February 16th, 2009

This month, we welcomed Teresa to the group for the first time, and it was also the first trial of our new format. The idea is that people who are new to Clean Language (and those who want a quick refresher) arrive at 7pm for a half-hour introduction. This is followed by a short break, during which everyone else arrives for a prompt start at 7.45pm. This time, the introduction section didn't really happen properly, as there was some confusion about whether anyone was coming. Next time, it'll be a clear presentation, I promise!

The topic for the main part of the evening was Likes, Preferences and Dislikes, which was inspired by a Developing Group topic from a few years ago. We explored (modelled) how we know we like something, how we know we prefer one thing over another and how we know we dislike something. To start with, those with some experience of Clean Language worked in pairs and beginners observed. Later our beginners took a turn in either the facilitator or client role, and everyone experienced some co-coaching in one of those roles.

Metaphors that emerged for liking were: vibrational resonance; a magnetic pull; a checklist; a scorecard; a sensation in the body; a fibre connection; a ready-brek glow. Prefering generally involved comparing - e.g. 2 checklists - which side outweighs the other - or 2 sensations in the body. Differences in colour, temperature and intensity were mentioned, and also whether things were experienced inside or outside of the body. Logic vs. emotion was also a consideration for one member of the group. We did not collect many examples of 'how you know when you dislike something', although one person experienced this as a bubble force-field.

We next had a discussion about the pros and cons of facilitating in pairs. Some thought it worked well: the two facilitators would come from different angles and ask different questions, and it encouraged the 'letting go' of a planned direction. Others were not so keen: it seemed there was less processing time for the client, and it was difficult for one person to know which facilitator to connect with. We agreed that a better 'set up' between facilitators may have improved things.

Finally, we reviewed the new meeting format. This received a definite thumbs-up, with both new and experienced facilitators feeling they had gained a lot from the meeting, and it seemed as though we had more time than usual. We also thought of different ways of organising the main meeting within the overall framework, which we'll be continuing with.

Our next meeting is on Monday, March 16th.