The Art of Hosting Transformational Change

with Toke Paludan Møller, Monica Nissén, and Phil Cass

In today's chaotic, unpredictable environments, we are being called to embrace paradox and engage multiple styles of leading. We must know how to generate collective intelligence – how to call on everyone's participation and leadership, and how to work towards a shared clarity of purpose. At the same time we are asked to exercise hierarchical leadership. We are accountable to our stakeholders and must take decisive action for the sake of the common good. Learning how to stand in this paradox, and how to navigate the territory between too much chaos and too much control, is the key to hosting transformational change.

In this module we will practice staying focused and centered in the midst of chaos. We will gain frameworks and skills for hosting conversations that matter, for inviting collaborative leadership, and for generating collective intelligence. We will share stories of transformational change processes that are underway in different contexts and in different parts of the world. We will explore the territory of fear and loneliness, and we will develop greater clarity about our next steps as leaders in the context of our life and work.

Toke Paludan Møller has been pioneering the fields of sustainable entrepreneurship, participatory leadership, educational renewal, and social responsibility since the early 1970s. He is co-founder, with Monica Nissén, of InterChange, a for-more-than-profit training and process consulting company based in Denmark. Toke and Monica have worked for the Danish educational system, international NGOs, public and governmental institutions, both small and larger companies in the private sector, international networks in many countries, and villages in Africa, Europe and the Middle East. Toke is the co-founder of The Art of hosting, The Flow Game, and the Warrior of the Heart dojo; former Chair of the Board of the Danish Entrepreneurs Association and long-time international professional conference organiser (PCO) and process host. For the past six years he has worked with colleagues in support of large-scale systems transformation in England, USA and Canada, as well as in the European Commission. Toke has also been on the faculty of the Shambhala Summer Institute since 2002. See Toke's profile.

Monica Nissén started her professional life with a degree in architecture. After 10 years as an architect Monica was trained in HRD and worked for an international learning centre designing and facilitating educational seminars. Since co-founding InterChange aps in 1991 Monica has worked as a process consultant and facilitator in InterChange.

InterChange has specialised in designing and facilitatating participatory processes, engaging larger groups of people in strategic conversations, to co-create solutions, strategies or the futures they want. In working with larger groups, Monica's special interest has been 'Learning Ecology', that is, to harvest the results of these conversations, so that the collective wisdom and insights can be captured and put to good use. See Monica's profile.

Phil Cass is CEO of the Columbus Medical Association (U.S.) and its three affiliate corporations, the Columbus Medical Association Foundation, the Physicians Free Clinic and the Central Ohio Trauma System. In this role, Phil is responsible to the boards of all four corporations. He provides leadership in the areas of strategic direction, operations management, human resources management, policy development, government relations and community relations. Phil also serves as Chair of the Governing Council of the ALIA Institute. Meditation, the use of intentional dialogue, and leading strategic change initiatives are all areas of intense interest and focus for Phil.

Phil and Toke first met at the Shambhala Summer Institute and have since worked together on strategic large-systems change initiatives in Columbus, Ohio, and elsewhere.  

ALIA Europe Modules

The Art of Hosting Transformational Change
with Toke Paludan Møller, Monica Nissén, and Phil Cass

Embodied Leadership
with Wendy Palmer

An Integral Practice for Evolutionary Leadership and Change
with Peter Merry and Dylan Newcomb

Practicing Fearlessness in Times of Fear
with Margaret Wheatley and Jerry Granelli

Solving Tough Problems: Co-creating New Realities in Complex Systems
with Adam Kahane, LeAnne Grillo, and Mustafa Suleyman