This past week I was invited to facilitate a three-day Strategic Planning workshop. I’ve worked with this organization previously but in the years since then many of the staff have changed and a new Executive Director has been named.
It takes hours and hours, somewhere in the neighbourhood of 50 to 70 to custom design a meaningful experience such as this. After years and years of planning lessons for teenagers, I know that careful, detailed planning not only gives me the best chance for success, but it once it’s complete it allows my mind to be ready to deal with any unexpected challenges. Once I have my plan, materials, electronics and supplies all ready, I relax; I know there will be curveballs, but those don’t bother me.
The week leading up to my departure was very, very full. My plan was to be completely ready the week prior, including having all supplies packed in a second suitcase, and outfits organized for each day. And then of course, just about the time I was zipping up my suitcase of supplies, the first curveball was thrown.
This is good, I reassured myself, as I opened an email from the Executive Director. This is expected, it’s why I got everything else ready.
The email was one of introduction. ‘Liz, I’d like to introduce you to Emma Richard. Emma is a graphic recorder and I’ve hired her to join us in our work. She’ll be recording, visually, all of our work, in real time. I hope that’s ok with you?!’
Other than the fact I had called ahead to the facility we’d be using and had discovered the room provided for us housed at most 24, and we were expecting 30, and other than the fact that Emma needed a screen, as did I (and there was only one), I have to say I felt a little thrill at this unexpected introduction. I wasn’t wrong to have been both curious and excited.
Emma and I met about an hour before go-time on the first morning. I quickly knew she and I could easily occupy the same space, share the same screen and easily work collaboratively. What a gift she was to us. And what a gift her work will continue to be for this organization.
Since both Emma and I needed the one screen in the smallish room, we devised a plan where I would use it until any spots where I could do without, at which time we could switch the cable from my laptop to hers so she could share her work. I knew I needed it a lot at first, but after that I was thinking of ways I could do without.
We’d been at it less than an hour when we made the first switch. Suddenly the illustration she’d been working on appeared. I was shocked. Amazed. Blown away. While I’d been busy facilitating the opening and setting the stage for the hard work ahead, she’d been observing, listening, and translating what her senses had picked up.
Had I been thinking about what Emma was doing while I’d been presenting, I’d have guessed there wasn’t too much for her to capture.
I couldn’t have been more wrong.
Emma hadn’t missed a thing, nor did she miss a thing for the next three days. She beautifully captured every discussion, activity and idea, and even managed to portray the feeling that flowed through the room. She presented it all like a journey with a ribbon of road leading the viewer from one thing to the next, on the way to clearly outlining the organizations vision for the next three years.
It was magical.
More than that, for me it highlighted how most of us travel through our days. We have a sense of what we are doing, and we know what our intention is, but we are unable to objectively observe our behaviours, and more importantly the impact we have on others. Over the three days as I watched Emma’s art unfold, I recognized that she had captured not only the details of the day, but also often the unspoken sentiments and ideas. More than once her work included a soft suggestion like, ‘It may be that such and such is emerging.’ This was never spoken outloud, but simply incorporated into the work, so we could ‘hear’ it, without it being disruptive or intrusive.
It's difficult to accurately describe the impact. One participant, Stephonia, looked at the screen during part of the afternoon. Among all the tiny, tiny parts of the drawing, Emma had drawn one of the discussions we had had. In it one of the figures was a woman, wearing a striped skirt.
‘There I am!’ exclaimed Stephonia. She could not believe her voice had been heard and that she had been seen. It was remarkable. She knew what she had said, but she had no idea that it had been received by the rest of the group. It was life changing for her to know her voice was valued.
Over the next couple of days as I thought about this reaction, and about Emma’s work, I dreamed about what it would be like to have Emma graphically record a day, or week of my life. I suspect I’d learn things about myself I’d never ever considered. I suspect I’d begin to make an even bigger effort to live a life that would translate into a beautiful picture. I suspect I'd begin to have an understanding of how I am seen by others.
We each have the opportunity to design and live a life filled with things that can turn a blank canvas into a work of art. The things we do don’t have to be fancy, we don’t have to be world travelers or famous inventors; beauty can be created in the way we do the things we do. Emma captures the beauty of all the little things; the small contributions, the kindnesses, the ways we include others, the grand ideas, and the colourful striped skirts.
Since I’ve been home, I’ve been unpacking my things, both literally and figuratively, and working hard to capture our work as I create the Strategic Plan for this organization. I’ve also been jumping back into my usual routine, working out, catching up with the kids, buying groceries, going to dance, and getting ready for my day with Ben and Andy. I notice as I go about my business, I do so with a tiny bit more attention to the details of how I show up. I walk a little taller, take a bit more care with my words, consider my impact on others, and try to make sure my behaviour aligns with my intention. After all, I have no idea when an ‘Emma’ might capture me. I hope I recognize myself, just as the woman in the striped skirt recognized herself. I hope the me I try to be is the me others experience too.
My inquiry for you this week is, ‘How am I showing up in this picture?’
Elizabeth is a certified professional Leadership Coach, and the owner of Critchley Coaching. She is the founder and president of the Canadian charity, RDL Building Hope Society. She works with corporations, non-profits and the public sector, providing leadership coaching. She creates and facilitates custom workshops for all sizes of groups and has expertise in facilitating Strategic Plans for organizations. Contact Elizabeth to learn how to show up on the canvas of your life.
It takes hours and hours, somewhere in the neighbourhood of 50 to 70 to custom design a meaningful experience such as this. After years and years of planning lessons for teenagers, I know that careful, detailed planning not only gives me the best chance for success, but it once it’s complete it allows my mind to be ready to deal with any unexpected challenges. Once I have my plan, materials, electronics and supplies all ready, I relax; I know there will be curveballs, but those don’t bother me.
The week leading up to my departure was very, very full. My plan was to be completely ready the week prior, including having all supplies packed in a second suitcase, and outfits organized for each day. And then of course, just about the time I was zipping up my suitcase of supplies, the first curveball was thrown.
This is good, I reassured myself, as I opened an email from the Executive Director. This is expected, it’s why I got everything else ready.
The email was one of introduction. ‘Liz, I’d like to introduce you to Emma Richard. Emma is a graphic recorder and I’ve hired her to join us in our work. She’ll be recording, visually, all of our work, in real time. I hope that’s ok with you?!’
Other than the fact I had called ahead to the facility we’d be using and had discovered the room provided for us housed at most 24, and we were expecting 30, and other than the fact that Emma needed a screen, as did I (and there was only one), I have to say I felt a little thrill at this unexpected introduction. I wasn’t wrong to have been both curious and excited.
Emma and I met about an hour before go-time on the first morning. I quickly knew she and I could easily occupy the same space, share the same screen and easily work collaboratively. What a gift she was to us. And what a gift her work will continue to be for this organization.
Since both Emma and I needed the one screen in the smallish room, we devised a plan where I would use it until any spots where I could do without, at which time we could switch the cable from my laptop to hers so she could share her work. I knew I needed it a lot at first, but after that I was thinking of ways I could do without.
We’d been at it less than an hour when we made the first switch. Suddenly the illustration she’d been working on appeared. I was shocked. Amazed. Blown away. While I’d been busy facilitating the opening and setting the stage for the hard work ahead, she’d been observing, listening, and translating what her senses had picked up.
Had I been thinking about what Emma was doing while I’d been presenting, I’d have guessed there wasn’t too much for her to capture.
I couldn’t have been more wrong.
Emma hadn’t missed a thing, nor did she miss a thing for the next three days. She beautifully captured every discussion, activity and idea, and even managed to portray the feeling that flowed through the room. She presented it all like a journey with a ribbon of road leading the viewer from one thing to the next, on the way to clearly outlining the organizations vision for the next three years.
It was magical.
More than that, for me it highlighted how most of us travel through our days. We have a sense of what we are doing, and we know what our intention is, but we are unable to objectively observe our behaviours, and more importantly the impact we have on others. Over the three days as I watched Emma’s art unfold, I recognized that she had captured not only the details of the day, but also often the unspoken sentiments and ideas. More than once her work included a soft suggestion like, ‘It may be that such and such is emerging.’ This was never spoken outloud, but simply incorporated into the work, so we could ‘hear’ it, without it being disruptive or intrusive.
It's difficult to accurately describe the impact. One participant, Stephonia, looked at the screen during part of the afternoon. Among all the tiny, tiny parts of the drawing, Emma had drawn one of the discussions we had had. In it one of the figures was a woman, wearing a striped skirt.
‘There I am!’ exclaimed Stephonia. She could not believe her voice had been heard and that she had been seen. It was remarkable. She knew what she had said, but she had no idea that it had been received by the rest of the group. It was life changing for her to know her voice was valued.
Over the next couple of days as I thought about this reaction, and about Emma’s work, I dreamed about what it would be like to have Emma graphically record a day, or week of my life. I suspect I’d learn things about myself I’d never ever considered. I suspect I’d begin to make an even bigger effort to live a life that would translate into a beautiful picture. I suspect I'd begin to have an understanding of how I am seen by others.
We each have the opportunity to design and live a life filled with things that can turn a blank canvas into a work of art. The things we do don’t have to be fancy, we don’t have to be world travelers or famous inventors; beauty can be created in the way we do the things we do. Emma captures the beauty of all the little things; the small contributions, the kindnesses, the ways we include others, the grand ideas, and the colourful striped skirts.
Since I’ve been home, I’ve been unpacking my things, both literally and figuratively, and working hard to capture our work as I create the Strategic Plan for this organization. I’ve also been jumping back into my usual routine, working out, catching up with the kids, buying groceries, going to dance, and getting ready for my day with Ben and Andy. I notice as I go about my business, I do so with a tiny bit more attention to the details of how I show up. I walk a little taller, take a bit more care with my words, consider my impact on others, and try to make sure my behaviour aligns with my intention. After all, I have no idea when an ‘Emma’ might capture me. I hope I recognize myself, just as the woman in the striped skirt recognized herself. I hope the me I try to be is the me others experience too.
My inquiry for you this week is, ‘How am I showing up in this picture?’
Elizabeth is a certified professional Leadership Coach, and the owner of Critchley Coaching. She is the founder and president of the Canadian charity, RDL Building Hope Society. She works with corporations, non-profits and the public sector, providing leadership coaching. She creates and facilitates custom workshops for all sizes of groups and has expertise in facilitating Strategic Plans for organizations. Contact Elizabeth to learn how to show up on the canvas of your life.
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