The World Cafe

Introduction to Magic in the Middle – Part Six

by Amy Lenzo | Nov 8, 2017 | Finn Voltofte, Stepping In

By Finn Voldtofte, 2005

Authentic Leadership
Each of the nine practices can be learned, trained and improved, so that I can grow in my ability to contribute to the magic in the middle.

If I am to take on an authentic leadership that engages the magic in the middle of my organisation, it requires competence within the nine practices at three levels: personal experience, process design and process guidance.

Metaphorically seen, magic in the middle can be understood as social technology at the level of the operating system. If I want to use a computer to write a letter or make a budget, I need to know some targeted applications, as Word or Excel. But I also need to know the operating system of the computer, which is the platform for the applications.

In the same way, if I want to achieve robustness and community around idea and intention in an organisation, I have to make use of targeted processes for realising strategy. If it happens on a platform of process that engages magic in the middle, it is possible to create results that to a higher degree draw upon the collective intelligence of the organisation.

I believe that many of the processes we make use of today, in order to lead and transform organisations, could get a radical lift by engaging magic in the middle of the organisation.

* * *

This is the last of six weekly posts taken from an Introduction to Magic in the Middle written by the late Finn Voldtofte in March of 2005 (click the following links to go directly to Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, or Part 5.

Finn was one of the original co-founders of the World Café. He worked tirelessly with Juanita Brown to distill and articulate the World Café Design Principles that underlie all World Café practice. Finn was an amazing human being who inspired and touched many, many people on a profound level. His articulation of the “Magic in the Middle” is still one of the most evocative descriptions of what makes World Café “work” and we are honored to publish his words here in this crucial time, when they ring as truly & eloquently as ever.

Happy Birthday Anne!

by Amy Lenzo | Nov 2, 2017 | Anne Dosher

Today is Anne Dosher’s 95th birthday.

Anne is the ground beneath my feet as I do the work I do with the World Cafe community. I often think of her.

When I am stuck, I ask myself, “What would Anne do?”, and hear her lovely voice in my heart inviting me to breathe, appreciate the blessings of the moment, remember all the powers and spirits who are holding & guiding me, and then take the simple, minimal, elegant next step, whatever that is.

All the time I have spent in her presence has been a precious gift, a blessing I carry with me always.

. . . o0O0o . . .

This is one of a series of blog posts to honor our Elder Anne Dosher, who has been a wonderful guide and steward since the World Cafe was born in 1995. To celebrate Anne’s 95th birthday, we collected stories and greetings from the global World Cafe community.

Anne at the Dresden Frauenkirche

by Amy Lenzo | Nov 1, 2017 | Anne Dosher, Dresden, Stories

In 2007, World Cafe senior practitioners Ulric Rudebeck and Sabine Spenser co-hosted a very special World Cafe in the crypt of the re-built Dresden Frauenkirche, which had been bombed in the last World War. Part of three days of city-wide World Cafes organized by World Cafe Europe, it was a “Reconciliation” Cafe on the theme of forgiveness.

This Cafe was especially important for Anne Dosher, the Guardian of the Soul of the World Cafe, who had traveled from California with several of us from The World Cafe Community Foundation, in part so she could be there for this very occasion.

The following short video tells the story of why this Cafe was so special for Anne:

This is one of a series of blog posts to honor our Elder Anne Dosher, who has been a wonderful guide and steward since the World Cafe was born in 1995. To celebrate Anne’s 95th birthday this week, we are collecting stories and greetings from the global World Cafe community.

Introduction to Magic in the Middle – Part Five

by Amy Lenzo | Nov 1, 2017 | Finn Voltofte, Stepping In

By Finn Voldtofte, 2005

(Nine) Practices to Engage the Magic in the Middle
It is essential to understand that the magic in the middle is more than an idea. It is a reality that can be experienced, and which I may have a poorer or a better ability to recognise, participate in and possibly to take leadership of engaging in my organisation. As such it is very appropriate to ask: Which practices can help me and my people to engage the magic in the middle?

With a practice I think of something that has been established through a mixture of attitude, behaviour and experienced ability to act. It is more than just a good idea that I might take up some time; more concrete than an ideal or a behavioural norm. I point to nine practices that each contribute to engaging the magic in the middle:

2. Inquiry
To be able to go to the edge of ones knowledge and to stand being in a field of not-knowing.

To be able to leave one’s field of “already- knowing”, including opting out on making everything fit or not fit with mental models that I carry with me.

To let go of the need to pass the judgement “right” or “wrong”.

To be able to wait and see what happens, rather than making “what is this useful for?” a criteria for evaluation.

It is easy enough to say, “to be inquiring”, it is harder to do – it takes experience, self-insight, social skills and more to master inquiry as a practice.

Co-Creating our Future

by Michaela Sieh | Oct 30, 2017 | Uncategorized, Wiser Together

This is the second in a series of blog posts to honour Anne Dosher, Guardian of the Soul of The World Cafe. Anne has been a wonderful guide and steward since the World Cafe was born in 1995.

To celebrate Anne’s 95th birthday, we collected stories and greetings from the global World Cafe community.

The dragonfly has been Anne’s magic animal – a symbol of transformation.

Here is a letter that we received from one of Anne’s friends:

For the past 20 years, Anne’s major community contributions involved “The World Cafe.” She was there at the beginning and was intimately involved in the “Cafe’s” development. Anne was particularly excited by how “Wiser Together” and the “Cafe” could join to reach youngers and elders in changing our world. As you will see in this video, Anne is right there co-creating a positive potential future with and for all of us.

I remember with much gratitude how Anne supported me as I grew to lead organizations and community efforts from the early ’70’s on. With her help, we have better services, systems and strategies locally and nationally to create an “all our relations” world. It was and is Anne’s life dream to experience a world where people reflect, think long term and listen to each other. Now, The World Cafe is stepping up and out to create more vital opportunities for this to happen in peaceful and supportive ways.

To celebrate Anne’s 95th year, I thought she would love a Anne Wade Dosher Legacy effort to fund this important work in our troubled and divisive times.

Check out “We Are Wiser Together” to see Anne and other leaders as they create this movement.

Please join me in celebrating Anne and changing the world – one more time! Just go to this website to make your contribution. It is called The Generosity Fund. Where it says to dedicate your gift, just fill in Anne Wade Dosher Legacy. You can also write her a personal note on the site. Your gift of any amount will help us all change the world together.

Liz Shear

World as Cafe

by Michaela Sieh | Oct 29, 2017 | Poetry, World as Cafe

Early Dawn

Awaken to the world-as-café.

Humanity breathing, sounding

Networks of conversations

Vibrating in resonant waves,

Connecting human consciousness,

Greeting a new day.

Here, sit at your table.

We welcome you.

Anne Dosher

This is the first in a series of blog posts to honour Anne Dosher, Guardian of the Soul of The World Cafe. Anne has been a wonderful guide and steward since the World Cafe was born in 1995.