Failure, Complexity and Control

With some irony, i am deep in complexity as i design a workshop for next week of the?same name: this is a familiar feeling.

Typically i start by trying to ‘say’ too much – too many slides, too many sections, too much content, too many words.

That’s because ‘content’, or ‘expertise’ is a place of safety: you may deliver a terrible experience, but you are unlikely to be ‘found out’ as ignorant, if you just throw content out.

But learning requires us to create space: for dialogue, to breathe, to connect, to explore context, to find the meaning.

Which loops around to risk, because ‘space’ feels risky: how will people feel if all i give them is space?

Fortunately, familiarity breeds survival strategies: i am used to this feeling – a rather manic few days of activity, building out structure and sections, activities and stories – and then taking a deep breath and reeling myself back from this complexity.

I’m not there yet: i still need the feeling that i’ve made the mountain before i can unmake it.