Hi, this is Mike K writing, facilitator and program manager here at PATHWAYS.
We recently completed a 12-week Program on Negotiation and Leadership (PNL) in partnership with the American Center Jerusalem (ACJ). Fifteen passionate leaders from Jerusalem who are ACJ alumni joined us for what was a deeply enriching and connective experience.
All sessions were on Zoom as we traversed through the negotiation and communication landscape. Participants negotiated with one another and played games exploring whether their tendencies were more cooperative or competitive, more assertive or passive. A steady thread throughout the course was a growing awareness of my communication patterns. “How do I respond when I’m in a conflict situation or argument?” “Do I notice that I tend to become defensive, or perhaps I go silent and retract inwards?” “Or perhaps I maintain a sense of my needs as well as those of others?”
The group was comprised of passionate and caring individuals from many different organisations and fields of work in Jerusalem. Often, my co-facilitator, Jess Menasce, and I had to disregard planned activities to allow more time for the rich discussion and insightful sharing that arose from the participants. In many ways, I felt that I was facilitating an experience far more than conveying knowledge. The participants shared much of their personal experiences and reflections with one another, which enriched the entire learning experience. Plus, they were just a lot of fun. There was a lot of laughing and a strong sense of togetherness and support for one another.
I’d like to acknowledge and thank the American Center Jerusalem and specifically Amouneh Disi, Felicity Aziz and Lisa Wishman for supporting and championing the birth of this new project which ran for the first time (and not last it seems).
This program was co-facilitated by Jess Menasce. Thank you, Jess, for all of your creativity, passion, and experience facilitating our PLN workshops. I’m really grateful to have shared this experience together and built something that will be used as a model for our future programs and service to other communities and people.
Run in partnership with:
