No. 57
April 2017









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Welcome to the monthly Fearless Conversations newsletter - information and ideas to support and inspire us to create a world in which fearless conversations are common in our workplaces, communities, families and friendships. 
 
We just received notice that Fearless Conversations is in the 10% of Constant Contact's customers who received its "All Star Award" for 2016. Thank
YOU for helping us to earn it! Among the criteria for the award are the percentage of readers' "opens" and the number of clicks on links. Plus, we have a very  stable mailing list. Some of you have been with us for nearly five years!

As always, many thanks for reading our newsletter and for connecting with Fearless Conversations!

Shyrl
 
Sanctuary Conversations
 
Fearless conversations are places and experiences of sanctuary. I started thinking about that after a public discussion regarding the possibility of our city becoming a sanctuary city. While some folks seemed hesitant to risk losing federal funding, others wanted to lay full claim to the name - sanctuary. It strikes me that, in their essence, sanctuary and fearless conversations have much in common.

In its original meaning, "sanctuary" is a sacred place. Because of the historical use of such places as a haven or refuge, the term has come to be used for a place of safety. I think of fearless conversations as sacred and safe places - sanctuaries. 

Sanctuaries are made sacred by what happens there that people want to remember. What happens in fearless conversations to make them sacred?  They are sacred because:

We acknowledge one another as equals.
We try to stay curious about each other.
We recognize that we need each other's help to become
better listeners.
We slow down so we have time to think and reflect.
We remember that conversation is the natural way humans
think together.
We expect it to be messy at times. 
(Margaret Wheatley, Turning to One Another)

In a society so stimulated and bombarded by sound bites and instant communication, fearless conversations are a refuge from snap judgments and useless assumptions. Active inquiry and deep listening create an environment of empathy. There's support for putting oneself in other people's shoes, seeing through their eyes and caring about them. Yes - fearless conversations are sanctuaries, sacred and safe.
 

Crack your MBTI ® Type Code
Uncover the Gifts and Challenges of Your WHOLE TYPE

Current developments in the use and understanding of the
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)® expand what we know from our four-letter Type codes. By themselves,Type codes foster stereotyping and shortchange what we understand about ourselves and others. There is so much more to know - our WHOLE TYPE!

Some of you recently participated in an online six-week course in which we explored Whole Type. My co-presenter Dorene Mahoney and I will be offering the course again through the Depth Psychology Alliance.

However, my typical clients usually are more interested in an experience tailored for a workplace, community, organization or friends.
I would love to tailor a session or more to share Whole Type with you. You would need to know your 4-letter MBTI® type code. I can offer you an online version of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® for $30. That's a fixed price, but we can negotiate the cost of the session(s). Please call even if you just think you might be interested. 650-218-2861. I can answer your questions or we can talk about possibilities.

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Here are some comments from participants in the class.

"This is an exciting way to embrace compassion for one's self and others."

"I [came] with some prejudice about the reductiveness of MBTI® typing. I am so lucky that I was willing to stretch past my prejudice . . . a whole new world is opened up to me and one I do not want to live without."

"I am very excited to learn more."

"It was so excellent . . . and the content was superb."



About Fearless Conversations
Fearless Conversations serves non-profit organizations, schools, faith communities and businesses.  Typical requests are for design and facilitation of visioning or team-building retreats, strategic planning, meeting facilitation, transition planning, decision-making processes.

650-218-2861
29400 Middleborough Way, Hayward, CA   94544