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The walls within: working with defenses against otherness

Online Conference 5-11 July 2021

ONLINE ACADEMY
RESOURCES
ONLINE ACADEMY
The Field

ISPSO ANNUAL MEETING 2027

February 2–7, 2027
Vienna, Austria

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Whole System Engagement for Future and Strategic Planning Using Future Search

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Professional Development Workshop
Tuesday 2 February
Afternoon, half-day workshop
Code: PDW 7
Presenter: Jeffrey Axelbank

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Jeffrey Axelbank

   

Jeffrey Axelbank, Psy.D. is a psychologist working for over 30 years in both clinical and organizational consulting roles. He has worked with schools, community groups, companies, and organizations on such issues as navigating changes and transitions, conflicts between subgroups, corporate culture, team development, leadership development, strategic planning, and succession planning. Dr. Axelbank specializes in working with diverse large groups, whole system interventions involving multiple stakeholder groups, using methods such as Future Search, Open Space, and World Café. He earned a doctorate at the Rutgers University, and completed specialized training as a consultant in the Organization Program at the William Alanson White Institute.

This highly interactive and experiential workshop introduces Future Search (FS), a proven systemic intervention that can be applied to government and private organizations, communities, school districts, human and social services, and healthcare systems. By getting “the whole system in the room” - including multiple stakeholder groups - FS leads to paradigm shifts, out-of-the-box thinking, and the building of new coalitions and relationships. Participants will learn about FS and experience its components as it applies to a problem chosen by the group. An effort will be made to invite local groups so that local issues can be considered, and FS can be applied to them.

Future Search is based on four principles:

  1. Get the whole system in the room
  2. View the whole system before planning
  3. Focus on discovering common ground and the future, not on conflicts and the past
  4. Self-management and responsibility for action

If the four principles are followed carefully, the results are profound and there are also some important side-effects that come along.

In this PDW, participants will learn these elements of FS, will role-play acting as a planning committee, and experience the survey of current trends segment. We will discuss the FS facilitation style, DEI aspects of FS, and contrast with other large group interventions.

Learning Objectives

Participants will be able to:

  • identify the four principles of Future Search.
  • list the categories of stakeholders in a Future Search Conference.
  • list the parts of a Future Search conference and the tasks for the planning team.
  • distinguish between the tasks and role of a Future Search planning team and the consultants.
  • contrast Future Search with other large group interventions such as Open Space and World Café