Standing in the Fire

IISIX WAYS OF STANDING

Now that we have examined the nature of fire and the role we play as fire tenders, let’s look at the ways we can stand effectively in the face of high-heat group dynamics. Standing is really a metaphor for being. When we are working with groups that are struggling with adversity, complexity, and the intense emotions of the moment, who we are being—the nature of our presence in the room—is as powerful an intervention as anything we do or say. Even the most basic facilitation intervention, such as asking a clarifying question, has a fundamentally different impact on a group when it is asked from a stance of relaxed openness and compassion versus a stance of defensiveness or anxiety.

This section describes six ways of standing ...