Hello

Welcome to the fourth issue of Newfield Institute’s newsletter Observing Differently In this edition we take a look at one of the more tricky aspects of working and living with others – relationship breakdowns. The ideas here are relevant for all sorts of relationship challenges – both personal and professional. One of the great things about being involved with Newfield Institute is hearing from participants of our programs who are making a positive difference to their organisations.

We are delighted to report on another great application of the ontological approach in an organisation, this time at the Department of Environment and Resource Management in Queensland, Australia.

We hope you find these articles useful, and encourage you to forward them on if you think they would be helpful for others. Please contact us if you’d like to discuss any of the ideas we offer here, or if you have any suggestions about what you would like us to cover in future newsletters.

With best wishes
Mark Raymond

Latest News

At the end of a very busy and productive year we are thrilled with how the ontological approach continues to be received in public programs and corporate settings in Australia and Asia, and the practical applications people are making of their learning.

In the midst of a very busy work and travel schedule, I am pleased to report that Alan Sieler continues to find time to write! Alan is making steady progress on Volume III of Coaching to the Human Soul, which is on track for publication in two years time. Alan was recently recognised by the prestigious academic publishers Sage as the world's leading authority on Ontological Coaching and has been commissioned to contribute a chapter on Ontological Coaching for The Complete Handbook of Coaching. Keep an eye out for this publication in 2010.

Relationship Breakdowns
Alan Sieler

One of the indispensable features of our lives is relating with others. Be it at home, in our social life, or in the workplace, we are continually relating with people...

Now one of the great challenges and mysteries of life is developing and maintaining positive relationships. We could say that positive relationships provide the context in which we can learn, grow and feel good about ourselves and what we can accomplish in life.

When relationships break down they can be very costly for us - emotionally, physically and financially. Yet we often find ourselves at our wits end, even impoverished, to find ways to deal with relationship breakdowns. What happens when we experience a breakdown in our relationship with someone and what can be done to improve things?

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Organisational Case Study

Improving the Conversations at a Large Queensland Government Agency
Mark Raymond

This case study features extensive application of the ontological methodology in a government setting - the Department of Natural Resources and Water, now the Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM), a large Queensland Government Agency. Michelle Hill and Steve McKenzie, from DERM, participated in Newfield’s Vocational Graduate Diploma of Ontological Coaching and applied much of the learning in various programs for managers and staff at DERM, with great results.

 Read case study