A question is a doorway to transformation
One of the fastest ways to create change, find creativity or kickstart innovation is through the Art of Powerful Questions.
Find out how you can take your skills to the next level in a stimulating one day workshop.
Scroll down to find the workshop nearest youWhat makes a question so important?
A question can open new doors, let in some fresh thinking, close the gap between people, be a bridge to understanding. You can hold a serious question and still find the inquiry fresh and fun!
Finding, shaping and living a powerful question is a key leadership and life skill everyone needs in their back pocket.
Here's more about The Art of Powerful Questions.
Why you should join us for The Art of Powerful Questions
No matter who you are or where you are in your journey, The Art of Powerful Questions can polish a skill you can use for a lifetime.
Most of interpersonal and organisational conflicts we have currently in our world might be traced back to what might be called "question illiteracy", that is the failure to ask a good question that could have created different results.
But it doesn't have to be that way. Anyone can put their question skills into practice to create something vibrant and new for themselves and others.
The two parts of the workshop pack a powerful punch -- learning where to find, how to craft and how to sharpen powerful questions. Then taking those questions into The Flow Game -- a uniquely playful way to find the next solid steps you're seeking around something that really matters to you.
In your question you find direction and focus. In the Flow Game you'll find your action plan.
Here's why you should join us:
As a leader...
You want to help things take off with energy, enthusiasm and direction. You want to support your organisation or team to fire on all cylinders, sparking more success. A powerful question can create a new foundation, set the direction and open doors to new opportunities.
In community...
You want to get people into conversation where they can bring their strengths and contribute to a better future. You want them to cut through challenges that keep them stuck or divided. Compelling questions can help them align on what's most important to them.
As an activist or entrepreneur...
You want to shine a light on new opportunities and innovations, helping to create positive, fresh contributions to make the world a better place. Powerful questions can offer the torch to illuminate the path forward, keep you going, and motivate fresh thinking.
In your own work & life...
You want the spark of creativity to shine brightly, with new ideas flowing to you on how to show your gifts to the world and have them requested. Questions can help you explore new avenues and opportunities you've never thought of before or felt stuck taking action on.
And if you're interested in facilitation or group process...
...especially if you are interested in or have been to an Art of Hosting training or you are a trained Flow Game host, come and join us to brush up your skills and meet other practitioners. In various locations we will be offering gatherings to deepen your practice around The Art of Powerful Questions one day workshop.
Check the schedule below for locations and details.
Find a workshop near you...
This series of workshops began in Innsbruck in May, then journeyed to Prague and Vilnius, Lithuania.
Have a look at this list to see where The Art of Powerful Questions is popping up next. Keep checking back as we will be adding new dates.
In Malmö, Sweden I'll be offering an in-house workshop on The Art of Powerful Questions for IKEA.
IKEA are opening their space in Helsingborg for a Practice Gathering on October 24 from 9:39 - 15:30. It will be an opportunity for anyone interested in participatory practice or the Art of Hosting to meet. Helsingborg can be easily reached either by train or ferry from Denmark.
Followed by a half day Flow Game Host Gathering in Copenhagen, October 25th from 13:00 - 16:30.
This gathering will suit those based in Scandinavia as well as northern Europe.
Join us online to experience The Art of Powerful Questions from the comfort of your home or office and meet people from all over the world.
On October 26th in Session 1, we will work with what it takes to find and craft a powerful question. On October 27th during session 2, we'll work hands on with our questions by taking them into the Flow Game to receive wisdom that will support us to take our next potent steps forward.
Supported by the international Flow Game Host community.
Each session is 3.5 hours long. Timing is 9:00 - 12:30 Pacific / 12:00 - 3:30 pm Eastern / 18:00 - 21:30 CET both days.
Get a $30 discount per person for groups of 3 or more. Contact us for details.
Want some Sacher Torte and coffee to go with your questions? Then Vienna is your choice! We'll be putting some unique Austrian style into our work here on The Art of Powerful Questions in the capital of coffee culture. Join us on Monday, November 11th.
Co-hosted with Melinda Varfi and supported by local Flow Game Hosts.
We will also offer a Practitioner's Day for those who have experienced -- or want to experience -- the Art of Hosting on Sunday November 10.
Join me for two half day workshops at the annual Evaluation Conference in Prague on November 13.
Choose one or both of these topics:
The Art of Powerful Questions
A good question is a doorway to transformation. It can bridge the gap between people or shift perspective. Yet, evaluation commissioners often struggle with the development of evaluation questions, which turn out to be multiple and complex. For evaluators, it is not always so straightforward how to craft a spot on questions for the “informants” in the field in order to capture their multifold realities and the root causes of the issues they face.
No matter who you are or where you are in your journey, this workshop can polish your skill you can use at work and beyond.
The Art of Participatory Leadership in Evaluation
The Art of Participatory Leadership, often called “The Art of Hosting,” is a worldwide practice field that focuses on supporting people everywhere to host and harvest conversation and work that matters. It has a suite of methods and tools, and a solid practice foundation that can support evaluators to not only collect data, but also to connect different actors, ask the right questions, tap into the collective wisdom for answers and co-create the next steps.
No matter if you are an evaluator, programme manager or if you have another role, join us to discover some of the simple secrets that can turn your experience from “extraction” to hosting a willing field ready to advance a joint purpose.
We particularly want to support those working for systemic change and activists of all kinds in this Art of Powerful Questions. Join us in Sheffield on November 18 to deepen your skills and find new mates to be at your back as you step courageously into your work.
Co-hosted with Efua Uiterwijk and supported by local Flow Game Hosts.
Preceded by an Info & Practice Day on the 17th for those who are interested in learning about or deepening their skills and approach to participatory practice. And followed by a half day Flow Game host gathering on the 19th.
Montreal is a city bursting with creativity and innovation. Even in chilly wintertime, you'll get a warm welcome! In cooperation with Percolab, we open the doors to everyone interested in the skill and art of powerful questions, especially our Art of Hosting colleagues, wherever you are.
Join The Art of Powerful Questions on December 6.
Co-hosted with Samantha Slade, Paul Messer, the Percolab Team and supported by local Flow Game Hosts.
Preceded by a Flow Game Host gathering on the afternoon of December 5th. Followed by a full day Art of Hosting practice gathering on December 7th.
What past participants say...
"Asking questions is entering a field of not knowing. Shaping powerful questions helps you to become clear about what really matters. Those questions go to the core and develop their own power. This is power with, not power over. The art of asking powerful questions leads us to go as deep as we are willing to open ourselves, to reveal the power and the magic."
-- Katharina Erlacher, South Tirol
"Working with others on my questions really helped me to get to the roots of the issue. When I finally asked the recrafted question, it made me shatter -- it was really powerful! I would love for everybody working with others to experience this workshop and realise how a little change in the way they ask questions does wonders."
-- Inka Piblova, Prague
"I really enjoyed diving deeper into questions. Life these days seems like constant looking for answers and sometimes even forgetting what questions we are trying to answer and why we want to answer them. It helped me see my whole situation from a totally new perspective. With Mary Alice’s amazing facilitation, and a great community of practitioners, I learned much more than I could have ever done on my own."
-- Aurimas Razanauskas, Lithuania
Meet your host
You are in good hands!
Mary Alice has been facilitating groups for almost 30 years and is an internationally respected process host and trainer, supporting practitioners around the world as a steward of the Art of Hosting. and is also an active Flow Game steward, supporting the international field of almost 500 Flow Game hosts.
During the workshop she will be supported by a local team and other Flow Game hosts.
More about Mary Alice
