working with teams and organisations?

working with the 'soft' stuff

In organisations, the 'soft' issues are invariably the really hard ones to overcome and they are almost always about the way people communicate and work together. Open Space, World Cafe, Appreciative Inquiry and Dialogue Circle are some of the many methodologies and they can provide significant insights and improvement in relatively short periods of time.

moving groups forward through leadership and communication

Successful change initiatives, whether at the organisational or team level, work because they honour the importance of thoughtful conversations that engage people. Such conversations help by taking away the fear of the unknown. Using Open Space, for example, the need for change can be effectively explored, understood and acted upon. In this way the feeling of threat is reduced and minimised and the intended change has a better chance of success.

the story is the message

The stories that people share once formed a key part of an organisation's core and are now being lost in an age where the short email has taken over much of our conversation. These stories re-enforced vision and provided clarity for all. Today's leaders need to relearn to tell powerful stories to create vision and values.

about Aart Groothuis

Aart Groothuis is a leading practitioner of Open Space Technology who designs conversations to facilitate change and improvement in the way teams work and how organisations conduct their business.

"He creates conversations that allow people to achieve their best together"

Effective conversations open possibilities for the future that are not readily visible in the present.

Aart has been actively creating special conversation containers in organisations both in Australia and overseas. The purpose of these conversations include business planning, innovation and problem solving.

methods and measures

Aart uses Open Space, The Art of Hosting and Harvesting Conversations That Matter and Appreciative Inquiry to create conversations that explore the challenging areas of leadership, management and team. These conversations are structured and conducted to allow participants to explore new ways of thinking and relating.

Aart uses self awareness instruments, such as the Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument, to raise personal and group awareness of how personal differences affect the way we interact. He also mentors individuals, pairs and teams in the practice of dialogue.

Aart has received two Australia Day Achievement Awards for leadership.