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Q & A………. Seattle CDI
This is based on the comments of participants who have
been at the national CDI.
Q - How demanding is the Seattle CDI?
A - CDI is intensive, hard work; the overwhelming majority of
participants report that they mange that well, a few report
having a difficult time integrating learnings. We have a quick
start to the work; not a lot of time with the training staff
helping people get connected. There has generally been strong
affirmation from most participants about that approach. A few
had difficulty with it. It is done that way to provide a
learning opportunity for participants around taking
responsibility for yourself and the group's needs.
Q - How well does Seattle CDI help participants develop an
awareness of and intervention skills for complex parish
dynamics?
A - The design is effective for most participants in:
- increasing awareness of and resources for the multiple
levels of system activity (self, group, organizational, etc.)
- increasing an awareness of options for intervention as a
leader or consultant
- increasing the practitioners range of behavior for
leadership and consulting
Having said that -- it is still true that some participants
have a tendency to over-rely on "rules", theories, intuition, or
some favorite approach to learning or intervening. The program
moves most people toward a more integrated, broader, and deeper
approach.
Many participants decide to supplement CDI training with lab
training in human interaction and group development and a
mentoring-reflective process with someone more experienced. This
is especially recommended for anyone seeking to become a
consultant.
Q - I was thinking of bringing a laptop to CDI to take notes
during the sessions. Would that make sense?
A - Only if you were in a seminary classroom! And not even
then when you are trying to learn congregational development.
Our approach to congregational development is more integrated
and experiential than what you'll get in D Min programs. To be
effective at CD the practitioner needs to learn how to attend to
a number of factors at the same time, e.g.,
- What is happening in the here & now, in what is going on
in front of me;
- What are the dynamics in the parish system around trust,
communication, task effectiveness, etc;
- What is happening in me, with this group, in this
situation? What am I feeling and thinking? Am I freezing,
withdrawing, engaged, etc.
- What skills do I have that might help?
- What are the options for intervention?
- Etc., Etc.
So, we work on tasks in teams, simulations and role-plays.
That allows us to experience many of the same dynamics present
in any participant, leader or consultant situation. We can then
reflect on what happens in the group action -- what seemed
helpful, how do we get ourselves stuck, what are our strengths
and blindspots, etc.
That's a long answer to say -- leave the laptop in your room,
you will need to be paying attention to all the complexity that
gets set loose in a developmental effort.
Q - What is the impact if I am coming as part of a parish or
diocesan team?
A - Parish and diocesan teams need to come knowing that the
focus is on the equipping of people as individual CD
practitioners. So, there is not time provided for such teams to
meet during sessions. If you are part of a team the best thing
you can do to serve your parish or diocese is to focus on your
own learning process. You can arrange plenty of time with your
team when you go home. You may find it better for your own
learning to build relationships with people from other areas. It
is part of increasing your capacity for "engaged-detachment."
Parish and diocesan teams may decide to develop common CD
projects. The last couple of days of CDI give a lot of attention
to this. But even if the project is a team project -- all the
project reports are individual. Again - you focus on your own
learning process.
Q - Is there enough time off to enjoy the city?
A - Most evenings and most of the weekend is free time. If
you would like additional time in Seattle and the northwest you
may want to consider coming to the area before CDI begins or
staying after we end.
Q - What if I need to take-off because I'm ill, need a
break, or ___??
A - You are expected to arrange things so you are able to be
fully involved in the program. You are expected to participate
in all work sessions, worship and the social activities. We are
building a learning community and your participation is
essential to that. Every other year (07, 09, 11) we attend the
Sunday Eucharist at local parishes. This is part of our work on
organizational culture. Participation is required. If you miss
sessions due to family emergencies and priorities, your own
illness, etc. You need to
make up
the work in a manner approved by the program leaders. If too
many sessions are missed you may need to drop from the program
(and begin over again.) If you drop and start over there will be
an additional fee required.
Here are a few examples that may help you understand the
boundaries --
- If you decide to take a few hours off because you are
tired or feel overloaded; or decide to go to dinner with
your spouse instead of attending the group's social evening;
or will need to go home on Sunday to preside at the
Eucharist instead of being with the group visiting local
parishes (09, 11 etc.) -- You will be asked to leave
the program; these are indicators that you selected the
wrong program.
- If you come down with the flu and are out for a couple
of days; if you are local and someone in the parish dies;
something that involves a limited amount of time -- We
will work with you to reconnect you with the group
and provide make up work.
- If something truly awful happens in your life, e.g., a
member of your family, or a core parishioner dies, or gets
seriously ill, and you just have to go home. Something that
means you will miss a significant part of the experience. --
We will work with you as possible, e.g., you
may be able to do make up work at another CDI or attend a
couple of days of training in the work you missed. It is
possible that you will need to drop out and rejoin in
another year. Given the circumstances we are likely to give
you credit for part of the conference fee (but the fee is
not refundable).
For more information on the make-up
process
Q - Any suggestions about
housing?
A - Making arrangements early
gives you more choice. See the link on housing for some options.
Q - How much of what I learn
in my first two weeks is likely to have some immediate
application in the parish?
A. - There are several things to
take into consideration: 1). You will be developing a
congregational development project toward the end of the
session. There are three such projects that you will create
during CDI. Learning to design, implement, and learn from
interventions is part of the learning experience. 2). You will
be helped to explore the appropriateness of projects given your
skill level, the readiness of the parish, and the strategic
needs of the parish. 3). You will be helped to distinguish the
difference between launching a lot of programs & activities and
engaging in efforts that are truly developmental, i.e., that
contribute to the long term health and faithfulness of the
parish. 4). Participants usually find themselves designing and
implementing many more congregational development interventions
than just the three required projects. Hopefully the disciplined
process you learn in the three required projects will help
improve your other efforts. 5). A central concern of CDI is the
development of the practitioner -- our assumption is that the
single most important thing you bring into the leadership or
consulting situation is yourself; your awareness of what is
happening in the group you are working with; your awareness of
your own filters, feelings and competencies; etc. Congregational
development is not just a series of activities/interventions
targeted at improving the parish. It is also about the existence
of trained people who see things more broadly and deeply and who
see a wider range of possible action.
All of this is to say that most
participants see more that they would like to do and be than is
possible. It is important that you enter the summer program with
a relatively open fall and winter parish schedule related to
adult education and formation and exploring new directions and
programs.
Q - What participation is expected in
the maintaining of the learning community?
A. - Here are some examples of what you
can do to contribute to the learning community.
- Be familiar with the material from
the readings. That allows you to really offer something when
you are working in a team with other participants. It also
allows you to focus more on the application of theory and
methods.
- Take initiative to help things work,
e.g., in facilitating a working group, by helping clean up
the space at the end of the day, by saying something when
you are unclear about instructions or theory, etc.
- Fully participate in worship and the
social times. You will be asked to assist in worship and in
the daily set-up & clean up.
Q - What are my options if something
happens that makes it impossible for me to return the second
summer?
A - You will be permitted to return when
that cycle comes around again, e.g., if you attend in 08, had
planned to return in 09 but are unable to do that; you can
return in 11. You must register, with additional fees due, for
that summer no later than January 10 of the year in which you
are returning. If you do not return at that point you are
dropped from the program. Fees are not refunded.
You will be charged additional
registration fees to return to the program. There will be
charge of $700 plus any increase that has taken place between
your original registration and the year of your returning to the
program. CDI staff will work with you in reconnecting to the
program, e.g., reports due, preparation needed for the coming
summer, etc.
Another option is to complete your second
year with a diocesan CDI. Admission into the diocesan programs
is a decision made in that diocese. All arrangement about fees
and requirements are worked out with the diocese. There would be
an minimum administrative charge of $100 for assisting with the
transition. If the transition required continued involvement of
CDI Seattle staff there would be additional charges. |