Hi Everyone;                                      August 2009


There may be other blogs on sestemic, business or organizational constellations, but if so this is the first one I am aware of. If you are interested in enhansing the performance of an organization, looking at the systemic issues and helping foster change and engagement you should find some useful insights and ideas here. If you want to enhanse your own performance or that of others this blog should also be helpful.

My plan is to post monthly at least one constellation I've done with a client. It may not be the most recent to protect confidentailty but it should be instructive and interesting. Your feedback and questions, whether you are highly skilled and experienced in facilitating constellations or a total newcomer, will certainly help deepen our collective understanding of this new and profound process for gaining insights and solutions into organizational or personal peformance challenges.

Take a look at this constellation that was done during an consulting assignment in South American. Working systemically I believe has helped me help my clients with greater speed and depth. Without getting sidetracked by the he said/she said, we get to what is really behind the story or stories to that place where a shift can make a difference and things start moving again.   Your comments and questions are welcome.
All the best ,
Harrison
Team Building Associates

CASE STUDY: Constellation Choir
A government ministry for education was put in charge of organizing a new, national “head start” program for kindergarteners. A retreat was organized to strengthen policy setting functions, conduct strategic and implementation planning and achieve the level of teamwork within the entire unit needed to successfully implement the new program.

Before the retreat the facilitators conducted their own planning constellation. Sitting on the beach near the conference center they created a knowing field in the sand to represent the different ministry groups that would be participating at the retreat. They believed representing physically the data they had gained from the needs assessment might give them some insights into how to best facilitate the unit. They had heard during the assessment there was a conflict between two key individuals who would be attending. How might this affect the proceedings? How could it be mitigated? Using small sticks stuck in the sand they placed the different participants and groups in relationship to each other. Reporting out was done by touching a stick and giving voice to what the person or group it represented might have to say. Using this process it appeared that the Minister’s attention was other places besides starting up the new program. The different groups faced away from each other, seemingly to pursue their own agendas. Two of those group leaders (really subgroups) felt their viewpoints were not respected by the other leader. This resentment might have come in part from a difference in communication styles. Two solutions emerged from the constellation. Establishing and affirming norms of mutual respect through reflective listening might help reduce some of the misunderstanding that fed the current tension between the two men. Creating together a clear and authentic vision for the unit could help focus the efforts of the different groups and improve information sharing.


The ministry had gathered 40 participants at a conference center for several days and hoped that a viable strategic plan would emerge from the proceeding. Before the unit could really consider its options how could the concerns and suggestions of its stakeholders and partners become part of this process?
All the participants were mid or senior level staff from the ministry. There were no recent polls or surveys to draw upon. Was there a way these other voices could be heard? At the beginning of the planning process small five groups were formed at random. Each group represented a voice that needed to be heard. The groups included, the ministry, teachers, parents, school administrators and of course, the children.

Each group was given time to prepare a presentation on their wants, needs and concerns related to the new program. All the members of each small group were asked to participate in the presentation. This rule created a more interactive and skit like atmosphere. As each group took its turn in the front of the room the feeling grew stronger that the information provided truly gave voice to what the actual stakeholders would have communicated had they been in the room. Although the process was lighthearted and playful, especially when the “children” took their turn, comparing and contrasting the different perspectives helped identify interconnected issues that needed to be part of the planning process. Each group had written their goals down on flipcharts. When put next to each other the combined goals unexpectedly turned out to be the shared vision of the program that had been lacking. This exercise was a high point for all the participants in that space had been made for differences and their related emotions to be expressed not only without blame and but with humor and good will. Although the Minister was frequently texting during the sessions or out of the room talking on his cell phone, he was sufficiently involved to affirm his commitment to the vision the unit had created. At the end of the retreat, as participants shared what they were taking away and the new actions they were committing to, a surprising comment was made. One of the two leaders who had had difficult relationship stood up and said that he did not know exactly why or how it had happened but now he felt like he and his colleague could work together and he was looking forward to a new relationship and a new beginning.















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