Gray Area: Social Emotional Learning Workshops

What we call the “Gray Area” is an area of space and time where people come together, without specific structure, to engage in community activities and interactions. The most important and productive interpersonal interactions often take place within the Gray Area, rather than in a structured environment. Therefore, it is a place where the strength and productivity of a community depends entirely on the social and emotional literacy, as well as aptitude of its leaders and citizens. 

The idea is to identify and clarify the uses of less structured time between organized activities, those periods of time we might otherwise consider “off” time or downtime, where no “subject” is explicitly taught. This is an opportunity for readjustment, one that realigns mentors with spaces of genuine learning. When mentors instead aim to constantly observe, recognize, and incorporate positive dialogue into this area, they can maximize the potential for learning in each second spent in and out of either the classroom or the work environment. By reinterpreting the Gray Area as both a practice field for growth and an arena full of teachable moments, we learn to recognize new opportunities and become more effective as educators, mentors, managers and leaders.

Just like in any other subject or skill, the “equation” or method for success has to be learned and practiced. The equation is as follows:

Workshops In the Schools

Though less apparent in the constraints of a traditional classroom, the “Gray Area” is present. Educators thus often operate at an interpersonal deficit: even while the primary material is covered, subtle opportunities to interact with students and guide their development with peers may go undetected. As we reorient ourselves toward “Gray Area” opportunities, our freshly critical eyes help us to catalogue all kinds of new chances to build up our communities, inspire volunteerism, and teach leadership to our students and peers. At first, awakening to previously missed opportunities might douse us with frustration. However, as proficiency develops into expertise, a mentor’s knowledge of the “Gray Area” becomes a positive feedback loop: the more astute we are in noticing and working within it, the more “Gray Area” we get to work with. Ultimately, “Gray Area” becomes not the filling between hours of instruction, but a rich source of educational material we can create.

Workshops at the Office

Employees are the backbone of any organization. Yet most businesses don’t spend enough time or energy on interpersonal dynamics.  What we call the “Gray Area” are places within an organization that don’t have structure but are vital to their productivity. During the workshop we focus on providing a number of real solutions that help employees, managers and mentors reconnect in an authentic way. Through extensive research we know now that leadership, building community, healthy relationships and self- awareness are vital to the health of any organization. What we also know is that these areas of growth are most present in the “Gray Area”. The “Gray Area” workshop helps to truly identify the strengths and weaknesses of your organization and help’s create a blueprint for success.

Interested in the Gray Area Workshop for your school or office?