A Selfless Art

Listening seems such a quiet, gentle activity but in reality it is very powerful. Already, positioning myself as the listener makes the other responsible for speaking, for making something happen. They must respond to my question, or perhaps my silence. They may feel required to do something, to prove knowledge or competence, or even to ‘be creative’. That can be a horrible position to put someone in, as policemen know well: the interrogation is a powerful tool.

Of course, that is not my intention when I invite someone to take part in a co-creation process. I am trying to make a space where they feel safe and confident to express themselves. I have good intentions; I am not trying manipulate them, still less lead them into a confession. But how do I know how they feel about my expectation, my invitation to talk, my silence? They might experience this exchange as one-sided, uncomfortable, or worse. After all, I am the one used to these situations. I have nothing to be anxious about. Who knows what they are feeling?

As so often, my good intentions might be an obstacle, if they prevent me from asking such questions. Power is intrinsic to co-creation—who has it, how it is exercised and if it can be shared. Co-creation uses subtle and complex processes to create and redistribute power. The line between facilitation and manipulation is unstable and blurred. What I intend as (and imagine to be) a kind, warm invitation to another person to express themselves might in reality maintain me in a position of power and them in one of subservience. Even the simple act of listening reveals itself to be unexpectedly risky.