At both meetings, it were several white men (2 and 5 respectively) and 1 white woman talking at us. At both meetings, the male presenter told the audience that we could ask questions, that he would like to make it interactive and that he also wanted to learn from us. And so it happened: the audience occasionally asked a question.

Okay, you might be thinking: So what?! What does it matter?!

It matters. A lot. Because how do we think we will arrive at that radically different view on mankind or that radically different communication, if we stick to the old template!

DESIGN MATTERS. And how!

MY PROBLEM WITH A STAGE:

-You fix the setting into specialists (on the stage) and receivers (in the room). You thereby reduce the meeting to one-way traffic, instead of many-way traffic.

-You do not make use of the knowledge, wisdom and life experience in the room. You do not make use of the collective wisdom.

-You build on time-honoured hierarchy.

-Learning from the audience is therefore hardly going to happen either.

-You are putting many in passive mode with this setup.

-Specially if there are predominantly white men on stage, you are communicating that white men (still) have the knowledge. Away innovation!

In short: They drank a glass, made a fuss and everything remained as it was. That’s what you get with a stage set-up.

Whereas: It is exactly the valuing and accessing of the COLLECTIVE WISDOM that ís the essence of that radically different view of mankind.

SO, HOW COULD YOU SHAPE SUCH AN ENCOUNTER BETTER?

-CREATE INTERACTIVE WORKING FORMS in which everyone present participates.

– In a circle. Because: in the circle, all those present are equal to each other. Everyone is a recipient and everyone is a specialist.

– Other interactive work forms are also possible: groups at tables, market, games, mingling, etc. Use your imagination.

– Preferably use several methods, so you can address the attendees in different ways.

-This is also possible if you want to build the session around a specific person. Let that person speak in the circle. And then open an equal dialogue.

-Just for that radically different view of people and that innovative communication: INCLUSIVENESS IS A BASIC VALUE.

-So don’t just talk ‘inclusiveness’, do it!

-Make sure you have a diverse pool of hosts. And: don’t programme the session until the ‘speaker list’ is inclusive. Yes. Do it.

If you want to sow innovation, choose a format that does just that.

So, on to fewer stages and more DIALOGUE!

❤️