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Welcome to the home of Avalon Consulting & Associates...
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Both individuals and organizations want to be a part of a story that is larger than themselves; greater in scope and impact than any they could hope to achieve on their own... Humans, it seems, are meaning-making creatures and they naturally seek the valuable purpose in their lives and work.
What most individuals, groups and organizations don't understand is that the story they find themselves living is as much a creation of their own perceptions, beliefs and responses as it is something that is 'just happening' to them... and that shifting those underlying ways of seeing and making meaning (stories) naturally leads to shifts in attitude, behaviour, problem-solving, and results!
It is impossible to control all the external elements at play, but skill in creatively perceiving and responding to those environmental factors, as they occur, can be developed! When this is undertaken with groups, an increased level of collective intelligence emerges; one which produces the information, creativity, understanding and will to act in new and more effective ways. This is often referred to as 'the whole being greater than the sum of its parts'.
It's all because people tend to notice what they expect to see and then respond as if their perception is the singular, true fact. As a result, individuals and groups develop habitual patterns of response which persist - depsite evidence of ineffectiveness. They act as if the stories they believe in are reality. They make assumptions and conclusions based on a particular perspective or frame. They then find that they repeat the same storylines over and over again - and see this as evidence that their story is the 'true' or 'right' one. Often, they attribute causal blame and responsbility for changing the situation on some external source.
At Avalon, we appreciate that all stories have some truth and that no one story has all of it... We assist individuals and organizations in taking responsibility for co-creating the optimal, desired outcome and support them in becoming more response-able.
What is the story of your organization or community? Down trodden under-dog? Poor cousin? Are you focusing on a catastrophic ending or a happy one? Are there differences between the stories leadership tells and the ones recited by staff and/or stakeholders? Do the words of the story not match the actions of the people telling it? Are there stakeholder stories that have not been heard?
Confusion, or misalignment, of the operating stories leads to internal competition. Competing storylines lead to decreased productivity and lowered morale in groups. Lack of a unified, inspiring vision story results in lack of group unity and activity, and overall low energy levels.
Sometimes whole communities lose a sense of ownership of their story and need a chance to find their collective ideal narrative, give it voice, and take appropriate action to influence decision-makers.
When the stories of group members are not aligned, are without inspiration, or are inauthentic, chronic and non-productive patterns of behaviour and attitude are repeated. Health and growth become stunted on both individual and collective levels.
When this occurs, it can undo the best laid plans and management strategies. Therefore, leaders cannot be successful alone. They must positively engage their staff and stakeholders in order to realize vision and mission. One of the best means of doing this is through participatory, dialogue and story-based meeting and consultation methodologies.
The more a group, and its members, learn to perceive, tell, listen for, and co-create key stories, the more engaged, positive and productive they will become. This is a result of several factors:
~ a sense of being heard and respected - often for the first time,
~ new ways of perceiving the situation and the individuals involved,
~ the bonding and sense of community & connectedness that develops,
~ an increased capcity to think collectively and creatively,
~ activation of the natural tendency to find the best, and most inclusive, storyline, and
~ an increased sense of ownership for co-creating the preferred story.
Stories simplify complex concepts, create powerful visions of the future, and engage and inspire stakeholders. Working with story takes us to a place where a community or organization, its people, and its purpose can sit down together and have a meaningful conversation... A space and time where we can learn to co-create a new story together.
Evoking, crafting, telling, listening to, and sharing stories results in strategic insights and concrete outcomes in the following areas:
~ Staff & Volunteer Development,
~ Leadership, Visioning & Strategic Planning,
~ Community Consultation & Capacity Building,
~ Group Development (ex. CoPs, networks) & Team Building,
~ Meeting Facilitation, and
~ Outcome Measurement & Evaluation.
At Avalon Consulting & Associates, we utilize a variety of participatory, narrative-based meeting and consultative methodologies and applications such as: Open Space Technology, Appreciative Inquiry, World Cafe, Leadership/Wisdom Circles, Participatory Action Research, etc...
We honour your collective vision, passion, integrity, and action. We help evoke and identify stories powerful enough to change you, your community/organization, and the world. Then we provide consultation, and support, on effective implementation, measurement and on-going development.
If you have a 'stuck storyline', a tale to tell or a new one to craft, we'd be interested in hearing about it. Tell us your story! |
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