Meet Christine Kahane | Author | Speaker | Coach | Resultant

We had the good fortune of connecting with Christine Kahane and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Christine, what principle do you value most?
The first of our values at the Institute for UNLearning is CURIOSITY. The way we define curiosity is that it’s a state of mind and more, a state of beingness. When we are curious, it’s hard to be judgmental, fearful, disengaged, apathetic, regretful, you name it. Because curiosity commands all our senses, it has a tremendous grounding influence, and it’s asking continuously – ‘what’s it like to be you?’, ‘what is this about?’, ‘what is there to learn?’, ‘How can I incorporate this?’, ‘How can I best integrate this, and where do I fit here?’ and a myriad other questions.

Curiosity has an innate forward momentum because it moves us from a place of ‘can’t’ or ‘shouldn’t’ to a place of ‘how’ and ‘what’. Curiosity brings out the best in us, it is searching for how all things are connected. It is inherently making connections between everything it encounters. In this way it is a catalyst of positive energy.

When we stay curious, we become married to our own best answers – some of those are ones we haven’t yet considered or dreamt of – and yet, when they arrive, it’s as though we’ve known them all along. This force is life giving and life affirming.

At the Institute we say that the answers are ALWAYS, ALL WAYS, in the room. Everything you’ve ever needed to know you have at your fingertips through the action of curiosity.

What should our readers know about your business?
The Institute for UNLearning is built to work with teams and organizations so their cultures become self-evolving and can grow without resistance to change. We don’t consult with you, we offer our services so you get the results you need. So, we call ourselves Resultants, not consultants.

What sets us apart is we don’t come in with the answers for your business. We come in to create an environment where people can speak the truth about what is working best and what they would do more of, better of differently. We believe you already have all the answers you will need. Most often the reason they don’t get surfaced is because leaders don’t take the time to ask.

What also sets us apart is how we address collaborative communication. There’s so much ‘telling’ in the world, so to move to a more showing and evoking model, we use the power of questions to bring the creative genius of people to the surface. We also use communication assessments in the Five Communication Sciences to lay the groundwork for teams to understand that we all have different ways of communicating and behaving.

We use a simple five-step process for re-engaging teams that have lost their way – it’s called The UNLearning Factor. We explain how to use it for the best results with your teams in our new book: UNLEARNING! Leading Change Without Resistance.

My own journey is so unlike those marvelous people who make a plan, set goals and then just go and achieve them. I’ve taken a rather circuitous path starting my career in New York as an actress in live theatre. It taught me so much about project management. And more, it taught me about the value of being in the moment. Of not knowing where to go next but trusting that it will show up. It’s how I facilitate in a room – I come in prepared with an agenda, and then, pay attention to what’s wanting to happen. I never ignore a pulse, and dip in energy, a burst of ideas. It’s probably the single greatest strength I have – being able to let go of my way and let the room have what it needs – and that, absolutely, is what creates trust.

I want the world to know that being willing to UNLearn what you have always believed, ways you have always done things, is the first step to re-creating the world around you in ways your imagination has been waiting to for you to uncover. Imagine a world that works for every living thing. That’s our Mission … because the results you’re getting now are a result of doing it the way you’re doing it now. And nothing changes until something changes.

These are the most profound lessons I’ve learned.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
When my friends visit Colorado so much depends on the season. So, since we’re in summer, I’d take them up to Boulder to the Colorado Shakespeare Festival, and up to the Stanley hotel and Estes.
Downtown to the Larimer promenade late in the afternoon and wind up at Union Station for cocktails and bites. and then, if it’s open – Meow Wolf. The Botanic Gardens lights show, and a prowl down Sixth Avenue on the East side to scoop up treasures from the local shops and eateries. Not all in one day.
If I happen to be performing in a show at one of Denver’s live theatres when they visit – I’d invite them to come see a performance.
I’d take them to Crested Butte to see the crazy wildflower bloom, and drive over Kebler Pass to see the Aspen Grove in the West Elk mountain range. And if they feel really adventurous, down to Pagosa, or Durango – maybe out to the Sand Dunes.
And, finally, to my own backyard – by way of Leadville – my little acre of pine and aspen forest – my house in the trees, and its deck that looks out over Rosalie Peak.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Doug Krug for his genius in uncovering and evangelizing his first book, Enlightened Leadership.

Peter Senge, Joseph Jaworski – Presence (book) and Theory U.

Mark Donovan, Executive Director, Denver Basic Income Project

Suzanna Cooper, Program Development, Catalyst Coaching Institute – Catalyst 360

Zac Roeling, Family Law Attorney, YouLawCo – President of Colorado Collaborative Divorce Professionals

Website: https://instituteforunlearning.com; https://kahanecoaching.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/instituteforunlearning/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/instituteforunlearning/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheInstituteforUnlearning

Other:
My newly published book: UNLEARNING: Leading Change Without Resistance

Available Now on Amazon: https://bit.ly/UNLearning

Image Credits
headshot – Colleen Lee Photography