Radical Openness in Action: Build Collaboration and Trust

by | Dec 28, 2024 | SPF Blog

Introduction:
Radical openness is the courage to challenge assumptions, embrace curiosity, and invite diverse perspectives. These skills are at the heart of effective collaboration—and they’re also what makes facilitation transformative.

As we look ahead to the Radical Collaboration course (Jan 28–30, 2025), this post explores how practicing openness can build trust and alignment, even in the most challenging situations.

Why Radical Openness Leads to Collaboration
Radical openness isn’t just about listening—it’s about fostering spaces where everyone feels safe to contribute, challenge, and innovate. Facilitators and leaders who practice openness help their groups:

  • Break Down Barriers: Replace defensiveness with curiosity.
  • Foster Creativity: Welcome diverse ideas to find better solutions.
  • Build Trust: Create an environment of psychological safety.

These principles align directly with the five essential skills of Radical Collaboration, making it the perfect next step for those ready to deepen their practice.

Practical Tools for Facilitators

Practicing Radical Openness starts with small but intentional actions. Here are three ways to bring openness into your facilitation work today:

  1. Ask Curiosity-Driven Questions:   Example: “What’s behind that perspective?” or “What haven’t we considered yet?”
  2. Pause to Reflect:   Encourage groups to name assumptions and reconsider their positions before responding.
  3. Model Openness Yourself:  Admit when you don’t have the answer. Vulnerability builds trust and invites collaboration.

Radical Collaboration: Turn Openness into Action
The upcoming Radical Collaboration course (Jan 28–30, 2025) builds on these concepts by teaching you:

  • Collaborative Intention: How to create trust and alignment.
  • Interest-Based Problem Solving: Tools for fostering shared outcomes.
  • Self-Awareness: Recognizing how your actions impact group dynamics.

This 3-day, in-person course in Sacramento will equip you with the skills to turn openness into tangible results. By the end of this 3-day workshop, you’ll walk away with proven strategies to foster trust, resolve conflicts, and create meaningful collaborationThe last day to register is January 25, 2025.

 READ ABOUT THE COURSE            REGISTER FOR THE COURSE

We’d love to hear from you:  How do you foster Radical Openness in your facilitation practice?

Share your thoughts on our LinkedIn.

Let’s explore this together!

Looking Ahead

This is just the beginning. In future posts, we’ll explore the deeper roots of Radical Openness and how it connects to the Technology of Participation (ToP) facilitation methods, including Focused Conversations and Consensus Workshops. Stay tuned!