Magic
A long, long time ago I found a cartoon in a magazine that I have never forgotten that goes something like the following. Two scientists in white lab coats are standing beside a room-sized chalk board that is completely filled with a mind bogglingly complex scientific equation. It appears from the posture of the two scientists that they are focused on a small part of the equation located in one of the lower corners of the board that is surrounded by a box, but has arrows moving in and out. It appears that the arrows coming out of the box lead to the culmination of the equation. Within that box, the apparent focus of the scientists’ attention, are the words:
Magic Happens
Here!
Perhaps to you this does not seem to be that memorable of a cartoon. I, however, reference it all the time when I am working with groups. Here is why.
I think the performance of a group of folks, when organized by a set of objectives to produce an important outcome, can be represented by that equation in the cartoon. It is typically big and complex and takes up the whole room. Plus, it typically requires a bit of magic in the middle of things in order to be successful.
Yes, I know, it does not appear to be a prudent proposition to rely on magic when facilitating a group that needs to produce important outcomes. Yet, I fully expect for it to happen in most of the group sessions that I manage. First, permit me to make sure we are talking about the same magic. I am not referring to sleight of hand or hucksterism – not intending to imply that deception is needed for groups to be successful. I mean, more specifically, that when you really need to get a group to produce, you need to create an environment where something magical occurs.
Allow me to go a bit further and say that I also believe there is a bit of science behind the magic. Going back to the cartoon, I always interpret the meaning of the box of magic to represent something that the scientists can’t explain. They do all the right things with the rest of the equation – mix all the ingredients for success. Yet something takes place in the middle of it all that they know happens but don’t have complete control over. And I really believe that getting groups to perform does include this little box of magic in the middle of it all, but surrounded by some key elements for success.
The magic happens when you put the right ingredients together – it is not an accident. I think the right factors include some key elements that you can control. First, you have to have a good process for taking the group through a set of steps that you know will produce the intended outcomes. Second, you need to bring together the right folks, people with experience and knowledge. You need to mix that with building an environment where the experience and knowledge get infused with some structured creativity. It does not hurt that you have a competent facilitator who is familiar with stirring up this pot of ingredients.
I have found that this all works and it is a little bit of magic. You might not always feel you are in complete control of it, but it does produce the results if you believe in the process. It is a bit like baking a cake. If you mix the flour and sugar with some eggs and baking powder you create some goopy and unappealing batter (although my son finds it appealing). But, with the right conditions and allowing the process to complete its course, you can pull a delectable cake out of the oven. I don’t know why the introduction of heat in the process transforms the goop into cake, but it works.
Sometimes I vary the recipe, mixing together new things that I have not completely experienced in the past. I still trust that the magic in the oven will create a positive outcome. Working with groups is the same. There are many times when I have to mix in ingredients that are uncertain – new people, new objectives, and new circumstances. I trust the process and count on the magic.
Magic does take some practice. Just because you are performing magic does not mean you can walk into the room, snap your fingers or wiggle your nose, and expect that the group produces. You do need to learn to harness it and determine what differing combinations of the ingredients work best. The ingredients that I utilize vary from situation to situation, but I can say I rely heavily on making sure the right people are in the room and utilizing a structure that harnesses their knowledge and creativity.
Good luck to all you magicians out there.