Paul Z Jackson's Page

Have you wondered what makes the difference between a ho-hum conference and one that leaves you inspired and energised? It can be tough choosing the right events to attend, and you’re always risking your time and your cash. I’ve been particularly lucky with my experiences at the conferences of The Applied Improvisation Network (AIN) and the SOLWorld events, both of which have been flourishing for more than a decade.

Here are 12 signs that a conference cares about its…

A post on the Art of Hosting list asked, ‘What if the art of hosting and harvesting is how to be with complexity in a simple way?’ – which rang a bell!

As you may have been vaguely aware, our strapline at The Solutions Focus is ‘Simplicity in a Complex World’. (Does anyone take any notice of straplines or are they simply a way to keep brand gurus employed?)

Anyway, we were discussing the choice of straplines in a workshop at the weekend, recalling how simplicity is important so…

In these reflections prompted by the Art of Hosting training at The Burren, I'd like to make some distinctions about the words which facilitators and coaches choose to use.

The point is partly about the difference that these words might make with our groups and clients - how they feel about things, which aspects of topics they might most focus on, what in the end they might or might not do differently.

And it’s partly about how our language reflects our assumptions. I’m…