Workshop 8: Collaboration

Beautiful orange sunset over a deep blue ocean. — Tapestry is Sunsetting

The UUA is no longer updating Tapestry of Faith programs.

Part of Principled Commitment: A Program for Unitarian Universalist Couples

In This Section

Introduction
From Principled Commitment

Love does not consist of gazing at each other, but in looking together in the same direction. — Antoine de Saint Exupery, twentieth-century French writer and aviator Collaboration within a relationship involves each partner actively seeking ways to help the other partner feel fulfilled. Each…
Workshop-at-a-Glance
From Principled Commitment

Activity Minutes Welcoming and Entering Opening 10 Activity 1: Check-in 10 Activity 2: Collaborating to Enhance Your Relationship 30 Activity 3: Engaging Conflict Collaboratively 25 Activity 4: Interest-Based Problem Solving 35 Closing 10 Alternate Activity 1: Faith in Action — Collaborating for…
Spiritual Preparation
From Principled Commitment

Consider the guiding Principle for this session, “Justice, equity, and compassion in human relations.” Reflect on your most recent successful collaboration with one or more people. You may have collaborated on a project, a trip, a decision — you can even reflect on the collaboration involved in…
Welcoming and Entering
From Principled Commitment

Materials for Activity Name tags Markers Sign-in sheet Pen or pencil An agenda of this workshop’s activities on newsprint or a digital slide (see Preparation) Optional: Computer, digital projector, and screen Optional: Copies of workshop series schedule Preparation for Activity Using the…
Opening
From Principled Commitment

Activity time: 10 minutes Materials for Activity Altar or centering table Cloth for covering altar or centering table Chalice and candle Matches or lighter Singing the Living Tradition hymnbook (at least one copy) Leader Resource 1: Order of Service — Collaboration Preparation for Activity Prepar…
Activity 1: Check-in
From Principled Commitment

Activity time: 10 minutes Description of Activity Invite participants to take turns briefly sharing insights they have had since the previous workshop on play. Ask whether couples have found ways to increase playfulness in their relationship….
Activity 2: Collaborating To Enhance Your Relationship
From Principled Commitment

Activity time: 30 minutes Materials for Activity Newsprint Easel Markers Low-stick masking tape Newsprint sheet with prepared questions (see Preparation) Preparation for Activity Write the following on a sheet of newsprint, leaving room to add to the list: Essential Collaboration Skills The abili…
Activity 3: Engaging Conflict Collaboratively
From Principled Commitment

Activity time: 25 minutes Materials for Activity Copies of Handout 1: Styles of Conflict Engagement (one per participant) Writing paper Pens or pencils Tables or hard surfaces for writing Preparation for Activity Set up tables, or find books or other hard surfaces for writing….
Activity 4: Interest-based Problem Solving
From Principled Commitment

Activity time: 35 minutes Materials for Activity Handout 2: Problem-Solving Chart for Couples Pens or pencils Tables or hard surfaces for writing Preparation for Activity Set up tables, or find books or other hard surfaces for writing….
Closing
From Principled Commitment

Activity time: 10 minutes Materials for Activity Copies of customized Taking It Home handout (see Preparation) Preparation for Activity Review the Taking It Home section of this workshop and decide which “Affection Connection” options you will encourage participants to do. Download the Taking It…
Leader Reflection and Planning
From Principled Commitment

With your co-leader, take some time after the workshop to evaluate the session and plan for future sessions. Consider these questions: What parts of the workshop seemed to engage the most people? Why? When did we seem particularly effective as co-leaders? Why?…
Alternate Activity 1: Faith In Action - Collaborating For Change
From Principled Commitment

Activity time: 20 minutes Materials for Activity Writing paper Pens or pencils Tables or hard surfaces for writing Preparation for Activity Set up tables, or find books or other hard surfaces for writing. Description of Activity Introduce the activity with these or similar words: Many Unitarian…
Taking It Home: Collaboration
From Principled Commitment

Affection Connection — Collaboration Extend your exploration of collaboration by trying one or more of these activities on your own. For Couples: Conflict Engagement Styles Take home Handout 1, Styles of Conflict Engagement, which you worked on individually in the workshop. Discuss it together,…
Handout 1: Styles Of Conflict Engagement
From Principled Commitment

Importance of Outcome Importance of Relationship High Med. Low High Collaborate Accommodate Med. Compromise Low Compete Avoid The grid above displays five styles of conflict engagement. Each style’s placement reflects its emphasis on relationship and outcome. Along the left side of the grid, the…
Handout 2: Problem-solving Chart for Couples
From Principled Commitment

Below is a sample problem-solving chart. A couple used this chart to help solve their problem of what to do during an upcoming week off. First they came up with a list of interests that each of them would like to see reflected in their time off….
Leader Resource 1: Order Of Service - Collaboration
From Principled Commitment

Follow this Order of Service as you lead the opening of Workshop 8, Collaboration. Welcome Chalice Lighting Principle Guided Meditation Reading Welcome Welcome participants. Explain that this workshop is devoted to the concept of collaboration….

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The UUA is no longer updating Tapestry of Faith programs.

Workshop 8: Collaboration

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