An integrated approach:

inspired problem solving through

mind, body, people, place

June 30, 2006 • CPSI Conference • Chicago, IL

Sari Gluckin Brandy Agerbeck
integral facilitator graphic facilitator
Wishful Thinking Loosetooth.com
Chicago, IL Chicago, IL
http://www.wishthink.com http://www.loosetooth.com

An integrated approach: inspired problem solving through mind, body, people and place 1
CPSI Conference • June 30, 2006 • Chicago, IL © 2006 Sari Gluckin & Brandy Agerbeck. All Rights Reserved
Introduction Our Opportunity

How can people problem solve

better together?

We’ve all been in so-so brainstorming sessions.

Meetings where the ideas never leave the
ground. Others where you feel utterly
exhausted or unengaged.

Designing and facilitating events with the

power of an integrated, holistic approach can
build creativity in the individual and the team,
leading to richer solutions and inspiring new
outcomes.

We will introduce and demonstrate an integral

framework, drawing on the power of mind,
body, people and place. Often, we work
through one or two of these domains rather
than orchestrating all of them to invigorate the
process.

You will leave this session with:

§ An understanding of the integral model
§ How to use the model to strengthen the
problem solving process
§ Specific tools and techniques in each domain
§ A visual model to direct, inspire and guide
you

Exercise
Please write your responses to these two
questions in the column on the right

Think of the last brainstorming session

you participated in.
§ What worked § Who was there?
well? § Where did it take
§ What was place?
lacking? § What tools &
§ What would have techniques were
made it more used?
productive?

An integrated approach: inspired problem solving through mind, body, people and place 2
CPSI Conference • June 30, 2006 • Chicago, IL © 2006 Sari Gluckin & Brandy Agerbeck. All Rights Reserved
Ken Wilber &
Integral Theory
Integral means comprehensive,
inclusive, balanced, embracing. When
it comes to human beings, integral
means maps, models, and practices
that include the full spectrum of
human potentials, often summarized
as "exercising body, mind, and
spirit in self, culture, and nature."

- Ken Wilber, Integral Naked Website

I don’t believe that any human mind is

capable of 100 percent error. So
instead of asking which approach is
right and which approach is wrong, we
assume each approach is true but
partial, and then try to figure out how
to fit these partial truths together, how
to integrate them – not how to pick
one and get rid of the others.

- Ken Wilber

Ken Wilber (American, b. 1949) is a

philosopher who has been publishing
books since 1977. The common theme
running through all his writing is
finding the common threads in human
consciousness over time, across school
of thought, across disciplines. His
Integral Theory models how all
thinking can fit into one schema, vs.
schools of thought completing to be
the one dominating force.

An integrated approach: inspired problem solving through mind, body, people and place 3
CPSI Conference • June 30, 2006 • Chicago, IL © 2006 Sari Gluckin & Brandy Agerbeck. All Rights Reserved
 Experience & Consciousness
The Power of the Mind Internal Individual

Your
§ Thoughts § Emotions
§ Experience § Subconscious
§ Expertise § Gut
§ Perspective

Questions to Answer
I wish…
Wouldn’t it be great if?
How do I envision success?
What does my gut tell me?
What is my understanding of…?
What is my unique perspective on this?
Why is this important?
What am I paying attention to?
What am I not paying attention to?
What do I know now that I didn’t before?

Tools & Techniques

The Hats I Wear
When solving a problem, or working on a
team, list all the hats you wear, the
different perspectives you bring. Wearing
each hat, look at the problem and possible
solutions.

My Take/Our Take
To kick start a team project, have people
write down their own individual thoughts,
perspectives and potential solutions. Next
have everybody share their “take”,
listening for common ground and different
perspectives.

Reflective Breaks
Over the course of a session or project,
build in time and space for personal
reflection and journaling.

An integrated approach: inspired problem solving through mind, body, people and place 4
CPSI Conference • June 30, 2006 • Chicago, IL © 2006 Sari Gluckin & Brandy Agerbeck. All Rights Reserved
 Body and Behavior
The Power of the Body External Individual

Your
§ Body § Breath
§ Energy § Movement
§ Hunger § Safety
§ Comfort § Body Language
§ Alertness

Questions to Answer
How does my body feel?
Am I moving around? Just sitting around?
Am I tired? Am I alert?
How am I using my breath?
Am I comfortable?
Do I feel comfortable moving around the
space?
Am I eating in a way to manage my
energy?
Am I quieting my mind as much as I am
stimulating it?

Tools & Techniques

Keep Moving
Use the whole space, inside and out.
Create different stations around a room
and keep everyone moving rather than
just sitting. During a break, take a walk
outside to get a change of scenery.

Centering Belly Breath

Sit in a chair with your feet grounded on
the floor. Put your hands on your belly.
Close your eyes. Inhale deeply. Exhale
deeply. Open your eyes and notice how
you feel.

Rejuvenating Wave Breath

Stand up, hands at your sides, palms
open. Lift arms up over your head as you
breathe in clarity/energy; lower your arms
as the energy washes over your body in a
wave.

An integrated approach: inspired problem solving through mind, body, people and place 5
CPSI Conference • June 30, 2006 • Chicago, IL © 2006 Sari Gluckin & Brandy Agerbeck. All Rights Reserved
 Culture & Community
The Power of People Internal Collective

Our
§ Team § Roles
§ Culture § Different learning
§ Inside styles
perspectives § Support network
§ Outside
perspectives

Questions to Answer
Do we have the right people in the room?
How would we assemble our dream team
to solve the problem?
Are we representing different groups and
perspectives?
Does each of us understand our roles?
Do we all understand our common goals?
What’s the mood?
Does our culture support what we are
trying to do?

Tools & Techniques

Appreciative Inquiry/Best Practices
As a group consider your past successes.
What experiences can you learn from and
build upon?

Cross Pollination
Over the course of a session or a project,
have team members collaborate with
different partners and within small and
larger groups. Create pairs or triads,
assign teams by birth month or shirt color,
play musical tables.

Peer Inquiry
One person describes their challenge, what
they have already thought of or tried and
their ideal outcome. Each of their peers
poses an open question (ONLY QUESTIONS
are allowed) that expand the problem
owners thinking around his/her issue.

An integrated approach: inspired problem solving through mind, body, people and place 6
CPSI Conference • June 30, 2006 • Chicago, IL © 2006 Sari Gluckin & Brandy Agerbeck. All Rights Reserved
 Environment & Resources
The Power of Place External Collective

Our
§ Environment § Resources
§ Furniture set up § Stimulus
§ Walls § Facilitators
§ Light § Technology
§ Audio/Visual § Communication
support delivery

Questions to Answer
What stimulus is in the room?
Is it too little or too much?
How do we bring these ideas to life?
How are we collecting our ideas?
How are we documenting this process?
Do we have the resources we need?
Do we have the tools to do our work?
Does this room have light?
Can we make eye contact?
Can we hear each other?
Does this space inspire me to create?

THINGS TO DO
The Right Tools for the Job
Build an environment rich with tools for
people to express their ideas. Paper,
markers, clays, materials available to grab
and use.

Sharing Circle
Create a small, unbroken circle of chairs
where people can see and hear each other
and share ideas.

An integrated approach: inspired problem solving through mind, body, people and place 7
CPSI Conference • June 30, 2006 • Chicago, IL © 2006 Sari Gluckin & Brandy Agerbeck. All Rights Reserved
Four Quadrant Model

An integrated approach: inspired problem solving through mind, body, people and place 8
CPSI Conference • June 30, 2006 • Chicago, IL © 2006 Sari Gluckin & Brandy Agerbeck. All Rights Reserved
Bibliography Recommended Reading & Resources

Books
The Breathing Book Wellness Workbook: How to Achieve Enduring
Donna Farhi body Health and Vitality
John W. Travis and Regina Sara Ryan mind, body
Gifts Differing: Understanding
Personality Type The Wisdom of the Enneagram
Isabel Briggs Myers mind, people Don Riso and Russ Hudson mind, people

The Hidden Dimension

Edward T. Hall people, place Sites
The Intuitive Body: Aikido As a EnneagramInstitute.com
Clairsentient Practice Enneagram resources and test mind, people
Wendy Palmer body
Theinquiringmind.com
Non-violent Communication: A Meditation on line journal mind
Language of Compassion
Michael Rosenberg people IntegralInstitute.org
Home of the integral institute all
A Path with Heart : A Guide Through
the Perils and Promises of Spiritual http://www.jobsletter.org.nz/pdf/stratq97.pdf
Life Article on strategic questioning mind, people
Jack Kornfield mind
PNDC.com
Patterns of Home: The Ten Essentials Powerful non defensive communication mind, people
of Enduring Design
Max Jacobson, Murray Silverstein, http://www.PPS.org/
Barbara Winslow place Project for Public Spaces place

The Power of Place: How our TheWorldCafe.com

surroundings shape our thoughts, Process for collaborative dialogue people
emotions and actions
Winifred Gallagher place YogaJournal.com
Useful articles about body and mind mind. body
Six Thinking Hats
Edward de Bono mind, people

Spiral Dynamics: Mastering Values,

Leadership, And Change
Don Edward Beck, Christopher Cowan
mind, people

The Theory of Everything

Ken Wilber all

The Timeless Way of Building

Christopher Alexander place

An integrated approach: inspired problem solving through mind, body, people and place 9
CPSI Conference • June 30, 2006 • Chicago, IL © 2006 Sari Gluckin & Brandy Agerbeck. All Rights Reserved
Your Presenters
Sari Gluckin
integral facilitator
Wishful Thinking
Chicago, IL
http://www.wishthink.com
Sari Gluckin is the creator of Wishful Thinking,
a consultancy that uncovers inspiration and
insight for new products and strategies. She
specializes in immersions, ethnographies and
ideation sessions, with particular expertise in
food, wellness, and design. Before starting
Wishful Thinking, Sari spent 15 years
developing new brands at Genera l Foods and
Kraft. In addition to being certified to lead
Creative Problem Solving, she has master’s
degrees in business and art history, and is a
certified integral coach.
An integrated approach: inspired problem solving through mind, body, people and place
CPSI Conference • June 30, 2006 • Chicago, IL © 2006 Sari Gluckin & Brandy Agerbeck. All Rights Reserved
Brandy Agerbeck
graphic facilitator
Loosetooth.com
Chicago, IL
http://www.loosetooth.com
Graphic facilitator Brandy Agerbeck creates
conceptual maps of conversations. Since 1996,
her drawing and thinking skills have facilitated
groups in finding clarity and understanding
their work. Brandy has worked with groups
from 2 to 200, across industries, creating
images to help people navigate the complex
world around them.
10