gray poehnell ergon communications poehnell@interchange.ubc ergon-communications

Gray PoehnellErgon Communications

poehnell@interchange.ubc.cawww.ergon-communications.com

Guiding Circles

Focus:Self-assessment:

Who am I?

Guiding Circles:

an Aboriginal guide to finding career paths

Booklet 1: understanding yourself

Guiding Circles:

an Aboriginal guide to finding career paths

Booklet 2: finding new possibilitiesFocus:Career Exploration & Decision Making:

What can I do?

Vancouver

Vancouver

Richmond

Steveston

Steveston

Abraham Belanger (1849-1917), Philomene Delorme (1870-1927) and family

me and my brother

My Mom

answer the question

WHO AM I?

by completing the following…

My name is _____ and I am _________.

without referring to your job or “work” at allIf you can’t think of anything, just pass

Guiding Circles Introductions

WHO AM I?

I am ______________.

without referring to your job or “work” at all

Did you find this easy or difficult?What made it easy or difficult?

Guiding Circles Introductions

• the ethical and practical development of knowledge, skills, and practices

• experiential & interactive - theory and practices

• critically reflect upon your own counselling experience

• representative intervention strategies

• the creative adaptation of the model

Guiding Circles Workshop Description

addresses 4 challenges:

Guiding Circles

addresses 4 challenges:

1. need for culturally sensitive tools and processes

Guiding Circles

5-year plan

wor

k ex

p ed exp

skills, etc

CAREER

LIFE

addresses 4 challenges:

1. need for culturally sensitive tools and processes

2. sense of disconnection, especially with the mainstream world of learning and work

Guiding Circles

5-year plan

wor

k ex

p ed exp

skills, etc

CAREER

LIFE Engage where the person is engaged in life!!

addresses 4 challenges:

1. need for culturally sensitive tools and processes

2. sense of disconnection with the mainstream world of learning and work

3. lack of positive focused self-reflection

Guiding Circles

to answer the question

WHO AM I?

I must first know who

WHO I AM.

yet many don’t know who they are

Lack of Positive Self-Reflection:

addresses 4 challenges:

1. need for culturally sensitive tools and processes

2. sense of disconnection with the mainstream world of learning and work

3. lack of positive focused self-reflection

4. inhibitions because of enculturated humility

Guiding Circles

to answer the question

WHO AM I?

one must be able to freely say

I AM __________

yet in some culturesthis is considered arrogant

Well first it was the R P S, War Party to be the best And Buffalo Lake they want to test They ain't never heard no rappers rip like us Métis Mafia now who's ready to bust I'm telling all you rappers put you mic straight down Because you're trying to beat a king and you got no crown.

The G.C. BookTyler Blyan & Justine Dumais

I heard of four stabbings in Buffalo Lake Native, you end up in a body bag.Then first off it was AADAC ClassAnd sometimes I wonder even if I did passAnd if I didn't I'm just a kid with FASBut I'm trying to live my life just to make it the best

The G.C. Book

Yo! The GC Book Gotta' take a look Yeah, it helps me see It's okay to be me It's a real cool tool Says ya' gotta stay in school Don't get off track Gonna' land on your back But June our friend Will help us again Gotta' stay in gear Gotta' find my career So you need this tool Ya' gotta' stay in school Don't be you Mama's fool Get a job!

The G.C. Book

Now we’re rappin’ on stage and we’re doing it liveI’m telling you all who think of suicideThink of who you knowBefore you’re ready to dieI don’t want no one to think like thatThat’s why you listen to the words that I put in this rap I'll rap all day just so you get the message Of what I'm trying to say.

The G.C. Book

Well, did you get it Or did you even think Don't you get the messageThat we're trying to bring If you didn't let me tell you one more timeSo let’s kick it up a notch and let me bust a rhyme.

Do ya' get it? Do ya' get it? Do ya' get it?

The G.C. Book

Yo! The GC BookGotta Take a look

Yeah, it helps me seeIt’s okay to be meIt’s a real cool tool

Says ya gotta stay in schoolGotta' stay in gear

Gotta' find my careerDo ya' get it?

Favourite Thingsup to 12 things I like to do?

last time?

cost or free?

planned or spontaneous?

alone or with others?

mind, body, emotion, spirit?

Favourite Things

Any patterns?

Any thing surprising?

Easy or harder than the “Who am I ?” question?

Why?

need to check one’s assumptions and conventions in terms of attitudes, perspectives,

tools, and processes

• Assumptions & Conventions

Key Themes of Guiding Circles

• Assumptions & Conventions

• Aboriginal Perspective

Key Themes of Guiding Circles

utilize strengths from the Aboriginal perspective; it reflects the thoughts and desires of many other people

• Assumptions & Conventions

• Aboriginal Perspective

• Active Engagement

Key Themes of Guiding Circles

need to engage people where they are engaged in life

• Mattering

Key Themes of Guiding Circles

a “mattering climate” in which participants feel that they matter,

that they are special

• Mattering

• Backswing

Key Themes of Guiding Circles

in order to go forward, people often must have

to go backwards

• Mattering

• Backswing

• Career Craft

Key Themes of Guiding Circles

a new paradigm of creativity, hope, and possibilities

for the chaotic world of work and life

1.first 5 words 2.first 5 words3.compare & contrast

management

CareerCraft is a new paradigm for a new career reality.

This new reality, described by such terms as “chaos” and “positive uncertainty,”

calls for new approaches which are more holistic, flexible, and creative. We will explore the value of looking at career

issues from the perspective of “craft”—the “art of career”

more than just the “management of career.”

Creativity is moving up the list of essential business skills needed to survive and succeed

in the fast and complex new society.

Many books and articles in the Harvard Business Review and other business magazines urge us

to pay more than lip service to the creative process.

Weaver, J. (2000). Ceativity. Community Banker, 9 (1), 16-19

Why is creativity getting all of this attention?

Because the rules of the new economy are changing, not only quickly but fundamentally.

We are on new and shifting ground with no clear path

and no one to show us the way.We have to make it up.

hands-on

purposefulpractical

materials

My Career Circle

(materials)

hands-on

purposefu

lpractical

materialstools

processes

Career Craft Processes

work

mainten

ance CAREER

assessment /

exploration

life-lo

ng

learning

work search

hands-on

purposefulpractical

materialstools

processes

possibilities

individual

pass

ion

uncertaintyris

k

flexible

right brain

inner resources

• Wholistic life/career counselling

Key Themes of Guiding Circles

need to work out the reality that career is more than a job, it is the

sum total of all life roles

The “Circle”

What does the “circle” represent as a metaphor?

health

wholeness

balancelife cycles

community participati

onrespect connected

unity momentum

• Wholistic life/career counselling

• Identity clarified through 2 key circles

Key Themes of Guiding Circles

a consistent framework for self-discovery and

career exploration/decision making

• Wholistic life/career counselling

• Identity clarified through 2 key circles

• Values and Life Balance

Key Themes of Guiding Circles

equip people to know & live with their values in an increasingly

confusing pluralistic world

• Expanding the Circle

Key Themes of Guiding Circles

recognize and honour the community perspective

• Expanding the Circle

• Creative Decision/Action Planning

Key Themes of Guiding Circles

need to walk in the realities of life’s uncertain journey

5-year plan

wor

k ex

p ed exp

skills, etc

CAREER

LIFE

I can’t say that

Who am I?

Not my world

STARTING POINT?

Guiding Circles: Booklets 1 & 2

work

mainten

ance CAREER

assessment /

exploration

life-lo

ng

learn

ing

work search

Booklets 2Booklets 1

My Career Circle

Expanding the Circle

others’ feedback

personal reflection

Connections

roles support

CareerCircle

Identityin Context

Connections

Living with the

Whirlwind

Living with Possibilities

The Art of Possibilities by Zander & Zander

“problem”

“reality”

Connections

Brainstorm:

• People?• Activities?• Places?• Concepts?• Things?

POSSIBILITIES!

roles support

5-year plan

wor

k ex

p ed exp

skills, etc

CAREER

LIFE

Who am I???

start here

That shows1. where to start2. what to look for3. how to look for it

A story-telling approach

LIFEFavourite

things

Experiences

Role ModelsDreams

Activities PlacesHobbies

Many starting points!

reflection

story-telling with realistic steps to positive focused self-reflection

Patterns:

Self-reflection

storytelling???

connection

LIFE

5-year plan

wor

k ex

p ed exp

skills, etc

CAREER

LIFE Engage where the person is engaged in life!!

telling

refecting

connecting

Effective questioning is key to good storytelling

1. To facilitate clients’ telling their own story

2. To facilitate clients’ self-discovery vs our telling them

3. To facilitate clients’ ownership of findings and growth in self-esteem

Johari Window

SELF

known not knownO

THER

S know

nno

t kno

wn

open blind

hidden unknown

Taking Ownership Window

FEEDBACK

neg. pos.SE

LF-E

STEE

M high

low

/won’t accept

accept

accept /won’t accept

feel bad feel good

feel bad feel good

What do you see?How many observations can you make about a penny?

The Penny

The Penny How many?Number?Type of tree?Sizes?Number of points?Veins?Number of veins?Branches?Number of branches?Shape of stem?Features of stem?Placement of each element? 

Leaves?  

The Penny Who is it?Why this person?Relative age?Profile or front?

Cameo?  

Facial features ?  

Clothing?

Hair? Jewellery?

Effective questioning is key to good storytelling

• Focused

• Short & Simple

• 2nd order

“teach how to observe and

how to ask questions:

questions are the tools of observation”

• Focused

• Short & Simple

• 2nd order

Effective questioning is key to good storytelling

• Focused

• Short & Simple

• 2nd order

Effective questioning is key to good storytelling

• Focused

• Short & Simple

• 2nd order

Why did you bring this?How did you get it?What did you do?

What did you like?Why did you do that?

How did you learn this?How do you fit in the

group?

“many short rather than few long”

“ask, ask, and ask again”

Effective questioning is key to good storytelling

• Focused

• Short & Simple

• 2nd order

Why do you like hiking?

“I enjoy being outdoors”

What do you like about the outdoors?

What draws you to the peace and quiet?

“the peace and quiet”

“I like to get out and think.”

Effective questioning is key to good storytelling

• Genuine curiosity

• Use simple “natural” questions as much as possible in the language of the client

• Maintain a “natural” flow, linking new questions to what the client has already said

• A dynamic process; there is no “master list”

• Maintain a large “toolkit” full of a wide-range of questions which can be adapted to each situation

Effective Questioning: Keys

Effective Questioning: General Order

1. General

2. Focused

3. Directed

The 6 Ws+• Who? : people and their relationships• What? : actions, events, experiences• Why? : motives, values, reasons, purposes• When? : time, sequences, duration (how long?)• Where? : locations, places, relationships, journeys• So What? : implications, results, meanings

&• How? : means, manner, method

Effective Questioning: Types of Questions

The Art of Focused Conversation, 4 levels of questions

• objective: facts, external reality

• reflective: internal personal responses to external realities, e.g. emotions, feelings, hidden images or associations

• interpretive: draw out meanings, values, significance, implications

• decisional: elicit resolution

Effective Questioning: Types of Questions

Solution-focused vs problem-focused questions

• identify strengths• identify coping strategies• emphasize possible changes• suggest possible solutions

Effective Questioning: Types of Questions

Exception-finding questions• shift from generalities to exceptions• Are there times when this is not so? • Have you ever coped with this in other

circumstances?

Effective Questioning: Types of Questions

Theory-testing questions• evidence (confirming & exceptions)• development (when first? how long?

how has it changed over time?)• perspective of others (“fly on the wall”)

Effective Questioning: Types of Questions

Scaling questions• general - How are you feeling? • specific - Where would you be along

this line? Where were you last week? What has changed?

Miracle question

Effective Questioning: Types of Questions

My Career Circle

VALUES

Values:• What are they?

• Things that are important to me• Core belief systems

• What do they do?

• guide life choices

• motivate

1. From which of these circles do

values come from?

Values

2. How?

3. Consistent?

4. Impact of conflicting values?

compromised motivation and

decision making

independence The Real Meaccomplishmentspeace

learningmusiccompetence

reaching goalsclothes purposemovieschallenge

self-expression

gardenjusticeworkpolitics finding a spouse

being accepted

world peace

Values Clutter

healthsuccess

family

freedompersonal growth car

sex

image

funself-

actualization

sportsfriends

security

power

safetysecurity

recognitionhobbiesmobility variety

travel

creativity

problem solvingfood

pleasure

pension

interestsTV

saving

church

Values

257

101112

136 8912

25

1112

6 9

12

1. identify

2. choose

CommunityValue

Statements123456789

101112

IndividualValue

Statements123456789

101112

✓

✓

✓

✓✓✓

✓

✓

✓

✓✓

✓

2 lists of potential conflicting values

My Career Circle

BALANCE

BalanceWhich area is the closest to being “just right” for you at this time?

Balance

How does this area affect “employment” and “unemployment”?

If someone has too much?,too little?, just right?

Which area is the closest to being “just right” for you at this time?

Balance

others’ feedback

personal reflection

Guiding Circles: Expanding the Circle

• Strengths of traditional action planning• starts where the client is at• sets a clear goal or direction• provides clear steps

Traditional Action PlanningGOAL

12

34

Traditional Action PlanningGOAL

12

34

• Weakness of traditional action planning• assumes you can see far enough

to set the best goal• assumes you can control life’s events• assumes client is alone• linear

Real-life Action PlanningGOAL

12

34

FINALGOAL?

many twists & turns on the

uncertain pathof life

crossroads

others on the path

Stepping Stones 1. vision

2. decision

3. action

What decisions will

need to be made?

Important to action plan

—just as importantto decision plan

What actions will

need to be made?

Real-life Action PlanningGOAL

12

34

FINALGOAL?

many twists & turns on the

uncertain pathof life

crossroads

others on the path

Guiding Circles: The Journey Continues

• Mattering

• Backswing

• Career Craft

• Wholistic life/career counselling

• Identity clarified through 2 key circles

• Values and Life Balance

• Expanding the Circle

• Creative Decision/Action Planning

Key Themes of Guiding Circles

• One thing I will take away from this workshop.

• One thing I am going to do after this workshop.

Guiding Circles