Q: What If

What has been your experience of taking part in the empathy circles in this team?

I Like..., I Wish…, What If...

Edwin: What If...

1. What If...We get a really good video introduction created for how to take part in an empathy circle.

2. What if we make the empathy circle the central focus of the MOOC training. That the training is on how to facilitate an empathy circle? Ie to be an empathy circle facilitator.

3. What If...Everyone learns how to take part in an empathy circle, how to facilitate it, and then goes out and tries to facilitate them with family, friends, class, community, etc. They then document their experience and share it in the meetings. We get support for sharing successes or challenges in trying to facilitate empathy circles.

Dimitra: What If...

1. What if we Acting out a conflict : We practice listening, this is only part of the communications. What if we Acting out a conflict - would be more real life.

   1. We are 3 people - pretend a disagreement. Help the sides move past the disagreement

   2. (Edwin suggests setting up a lesson and exercise page.)

Ingrid: What If...

1. What If...sometimes we focused on a specific topic (sometimes it feels disjointed when anyone can talk about anything);

   1. what are example of topics to talk about?

2. What if we gave feedback to the speaker.. Some people may want feedback - some may not want it.

• 1. How to give constructive feedback?

  2. How might we develop more skill or empathy growth?

  3. The roles. - is there a role for the silent listener to provide feedback.

  4. The role of the person is to provide feedback.

  5. What is the role of the silent listener? The silent listener could be to give feedback.

  6. Important that feedback is there. Has value but how would it be done.

Nancy: What If…

• What If…Going deeper meant incorporating some validating comments such as “you certainly have every right to feel that way” or “I get what you’re saying.”