De jaarlijkse conferentie wordt dit jaar gehouden in Oakland van 18 tot 24 april 2020. Voor meer informatie en registratie graag de link volgen naar <<www.systemscentered.com>>. Hieronder een korte introductie over wat we kunnen verwachten tijdens de conferentie.

Conflict easily arises in any group when there are differences, and there are almost always differences! “Us vs. them” comes into play, with members taking sides and the sides competing for who is right. Unfortunately this dynamic gets in the way of problem-solving, as the focus on “being right” overtakes the exploration of the issues at hand. Differences become problems instead of resources.

SCT is a theory-driven practice focusing on dynamics in living human systems (which include individuals, couples, families, work teams, educational groups, organizations). The theory says that human systems survive, develop, and transform from simple to complex through an increasing ability to recognize differences and integrate them. “Us vs. them” is one of the dynamics that can affect a group’s development because it gets in the way of the group seeing the differences among “us” or the similarities to “them.” SCT methods and tools provide groups (and the professionals who work with them) with ways to identify and reduce the impact of these dynamics.

This year’s Weekend Institute and 5-day Conference offer a wide range of training groups, interactive workshops and a large group experience that will explore the “us vs. them” dynamic and the methods and tools that can shift a group toward collaboration.

Expect to:

• Experience how the method of functional subgrouping changes how groups typically deal with differences
• Learn how to recognize and work with group dynamics as they arise, and how to contribute to the development of a well- functioning group
• See how the world is different when we see systems rather than just people
• Learn skills, methods and practical tools to support collaboration so that groups can achieve their goals
• Experience protocols to reduce anxiety and tension and work productively with frustration, all of which are a natural part of any group

Our hope is that we can co-create an open and fun climate that allows us to discover new learnings for ourselves and for our work.

Dayna Burnett, Gayna Havens, Dayne Narretta, Debbie Woolf and Alida Zweidler-McKay – 2018 Conference Co-Directors