micelab:bodensee – events that touch us are also full of life

The first lab session – micelab:explorer I in 2016 – explored the topic of fear and trust. Complementing that, the first micelab:extract has recently appeared. In this year’s micelab:explorer II, which took place at Schloss Marbach on Lake Constance (Germany) from 17 to 20 October, thirteen lab workers investigated the question of “Eros and resonance – What promotes bonding”.

Gerhard Stübe, executive director of Kongresskultur Bregenz and leading partner of micelab:bodensee, the training platform for event organisers, said the following by way of introduction: “In the research modules we explore, in interdisciplinary fashion, how we can design events to be full of life. Our theory is that every event is a social microcosm and reflects how people live, learn, communicate and interact.”

In order to approach the question from a variety of angles, the initiators of micelab:bodensee invited three catalysers to come into the lab: the resonance and motivation researcher Wolfgang Endres, the musical appreciation facilitator and freelance artist Johannes Voit as well as the learnscape developer and personal trainer Chris Schorpp.

Resonance boosters versus resonance killers

By means of input and a range of interactive exercises, the invited experts showed the explorers how resonances are to be perceived. They became aware, in the process, of various resonance promoters and also resonance killers. For example, the attitude one has inside, the stance one takes up in a conversation, learning situations, the physical setting, processes etc. can allow and strengthen resonances (eros), but also inhibit them.

“Resonance isn’t an esoteric process but a manifestation of living relationships,” explained Tina Gadow, event dramaturge and curator of micelab:bodensee. “When the spark is transmitted, when something touches us, we are in resonance and something new can come into being. If there’s a desire to keep going with it, then eros is involved too.”

Resonance feeds vitality

The importance of archaic rhythms was demonstrated by learnscape developer Chris Schorpp. “Humans, as part of nature, are dependent on natural daily rhythms; their learning processes are, too,” Schorpp noted. The natural succession of phases of inspiration, activity, relaxation, reflection, etc. generates resonance and promotes the embedding of experience. As a rule, only three of the eight learning phases derived from nature are to be encountered at congresses, incentives and events, which causes a weakening of resonance.

Schorpp gave the explorers practical exercises in natural surroundings to sharpen their senses and get them to trust them. In this fashion, people can enter into resonance and thereby – applied to the MICE industry – they can appeal to the senses of other people and maximise the benefit of what has been learned.

How resonance can be boosted was illustrated by resonance researcher Wolfgang Endres, By way of example, he briefly projected a puzzle; at first nobody could solve it. “The motivation grows when a need is strengthened.“ Listeners pay full attention to the speaker – are in resonance – until a solution for the puzzle has been found. Since groups tend to comprise different types of learners, Endres advocated that events should utilise different resonance channels.

The need to open our ears

Musical appreciation facilitator Johannes Voit demonstrated to the explorers just how important an open, unbiased attitude is when it comes to listening. “That’s when resonance is possible even if at the end of the day you don’t like a particular piece of music,” says Voit. Fixed ideas are consequently resonance killers, the explorers discovered. Precisely the same thing applies to relationships with customers and business partners.

Resonance is also inhibited by lack of time and leisure, by anticipating results and by thinking in the categories of Right or Wrong. As Wolfgang Endres stressed, “In resonance relationships there are neither winners nor losers.” Negative evaluations generally trigger resistance and the person one is interacting with withdraws into inner exile.

More information at: www.micelab-bodensee.com.

(pzwei)

Drawings: micelab:bodensee/Jaron Gyger