workshop

      IN HOUSE PRESENTATION


 

A workshop exploring mythic undercurrents in individuals and organisations

Who is it for?

If your interests lie in investigating the hidden diversity present in our organisations and in our selves, then this workshop is for you.  It is for anyone who wishes to enter into a deeper exploration of the unconscious dimension of individual and group behavior, where much of our resistance to change lies buried.  The workshop will be particularly useful for those involved in cultural change, those coping with a rapidly changing environment, or for anyone dealing with substantial transformation in their personal life.

The workshop will use ancient myths as metaphors to illuminate and add depth to the experience of telling our own contemporary stories.  By activating our imaginations through myth and story, we will explore those areas of ourselves and of our organisations which normally remain below the threshold of our conscious awareness.

What?

The workshop content will be largely determined according to the needs of the participants.  However, the framework will consist of examining any number of preferred archetypal themes which may or may not be present within organisations or individuals at any one time.  We will investigate the appropriateness of different archetypes &endash;- such as Power, Chaos, Beauty, Clarity, Indeterminacy, Homeliness, Strategy, Wilderness etc.  in different situations and explore the symptoms of a culture or individual when one or more of these archetypes is repressed or overplayed and dominant.

How?

We will use metaphor and story to make these archetypes come alive for us and examine how they relate to each other as well as to each of us as individuals and to our organisations.  We will also seek ways of moving from one archetype towards another.  With reference to every personal or organisational context we examine, we will be asking two vital questions with reference to the archetypes (which can also be imagined as personified energies).

"Who/What is there?"      "Who/What is not there?"

"Is this archetype appropriate or inappropriate in this situation?"

We will explore whatever archetypal patterns and tension-generating contexts (triggers for change) we can come up with individually or in groups.  Some examples might be as follows:

"The Hero" in the context of the rulebook

"The Farmer" in the context of rapid change

"Beauty & Aesthetic Awareness" in the context of a boredom or lack of motivation

"Indeterminacy & the Trickster" in the context of dogmatism and fundamentalism

"Feeling at Home" in the context of organisational alienation

"Power" in the context of group decision-making

"Wild excess & Chaos" in the context of a safe environment

"Voice of Reason" in the context of pain

"Protectiveness" in the context of brainstorming

If there is sufficient time and interest, we will also examine our preference for certain archetypes using C.J. Jung's typology theory upon which the Myers Briggs system is based.

Facilitators?

Adrian Strong gained senior management experience while working as a business executive in southern Africa.  However some years ago he moved into an exploration of Jungian psychology and mythological studies while studying in the United States.  He has developed substantial expertise in mythology, symbolism and an understanding of the unconscious processes at work within cultures and individuals.  Although having lived in Brisbane for just over a year, he has already awakened substantial interest in his field through public lectures, seminars and in his counseling capacity.

Bob Dick's reputation as an educator, facilitator and consultant is based on more than a quarter of a century of experience.  Bob's style is casual and participative, his processes robust and learnable, and his documentation clear, readable and practical.  His workshops are characterised by an integration of theory and practice, with equal emphasis on the development of skills and understanding.  The processes and models he helps others learn are those which he makes use of in his own work.

 


Negotiate your own in-house workshop

If you would prefer to have a workshop specifically designed to meet your particular needs, and run for you in your organisation or community, Interchange would be pleased to do that.  Important advantages of in-house and in-community workshops include their relevance (we fine-tune them to your needs), and their greater ease of application to real local issues.


Interchange   37 Burbong Street  Chapel Hill  Queensland  4069    Australia
Telephone +617 3378 5365   Fax +617 3878 4338   email camilla@uq.net.au


Maintained by Bob Dick.  This page last revised 2007 12 30.

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