this mindset; his storied background in musicology, creative direction and service design became the symphony to his brainchild. He now helps organisations to apply the principles of music to their daily lives, offering a new lexicon with which to interpret and understand business, leadership - and of course, facilitation!

Hear all about Christof’s musical mindset, how to apply it, and why it can be an inspiring scoresheet for effective work, collaboration, and productivity. Episode 265 is guaranteed to be music to your ears.

Find out about:

• The power of Music Thinking in helping to navigate organisational dynamics
• What the analogy of music means for business, leadership and facilitation
• Why the workshop is not a performance, but a rehearsal for the real-life production, allowing room for mistakes and exploration
• How music can help us to hear and understand simultaneous perspectives in an organisation
• The notion of ‘Design Thinking Theater’ and why it is a facade to endorse established organisational ideas

Don’t miss the next episode: subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player.

And download the free 1-page summary, so you can always have the key points of this episode to hand.

Links:

Watch the video recording of this episode on YouTube.

Connect to Christof:

Jam Cards

The Power of Music Thinking

Templates download

Epiphany Story 2024

Workshop with Leadership positions

Sonic Meditation / Pauline Oliveros

Support the show:

Make a one-off donation and contribute to the ongoing costs of running the podcast.

Support the show

Check out Dr Myriam Hadnes' NeverDoneBefore Facilitation Community and Facilitation Courses
**
Use the interactive podcast map to navigate all podcast episodes
**
If you enjoy the show, consider a one-off donation and contribute to the ongoing costs of running the podcast.

It is wonder, curiosity and imagination wrapped up in one. It is both a suspension from reality and way of navigating the world, a problem solver, a flow of creativity, a creative outlet, a language and a state of mind. It is: play!

And true to its nature, we cannot possibly box play into one definition. Lily Higgins, Pauline McNaulty and Jules Gilleland join me in my digital playground this week to unpeel the many layers of play: purposeful play, play without agenda, play as the essence of human connection, and play as a curious and unexpected vehicle for conflict resolution.

Gather around for our special fireside conversation!

Find out about:

• Lily, Pauline and Jules’ multifaceted definitions of play, and why it is simultaneously a mindset, tactic, strategy, and metaphor
• The complexities and contexts of play as a facilitation tool
• How play can be used to navigate conflict, creating a safe space that diffuses risk
• How play can help us challenge our stories, and encourage us to see new perspectives
• The difference between purposeful play, play as the experience itself, and play without agenda

Don’t miss the next episode: subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player.

And download the free 1-page summary, so you can always have the key points of this episode to hand.

Links:

Watch the video recording of this episode on YouTube.

Connect to guests:

Lily Higgins LinkedIn

Pauline McNaulty LinkedIn

Jules Gilleland LinkedIn

Find out more about our Facilitation Academy:

Live online courses with podcast guests

Support the show:
Make a one-off donation and contribute to the ongoing costs of running the podcast.

Support the show

Check out Dr Myriam Hadnes' NeverDoneBefore Facilitation Community and Facilitation Courses
**
Use the interactive podcast map to navigate all podcast episodes
**
If you enjoy the show, consider a one-off donation and contribute to the ongoing costs of running the podcast.