ALA Annual 2012: Pre-Conference on Civic Reflection

ALA Annual Conference
Anaheim, CA

Program attended: Civic Reflection Builds Community Connections: A Program Model for Libraries

Description (from ALA):  Targeted at library directors, department heads and senior staff from public, academic and special libraries, this hands-on workshop will train participants in dialogue facilitation skills with proven success in strengthening partnerships, building effective teams across departments and organizations, and raising the profile of the library as a center for community life. Participants will leave with valuable facilitation skills that can immediately be put to use for their libraries and communities.

Reflection: So far, all of the preconferences I've ever attended - whether at MLA or ALA - have been the highlight of the entire event and this one was no exception. Although it was a day and a half long preconference, the time went by quickly and left me wanting to know and do more. That's usually a good sign.

What is civic reflection? My interpretation is that civic reflection is the practice of engaging in a structured-without-being-inhibited discussion with a variety of people that is focused on a particular object or a combination of objects (i.e. a poem, an image, etc) in the attempt to elicit insights around a particular topic and thus generating lively and meaningful conversation that doesn't necessarily lead to observable outcomes but possible leads to a change in an individuals thinking or perspective. It's a different way to go about discussing themes (think: book clubs). It is also a softer, friendlier approach for getting folks to think and talk about challenging topics. It actually reminded me of something I heard Nancy Duarte say at PopTech 2011 about the differences in how Westerners and Easterners tell stories. She explained that after analyzing stories and speeches from countries in the two hemispheres it was clear that there are different techniques: westerners tend to be more direct and employ the shortest-distance-between-two-points-is-a-straight-line approach when conveying a message. Easterners avoid the direct approach in favor of a circular method that spirals around the main point in the effort to get the listeners/receivers to come to the conclusion on their own and thus experiencing a stronger resonance. Civic reflection is very much like the latter.

For a workplace example, let's say you're supervising a team of five or six people and you've identified a need within the team for improved communication (because who among us doesn't need to communicate better, right?). But instead of coming into your staff meeting and saying, "We need to communicate better," you instead ask your team to read a poem or essay that loosely - not directly - raises questions about communication like, Gate 4-A by Naomi Shihab Nye. Then, by trusting the civic reflection process, you as the facilitator step back and let the group organically discuss issues that resonated with them. You can always guide the group to the area of communication by asking questions but know that it might not happen this first go-'round.

One thing that was evident to me is that a civic reflection isn't necessarily a one-time-only gig. In fact, it might be more beneficial and have a greater impact if the discussion is continued over 3 or more 90 minute sessions.

How might this be applied to staff development?  My first inclination was to try this with a blended learning event that starts by having a group of staff complete the same skillsoft course (I know, I can hear the groans from here...) but then have that group of folks meet face to face to experience a civic reflection around whatever the course topic is. I also think it might be helpful to employ this type of conversation model to the One Maryland One Book events that happen in October. The civic reflection model seems extremely flexible that I'm having a hard time not thinking of ways in which I can apply this to staff development and I'm looking forward to experimenting this year.

If you have ideas or suggestions or questions about how we can take advantage of this process here in the west please feel free to ask me but Carrie Willson-Plymire is our local civic reflection contact - she was one of the co-facilitators for the preconference at ALA and she's lead several other civic reflections in MD as well as in California, too.

I'll probably write more on this later ... there is still much to consider!