CLARIFYING THE ESSENTIAL PROVOCATION PROTOCOL

Why: ". . . .our attention is shifting from the enticement of external rewards to the
intrinsic motivators that spring from the work itself. We are focusing on the deep longings we have for community, meaning, dignity, and love in our organizational lives. . .As we let go of the machine models of work, we begin to step back and see ourselves in new ways, to appreciate our wholeness, and to design organizations that honor and make use of the totality of who we are." - Margaret Wheatley.

The essential provocation is the point towards which our ever-evolving self is
moving toward next. Having a more clear sense of the essential provocation will assist the presenter in navigating the issues that come forward in the learning and leadership process. As well, the essential provocation will provide an inquiry framework and a lens for on-going investigation and reflection.
Who: A group of people comprising a companion circle (4-10).
What: A structured process whereby an individual, in 45-60 minutes, can present a situation with which s/he would like to have support in identifying her/his essential provocation.
When: Any time a person would like to define an essential provocation.
Where: Any location conducive to concentration and comfortable to participants.

How:

Roles:
All three roles make up the companion circle.
1. Presenter - the person sharing the situation and defining the essential provocation.
2. Facilitator - the person helping the companion circle adhere to the timeframe and follow the guidelines for each phase of the protocol.
3. Participants - the facilitator and the other people assisting the presenter in defining the essential provocation.

Process

The presenter comes to the companion circle with a reflective writing piece which focuses on a particular leadership and learning issue with which s/he finds currently provoking. In the writing, the presenter relates the issue to the five touchstones: intentions, conditions, provocations, relationships and accountability. This reflective writing piece supports the presenter in having more clarity when sharing the context of their situation with the companion circle.

There is a four part process: sharing, inquiry, defining the pattern and engaging.

Sharing
1. The presenter gives an overview of their situation, drawing on what s/he learned from the reflective writing. S/he highlights the major issue that has been at the forefront of their attention. The presenter shares both the external demands and the internal questions. (10 minutes)
2. The participants ask clarifying questions of the presenter - questions that have brief, factual answers. No back and forth discussion is allowed at this point. (5 minutes)

Inquiry - Reflective Circle
3. The participants ask probing questions of the presenter, such as "why" and open ended questions. The purpose of these questions is for the presenter and the participants to have a more complex understanding of the external and internal situation so that an underlying pattern of what the presenter is sharing and is truly interested in can be identified. (15 minutes)

Identifying the Patterns
4. The facilitator leads the discussion around what patterns the group saw emerging. What did they hear? How did the presenter's internal questions relate to her/his external issues and vice versa? What appears to be the next area of growth? The presenter remains silent. (10 minutes)

Engaging
5. The presenter then writes about her/his sense of the patterns. In this process of reflections, the presenter begins to define the essential provocation that is emerging and makes sense to her/him. The essential provocation has been found when the presenter feels energetically engaged by it. While the presenter is writing, each individual in the group is also writing about their own situation, using the process with the presenter as a mirror for looking at themselves. (10 minutes)

Debriefing
6. The facilitator leads a conversation about the learning that has come forward for the presenter, supporting the articulation of the essential provocation. Observations of the process are also shared. (10 minutes)

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