Let's get Philosophical!

After the success of a number of pilot schemes, Contour Housing Group has launched a new business service known as Very Philosophical.

Very Philosophical uses ‘enquiring discussion’ to question, challenge and change community and business environments and as Sam Cooper from Contour Housing Group explains, getting philosophical has incredible results.

“The concept of philosophy may be associated with the ancient Greeks but its still alive and well right here in the North West,” he said.

“It’s not difficult and the fact that we have worked very successfully with primary school aged children is testament to that. It’s actually really good fun and essentially is just a new method of getting people talking to each other - but in a different way.”

Already philosophical enquiry has been used by Contour Housing Group to great effect. It brings a 'community' of people together by taking part in discussion groups. During the discussions, open-ended questions are used to think about and reflect on key issues. By bringing together these discussion groups participants can discover new ways to listen to each other, demonstrate their reasoning, build relationships and break down barriers.

Contour has used the technique within its own business. Team meetings now use philosophical enquiry techniques not just as a method of brainstroming new ideas and solving business challenges – but also as team building exercises.

In the community, philosohpical enquiry has crossed both cultural and inter-generational divides. For example, when Contour was challenged with encouraging teenagers and older people to have more understanding of each other in Rochdale 84% of teenagers and 100% of adults who took part said the philosophical enquiry sessions had made them more accepting of people from different age groups.

In Oldham sessions designed to encourage understanding between the British and Asian communities had equally successful results and also resulted in Contour Housing Group winning an award for its pioneering work.

“Any business, organisation or community group looking for an effective and successful way to talk to any audience be they employees, customers, suppliers, residents or the general public will find getting philosophical can have great results,” said Sam.

“Go to www.veryphilosophical.com to find out more about philosophical enquiry, book on a course or even become a philosophical mentor yourself. You may never look at the world in the same way again.”

For more information visit www.veryphilosophical.com or telephone 0161 875 8132.