Embodied leader-follower-ship : a conversation in space

This experiential and highly participative workshop uses both the metaphor and the reality of ballroom dancing to explore and challenge behaviours and assumptions in our roles as leaders and followers in a mix of practical dance exercises and reflection. We will be looking at leadership and followership as a mutually enabled and enabling relationship. We explore, amongst other issues, the role of the follower, the leader’s twofold obligation to the present and the future, issues around power and ‘powerful-ness’, as well as the relevance of this to organisational context. Participants will be able to explore their own leadership, followership and teamworking behaviour and patterns, but this is also an opportunity to reflect on the use of experiential learning methods in management education and development. The workshop will be run by two experienced facilitators (and dancers). To overcome the challenges of a ‘journey into the unknown’ and encourage an atmosphere of acceptance, mutual support and enjoyment, we use a combination of ground rules, helpful insights and ways of managing the shared and private spaces of a partnership.