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New Horizons for RiverWays
Since 1996, my work through RiverWays has
been helping people become calm, confident and authentic speakers.
I began by offering Speaking
Circles® and as my experience and understanding
of people's needs expanded, I developed a number of different
models and programs to help facilitate the development of
speaking presence. These include the Elemental
Speakingsm model,
ongoing SpeakingPresencesm
classes, and the comprehensive 12 week public
speaking course Speaking
with Confidence for Results.
I'm finding that my horizons are now expanding,
that my interests continue to all be related to speaking presence
— which is, I believe, the core of my work — but
I'm now also interested in applying this to new contexts and
from different perspectives.
For instance, instead of just speaking from
one to many, as we often do when we make
a presentation, I'm also interested in how to have presence
when we speak many to many, as in a meeting
or problem solving situation. In either situation, I'm particularly
interested in allowing the collective intelligence of the
group to emerge. This approach has vast implications on how
we understand leadership.
I'm also investigating how to increase our
experience of the present moment through something I'm calling
embodied speaking presence, where we stay in our bodies, and
not lose ourselves, in any speaking situation.
I've developed this page on my website to
share with you these new directions. The page is still being
developed, so please do revisit this page whenever you are
so inclined.
Below are links to some of the thoughts,
organizations, and processes that I am most drawn to in the
moment. I hope they serve to expand your horizons as well.
In Presence,
Carla
(Summer, 2007)
Carla Kimball, M.A., M.B.A.
President/Founder
RiverWays Enterprises
Speaking and leading from the collective
wisdom and from listening to the land:
- Shambhala
Institute for Authentic Leadership: I attended
the institute for two years in a row and each experience
has led to quantum changes in my life and work.
Upcoming
events...
- Axladitsa-Avatakia:
Two dear friends of mine have purchased 24 acres
of land in Greece. Rather than calling themselves owners,
they are the "host guardians" on the land. With
very conscious, deliberate intent, they are listening to
the land and to the people who are drawn to it — both
the local people and friends from around the globe —
to design an eco learning/retreat/workshop center. Upcoming
events...
- Berkana
Institute: The Global Village Square, an annual
pre-conference gathering at Shambhala introduced me in a
very compelling way to the Berkana Institute. Berkana connects
and supports pioneering, life-affirming leaders around the
world who strengthen their communities by working with the
wisdom and wealth already present in its people, traditions
and environment. They define a leader as anyone who wants
to help, who is willing to step forward to create change
in their world. And they know that the leaders we need are
already here. Upcoming
events...
- Art
of Hosting and Convening Conversations that Matter:
I was interested in this training because it is a practicuum
on methodologies that help people enter into deeply meaningful
conversations. World Cafe, Open Space Technology, and circle
conversations are practiced along with conversations about
how the most meaningful conversations follow the Chaordic
path.
- Art
of Harvesting: I am especially interested in
how to capture the wealth of wisdom that emerges from conversations
with the collective, so that they don't dissipate after
the group disburses. Monice Nissén, of Interchange
in Denmark, and others have been engaged in an exploration
of harvesting.
Embodied Speaking Presence:
- Lesley University
Advanced Professional Certificate in Creativity,
Imagination, and Leadership: If you click on
this link, you'll see a familiar face and name spotlighted.
Somehow, I've become the "cover girl" for this
program. I enrolled in this unique program last fall because
it felt like the best context in which to explore my interest
in embodied presence some discipline. I couldn't have asked
for a program more tailored to my needs.
- Arawana
Hayashi is a dancer and meditation teacher
in the Shambhala Buddhist tradition. She has combined her
two interests into a series of movement experiences that
bring people to full presence.
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