"Liberating Structures" are facilitation techniques and micro-structures for interaction and conversation - “including and unleashing everyone”. For more insights, you can have a look at http://www.liberatingstructures.be

1. Agile Consortium Brussels
27/09/2018

2. Who is this guy, anyway?
https://www.linkedin.com/in/frederikvannieuwenhuyse
@vfrederik
http://value-first.beVF

3. I invite you to be…
Courageous!
Open!
Respectful!
Inviting!
Transparant!
Volunteering!
Equivalent!
Connecting!

4. What’s Liberating?
What’s structuring?

5. I invite you to …

6. [I invite each person
spend 1 minute
sharing the answer to
the next questions
with one other person.]

7. What big challenge
do you bring to this
gathering?

8. What do you hope
to get from and
give this group /
community?

9. [I invite each person
spend 1 minute sharing
their frustrations and
ritualised complaints
about work/life with one
other person.]

10. If only….

11. They make me…

12. … that’s just
the way it is.

13. If they would …
then I could …!

14. What’s Liberating?
What’s structuring?
1/ ALONE —> 30 secs
2/ IN PAIRS —> 1 min
3/ 2 PAIRS JOINED —> 2 mins
4/ EVERYONE —> 2 mins

19. I invite you to …
B R A I N S T O R M !

20. I invite you to …

21. Color = differentiated or unique role
Spacing = relative coordination (tight or loose)
Arrows = flow of power or know-how + formal connection
1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9 10

22. I invite everyone to select a pattern which they
can relate to by asking:
[silent no talking]
Which of these patterns represent the “official”
way you talk about how this group works?
Which of these patterns represents your on-the-
ground experience of working with this group?
Given the purpose of your group, which pattern
might generate more productive endpoints?

23. Color = differentiated or unique role
Spacing = relative coordination (tight or loose)
Arrows = flow of power or know-how + formal connection
It’s all about you
Hub & Spoke network
Everybody holding hands
Cohesive Clique
Bridge to outside worlds
Boundary Spanner
The Inner Circle
Core-Periphery Network
Everyone for Themselves
Disconnected Individuals
Get past the dragon
Gate-Keeper
Birds of Feather
Homogeneous Coalitions
The Boss is The Boss
Strict Hierarchy
Celebrating Diversity
Heterogenous Network
Lonesome Twosomes
Disconnected Pairs

24. What’s Liberating?
What’s structuring?
1/ ALONE —> 30 secs
2/ IN PAIRS —> 1 min
3/ 2 PAIRS JOINED —> 2 mins
4/ EVERYONE —> 2 mins

25. I invite you to …

26. Sequence
1. Form a group of four
2. Listener selects a worthy-yet-elusive goal [2 mins]
3. Listener shares goal & interviewer ask questions [4
mins]
4. Pixies chatter in opposite ears [6 mins]
5. Debrief what happened [2 mins]
•Rotate to next Listener and repeat steps 2-5

27. Sequence
1. Form a group of four (1 listener, 1 interviewer, 2 pixies)
2. Listener selects a worthy-yet-elusive goal [2 mins]
3. Listener shares goal & interviewer ask questions [4
mins]
4. Pixies chatter in opposite ears [6 mins]
5. Debrief what happened [2 mins]
•Rotate to next Listener and repeat steps 2-5

28. Sequence
1. Form a group of four (1 listener, 1 interviewer, 2 pixies)
2. Listener selects a worthy-yet-elusive goal [2 mins]
3. Listener shares goal & interviewer ask questions [4
mins]
4. Pixies chatter in opposite ears [6 mins]
5. Debrief what happened [2 mins]
•Rotate to next Listener and repeat steps 2-5

29. By yourself, think of a
challenging crossroads you
face now.
Ask yourself,
“What is a vital yet elusive goal
I hold dear?”
Listener

30. Sequence
1. Form a group of four (1 listener, 1 interviewer, 2 pixies)
2. Listener selects a worthy-yet-elusive goal [2 mins]
3. Listener shares goal & interviewer ask questions [4
mins]
4. Pixies chatter in opposite ears [6 mins]
5. Debrief what happened [2 mins]
•Rotate to next Listener and repeat steps 2-5

31. Interviewer Questions [4 mins]
• Why is the goal important to you? Why are you bothering? How will
others around you benefit?
• What actions have you taken to advance—and undermine–progress
toward the goal? Dig for tangible examples and stories not concepts.
• Give more attention to an action or behaviour that undermines. Ask,
Why… why… why were you attracted to the actions that undermine?
• Ask, What will happen if you stop the behaviours that advance your
goal? What might people say or what will happen to those around you?
• Ask, “What will happen if you stop the behaviours that undermine your
goal?” What might people say or what will happen to those around
you?
[ Pixies: listen for competing commitments, assumptions, and beliefs held
by the listener as the interview proceeds ]

32. Sequence
1. Form a group of four (1 listener, 1 interviewer, 2 pixies)
2. Listener selects a worthy-yet-elusive goal [2 mins]
3. Listener shares goal & interviewer ask questions [4
mins]
4. Pixies chatter in opposite ears [5 mins]
5. Debrief what happened [2 mins]
•Rotate to next Listener and repeat steps 2-5

33. The Listener Role
• Now “Listen to your Pixies” without
responding. The Pixies job is to
chatter empathetically and
imaginatively about your competing
commitments.
• They invite you to look into the fun
house mirror. They represent your
inner voices, the raucous
committee in your head.
• The “Listener” will stand or sit with
a Pixie on either side, slightly behind
you just out of sight.
• Close your eyes try to follow as the
Pixies’ mischievous chatter. Don’t
expect them to agree or offer
practical advice.
The Pixies Role has 3 elements:
1. Explore playfully hidden
assumptions that may lurk
unexamined (use “Yes,
and..” mischievous build on
each other’s thoughts)
2. Imagine out loud what
would be possible if an
assumption was partially or
wholly wrong
3. Chatter as if you were
walking in the shoes or
sitting on the shoulder of
the Listener
[Interviewer observes]

34. Right Ear Protector Pixie
• Show the wisdom of the
maintaining multiple
commitments.
• Reveal the rationale why a
play it safe course of action
is fundamental for the well
being of the person.
• Risks are risky!
Left Ear Innovator Pixie
• Show what is possible if
behaviours that undermine
the goal are stopped.
• Show that your worries are
unfounded or no longer
relevant.
• Reveal the new growth that
is possible by reexamining
assumptions and by fully
committing to a vital goal.
Be loving yet mischievously provocative
Switch roles spontaneously if you are stuck or bored!

35. Sequence
1. Form a group of four (1 listener, 1 interviewer, 2 pixies)
2. Listener selects a worthy-yet-elusive goal [2 mins]
3. Listener shares goal & interviewer ask questions [4
mins]
4. Pixies chatter in opposite ears [5 mins]
5. Debrief what happened [2 mins]
•Rotate to next Listener and repeat steps 2-5

36. Sequence
1. Form a group of four (1 listener, 1 interviewer, 2 pixies)
2. Listener selects a worthy-yet-elusive goal [2 mins]
3. Listener shares goal & interviewer ask questions [4
mins]
4. Pixies chatter in opposite ears [5 mins]
5. Debrief what happened [2 mins]
•Rotate to next Listener and repeat steps 2-5

37. What’s Liberating?
What’s structuring?
1/ ALONE —> 30 secs
2/ IN PAIRS —> 1 min
3/ 2 PAIRS JOINED —> 2 mins
4/ EVERYONE —> 2 mins

38. I invite you to …

39. What do you hope can
happen in the future?
What practical first step
can you take now to tip the
balance in this direction?

40. Scoring
1 = the lousiest idea ever
5 = WOW mind blowing!
fantastic! I couldn’t think of
that!

41. What’s Liberating?
What’s structuring?
1/ ALONE —> 30 secs
2/ IN PAIRS —> 1 min
3/ 2 PAIRS JOINED —> 2 mins
4/ EVERYONE —> 2 mins

42. I invite you to …

43. What I take away
from this session is…

44. A question that is
emerging for me is…

45. What I hope can
happen for us in this
work is…

46. An action or practice
helping me move
forward is…

47. A bold idea
I recommend is…

48. What’s Liberating?
What’s structuring?
1/ ALONE —> 30 secs
2/ IN PAIRS —> 1 min
3/ 2 PAIRS JOINED —> 2 mins
4/ EVERYONE —> 2 mins

49. You have experienced…
• Liquid Courage (Impromptu Networking)
• Network Patterning Cards
• Talking with Pixies
• 25/10 Crowd Sourcing
• Mad Tea

50. The Surprising Power of Liberating Structures:
Simple Rules to Unleash A Culture of Innovation
Henri Lipmanowicz, Keith McCandless
http://www.liberatingstructures.com

54. • Belgian User Group : http://www.liberatingstructures.be
• Meetup: https://www.meetup.com/Liberating-Structures-
Belgium/
• Book: “The Surprising Power of Liberating Structures:
Simple Rules to Unleash A Culture of Innovation”, by
Henri Lipmanowicz, Keith McCandless (Okt, 2014)

55. Liberating Structures 2 day immersion workshop
training by Fisher Qua and Anna Jackson
17th & 18th of December, Brussels
Regular price (2 days) 750 Euro, discount 20% —> 600 Euro (2 days)
use discount code:
for-our-friends-at-ACB
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/liberating-structures-immersion-workshop-brussels-
december-2018-tickets-49958562405

56. Thanks for
attending!
Let’s connect!
https://www.linkedin.com/in/frederikvannieuwenhuyse
@vfrederik
http://value-first.beVF