conference design

The Final Retreat That Never Was

By February 11, 2022

Years ago, when The Whitman Institute board put our spend out in motion, we envisioned our final retreat. A large, warm gathering of colleagues who had become friends and family would rest and reflect under the beautiful stars and trees of California’s northern coast. There would be toasts over fire pits, connection, inquiry, dancing, and…

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Do Less, Accomplish More: The Art of the Un-Conference

By April 9, 2015

Thinking forward towards a gathering TWI will be hosting this fall, I’ve been reflecting on the delicate art of the Un-Conference.  I think of these as experiences that relatively quickly cultivate authentic connection and intimacy between strangers, stimulate new learning, and are spacious enough to allow for emergence. There’s a facilitation metaphor that fits here: …

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