Exploring the importance of ‘place’ in the work that we do

Fri, 16th December, 2016 from 9:00 AM, in Awliscombe

Recently, over a cuppa at Escot House, Richard Chapman and Sue Holland found themselves talking about the significance of ‘place’ in their work and more importantly how different places offer up the opportunity and energy for very different types of work.

They both reflected on the work that they have done over the years in ‘corporate buildings’ – completely man-made, functional and for the most part, impersonal environments. Whilst at the other end of the spectrum perhaps, have both recently spent time at Embercombe in Haldon Forest “a place for leadership development for a just and sustainable world” – a very natural environment to work in.

It intrigued them how much ‘place’ provides the invitation to speak from differing parts of ourselves and before long they were asking all kinds of questions:

  • To what extent does place enable / encourage certain types of conversations?
  • What qualities of place enable us to do our best work?
  • Are some places inherently more conducive to development work than others? If so, why?
  • What types of conversation are missing in the world today that might have been present in the past?
  • Do we need to pay attention to place more as consultants and coaches?
  • What comes first, the conversation or the space?
  • Do masculine and feminine energies require different places to feel at home speaking? What might this mean in an organisational context?

We are excited to explore these questions using the amazing space that Escot House offers. In the best traditions of Sadler Heath, our approach will be enquiring, open, emergent and creative to help us get to the bottom of what it is about place that enables us to do our best work.

Richard Chapman: A biochemist, systems engineer and management consultant by background, Richard has been a freelance change agent and facilitator of strategic development dialogue since 1997. He has been privileged to work with many organisations at formative stages of their development – most recently in the field of climate change. Married with three adult children and living in South Devon, RIchard is a keen cook, hill walker and musician and has recently taken up skittles.

Sue Holland:  is a retreat leader, change agent, executive coach and facilitator. She works both 1:1 with leaders and with groups to provide challenge, insight and support in the pursuit of personal and business results. She has trained with the Academy of Executive Coaching and the London Gestalt Institute. In previous roles she was a scientific Botanist nerd and then a leader within a large multinational organization. She now spends her time working with organizations, running leadership retreats, working with a charity that supports people with dementia and being a home bird.

Date, time and venue

When:
Date(s) - 16/12/2016
9:00 am - 12:30 pm

Where:
DEVON – Creative Beings Studio, Awliscombe
The Old Rectory
Awliscombe, EX14 3PJ

Map and directions