Q & A: Amping Up the Rigor in Step One

Occasionally I get calls or emails from former workshop attendees or presenters asking for guidance about matters CRP. Here's a recent one, along with my response.

Q: In facilitating Step One, I find there’s a tendency to say nice things or even to use this part to protect the artist (the whole thing is just perfect!), with less emphasis on meaning. But I remember you and Liz saying: no detail is too small to appreciate. So I'm wondering about the role of observations, affirmations, meaning, detail...

A: Niceness and coddling are basically why Liz stopped calling Step One “Affirmations.” If responders believe that the positive spirit is an end in itself, the feedback will feel “soft,” which can get the Process off to an un-rigorous start. So I’d suggest you experiment with ways that you can describe Step One in advance that will emphasize the rigor. It is good for responders to know that the Step One task is coming, before they see the work, and you even frame it as their commission to look for something really specific that they can note. It helps to state that, indeed, nothing is too small to notice, that assessments of the work as a whole are not necessary, and that responses must be honest (while keeping in a framework of good will). Particularly if you are working with people who are just beginning to develop their critical vocabularies, it can be very helpful to ask people not to start their statements with “I loved” or “I liked,” this alone can force people to be more particular in their statements.