At the beginning of December I spent the weekend in Toledo, OH for the Annual Mother Grove Retreat.  Once a year we come together for some intensive work that is better suited to in-person meetings, like vision brainstorming, issues with complex moving pieces, and (perhaps most important) team-building. One of our NODs, Jeffrey Keefer, reminded us that “Team building is so vital an activity that is often overlooked.  Without it, team functioning can be impacted, ultimately leading to missed opportunities.”

This was my second year attending, and I definitely felt more prepared on what to expect this year. Additionally I’m really struck by the feelings of hope and excitement about ADFs future after this retreat.  We members of the Mother Grove certainly have details we disagree on, but meeting in person & doing some intentional team building reinforced that we’re all there to ensure that ADF is sustained into the future, that we’re investing in its members and its growth, and that we’re doing the best we know how to serve our Folk.

One of the things that I know is in my leadership skill set is teambuilding and rapport building.  This year I offered to bring the card game “Totem” (totemteam.com).  I have jokingly called it the “learn to accept compliments” game, but truly it’s about each person in the group selecting a good quality about the Dealer (represented by an animal), and then telling a story about how they’ve seen that quality in action and been inspired by it. Then, after each compliment and story the Dealer can only say “thank you.” That’s an important piece I added in, because given the chance to respond further, most people will demure or try to give reasons why the compliment isn’t actually true, and that undermines the positive feelings associated with receiving the compliment. Finally, after all compliments have been give, the group decides which quality best fits the Dealer. Ench person gets a chance to be the Dealer and hear their peers tell a story about how they exhibit a complimentary quality.

So, I’d like to leave you with some insights about the positive qualities your Mother Grove saw in each other:

• NOD Art received the Elephant, who remembers everything.  He has the wisdom to take those memories and use them to inform future decisions.
• NOD Missy received the Bee and the Llama.  She is able to clearly and confidently express her opinions on important matters, and is efficient in taking many moving parts and synthesizing them into a cohesive whole.
• Administrator Jane received the Diodon (a type of pufferfish), and freely expresses her emotions.  We noted that Jane is very open, sincere, and forthright.
• RD Chief Shaz received the Salmon and the Camel.  We noted most strongly her persistence.  She never gives up on goals that she deems worthwhile.
• NOD Tami received the Whale, who is known to stay calm in the midst of chaos.  She is who we turn to for level-headed words when emotions are running high.
• AD Jean (Drum) received the Turtle, known for its unfailing patience.  Drum has navigated many situations that have turned out to be bigger than we expected or took longer than we expected, and has been able to calmly stay with them.
• NOD Jeffrey received the Hippo and the Blackbird.  We all firmly agree that his presence naturally raises the level of our discussions, and that he is extremely generous in sharing his knowledge and passion with all of ADF.
• And the group selected the Lion for me because I naturally take on leadership roles and inspire others to join me.

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