This topic was started by Olivia at a meeting that we had at Taverneux in Belgium in July 2012. The challenge was to introduce the Constellation to a friend, an acquaintance, a colleague or a potential partner. It is something that we have done many times. But during the evening session that Olivia facilitated, we received a model to help us to think about the challenge.
The 'Why? How? What?' comes from Simon Sinek and you can watch a YouTube video that introduces the model at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qp0HIF3SfI4
The model is very straightforward. If we think of it in terms of the Constellation the model says that we should start with the Why. People often ask us the question, ''What do you do?" or "What does the Constellation do?" and I think that this often leads me astray. I start to answer the question and so I explain what we do before I explain why we are doing what we are doing.
So here are the questions and the first level answers I have found useful:
1. Why do we do what we do?
The challenge that the expert approach faces.
Communities are an untapped resource.
2. How do we do that?
We stimulate communities and we transfer experience.
3. What do we do to make that happen?
We accompany communities as they use a learning cycle that we call CLCP.
We do this with an appreciative mindset.