A wonderful person who I follow on Twitter recently tweeted this question :
"What if there were more spaces where we felt able to ask the questions we're really holding, and free to say out loud when we truly don't know what we think yet, and that we don't actually understand a thing but that we'd like to...?"
And another wonderful person replied: "I think these are so rare, & a relief to find them. Such a premium we seem to put on knowing; spaces seem to be for talking about what we know, giving evidence for it. Rather than leaving room for inquiry & exploration..."
Reading these, I realised that they are a great description of the kind of space I always aim to create in my "supervision" groups. I use inverted commas here because it's not about me being the expert, or the person to correct you, or stand in judgement on you in some way, as people seem to assume when they hear the word "supervision". They are much more "professional and personal development groups" for coaches, facilitators, OD consultants...even leaders. But that's the term that people are familiar with so I still use it. (Should I not?)
We meet, as a group of up to four, every six weeks or so, usually for two and half hours with a break in the middle. Group members bring questions or challenges from their practice and explore them, sometime with the group's input, sometimes without. We use the Thinking Environment - as developed by Nancy Kline - as the basis of our work together. Often (usually) people leave with their thinking expanded, with new perspectives, and new approaches which positively impact their client work. And most of all, relieved that there is a calm, gentle space where they can say out loud what they don't know, or understand yet, in their work, and explore it.
If this sounds like something you would like to be part of, do get in touch: anne@annehathaway.co.uk. I'd love to help you explore what you think.