Monat: November 2024

Erscheint 2025: Arbeitstagungen mit Großgruppen erfolgreich partizipativ gestalten

Bald ist es soweit! 2025 erscheint mein neues Buch:

Arbeitstagungen mit Großgruppen erfolgreich partizipativ gestalten Grundlagen und konkrete Einsatzmöglichkeiten in der Organisationsentwicklung

In diesem Fachbuch zeige ich, wie Arbeitstagungen in Großgruppen partizipativ und erfolgreich gestaltet werden können. Viele Teilnehmende empfinden herkömmliche Formate als wenig hilfreich. Wenn Arbeitstagungen im Großgruppen-Format partizipativ gestaltet werden, bringen sie Menschen zusammen und bereichern Entscheidungen durch vielfältige Perspektiven.

Das Buch beleuchtet die Grundbedingungen für Großgruppenmethoden in der Organisationsentwicklung und Erwachsenenbildung und stellt essenzielle Rollen für eine partizipative Gestaltung solcher Tagungen vor. Praxisnah erläutere ich die sechs populärsten und interessantesten Großgruppenmethoden, die ich in meinen fast 20 Jahren als Erwachsenenbildner selbst durchgeführt habe: Future Search Conference, Open-Space-Technology, Real-Time-Strategic-Change, World Café, Appreciative Inquiry Summit und Barcamp.

Der Inhalt umfasst:

  • Partizipative Gestaltung von Arbeitstagungen

  • Rollen und Auftragsklärung

  • Tipps zur Planung und Durchführung

  • (Hybride) Großgruppen-Methoden

  • Evaluation und nachhaltiger Erfolg

Lassen Sie sich inspirieren und entdecken Sie neue Wege für erfolgreiche Arbeitstagungen! Tauchen Sie ein in meine beinahe 20-jährige Erfahrung in der Erwachsenenbildung und lernen Sie, wie man mögliche Herausforderungen bei der Konzeption meistern kann.

Einen großen Dank möchte ich Mareike Teichmann , meiner Editorin beim Springer Gabler Verlag, aussprechen, die mir letzte Woche mein Manuskript genehmigte. Durch ihre Unterstützung ist mein Traum wahr geworden, ein Buch über Didaktik und Methodik zu schreiben.

Außerdem danke ich Prof. Dr. Werner Sauter für das Geleitwort; es ist eine Ehre, dass er sich bereit erklärte, dies zu übernehmen.

Mein Dank gilt auch meinen Arbeitgebern, bei denen ich lernen und meine Trainerpersönlichkeit entwickeln sowie unter Beweis stellen durfte. Besonders lehrreich war meine Erfahrung im Bereich Großgruppengestaltung mit den Firmen Orthomol pharmazeutische Vertriebs GmbH, The Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, Novartis Deutschland und E. Breuninger.

Finding Inner Peace: A Reflection

This quote comes from François de La Rochefoucauld: “If you do not find peace within yourself, it is useless to seek it elsewhere.”

What is inner peace, really? It’s a state where we feel at ease, reconciled, relaxed, and content with ourselves. In this state, we are free from external conflicts and any internal struggles. We feel clear and centered, remaining calm in all situations, even the most stressful ones.

This balance is cultivated through mindfulness—living consciously in the moment—and self-reflection, which involves understanding who we are and how we feel. It’s a form of self-leadership, being aware of our emotions, recognizing the patterns of interpretation we follow, and understanding the beliefs that may hold us captive.

Inner peace emerges from within through self-acceptance and, in my view, cannot be compared to the experience of flow, which is tied to an activity. Flow, as defined by Mihály Csíkszentmihályi, occurs when we engage in a task to the point of losing track of time and space, where work feels effortless. While both experiences yield satisfaction, inner peace is independent of any activity—it emphasizes equilibrium and serenity. Simply existing is enough to feel this peace, accompanied by the affirmation: “I am at peace with myself and the world. I am exactly as I should be.”

Importantly, inner peace is not about ignorance or egocentrism; it’s about accepting our true selves. For some, discovering this peace may come more easily through activities, but fundamentally, it is a mindset regarding oneself.

I find my inner peace most readily during long walks with my dog, Lotte, without music or a phone—just the path, Lotte, and me. Meditation and mindfulness exercises are also effective methods. However, everyone has their own way of igniting this inner peace, and it’s crucial not to confuse it with the flow experience.

Inner peace can only arise from within.

It’s like a bud that lies dormant in each of us; everyone has the potential to attain inner peace. It is up to each individual whether that bud will ever bloom. In my opinion, inner peace is the foundation for flourishing as our true selves, providing the opportunity to discover talents that cannot be unearthed without it. Without inner peace, we may find ourselves swayed by the opinions of others, still unsure of who we truly are.

Discovering our inner peace means allowing ourselves to be who we are. It’s certainly worth the effort. Let’s embark on this journey together; who knows what wonderful aspects of ourselves we may uncover?

The Vital Role of Anger: Understanding and Harnessing Its Power

„Never act in haste out of anger – you have enough time.“ — Ralph Waldo Emerson

Anger is often viewed as a negative emotion. In professional settings, it is frowned upon, much like many other emotions. From my experience, joy is perhaps the only fundamental emotion that is somewhat acceptable in the workplace, although it is often expressed cautiously. According to Paul Ekman, the basic emotions include joy, sadness, disgust, fear, surprise, anger, and contempt. https://www.neverest.at/blog/7-grundemotionen-paul-ekman/

However, anger is anything but unnecessary. It is a crucial emotion that support us in following:

  1. Indication of Injustice: Anger reveals that the person feels wronged and highlights injustices that need to be addressed.

  2. Motivation for Change: Anger encourages us to step out of our comfort zones, set new boundaries, and advocate for ourselves actively.

  3. Self-Protection: Anger helps us recognize underlying feelings and protects us from falling into a cycle of sadness or self-pity.

  4. Enhanced Self-Reflection: Anger highlights where we have been hurt and prompts us to reflect on past experiences.

  5. Catalyst for Communication: Anger drives us to discuss issues that have caused us pain. It often serves as a prompt to resolve conflicts or uncover misunderstandings.

  6. Source of Energy: Unlike sadness, anger provides us with energy and strength, enabling us to tackle and overcome new challenges.

  7. Emotional Processing: Anger aids in processing emotions, including fear and sadness, contributing to healing our wounds. https://www.geo.de/magazine/geo-kompakt/15270-rtkl-psychologie-heilsamer-zorn-ueber-die-wut-und-ihre-positiven

Like all emotions, anger holds significant and positive meaning. The key is to recognize anger and use it constructively. This emotion can serve as a catalyst for personal growth and even bring about a positive change in society.

Suppressing or denying anger is detrimental, as the aggressive energy it generates must go somewhere. If it is not expressed outwardly, it turns inward, potentially leading to depression or other psychosomatic disorders, according to scientists.

On the other hand, blind anger can be destructive. Emerson is not against anger; rather, he views it as a driving force that must be released gradually. It’s akin to a pressure cooker: when the contents (anger) boil, the pressure must be released slowly. If I were to open the lid suddenly, the contents would splatter against the walls and ceiling.

Treat anger like the process of opening a pressure cooker.

The Importance of Spending Time with Yourself: A Journey to Self-Love

„Spend some time with yourself every day.“ — Dalai Lama

This quote resonates deeply with me. Someone once told me that you are the most important person in your own life, a sentiment attributed to Martin Luther. Back in high school, I thought it sounded quite self-absorbed and even egocentric. During my university years, I frequently discussed a similar phrase with my roommates: „Love your neighbor as yourself“ (Mark 12:31). Some focused on „love your neighbor,“ but I believe the emphasis lies on „as yourself.“

To me, the crucial point is in that second part. You can only love another person as much as you have learned to love yourself. After all, where can love come from if you aren’t treating yourself with kindness? Is it possible that we confuse love with simply wanting to please others or feeling we must earn our partner’s affection? Only when we appreciate and accept ourselves as we truly are can we allow others to value us without needing any justification—just by being ourselves.

Achieving this self-acceptance and appreciation requires time for self-discovery. We need to understand how and why we react the way we do. Engaging with ourselves means looking into the darker aspects of our self and daring to reflect, even through discomfort.

A helpful concept for learning self-love is the Appreciation Pyramid by Prof. Dr. Reinhard Haller, which consists of seven levels:

  1. Awareness: Ask yourself, „How am I feeling right now? What’s happening within me?“

  2. Mindfulness: Focus on your thoughts. „Where are my thoughts? How can I bring them to the present moment, since only the now can be changed?“

  3. Respect: Consider how you treat your soul and body. „Do I respect my own boundaries?“

  4. Recognition: Reflect on your achievements. „What did I accomplish today? What went well?“

  5. Appreciation: Think about your positive interactions. „How did I behave positively today? Where did I make a difference?“

  6. Trust: This level is a natural outcome of the previous steps—trusting your abilities and knowing how to respond in different situations.

  7. Self-love: This is the culmination of all the previous levels.

How can you reach all this states? The answer is simple: spend time with yourself.