SALT: where does it begin and where does it end?

[Phil]

Recently, I had a discussion with Lawan about how we should introduce the idea of SALT. It is easy to see SALT as a set of steps. First we support,
then we appreciate, then we learn and then we transfer (or something like
that). 

What we decided was that the letters don't represent separate
activities. So you don't have to listen and then appreciate. You are
appreciating as you listen. And then as you transfer, you are automatically
learning because you are listening and so on. 

Today Lawan wrote in response to Chandra’s blog that for her SALT began with listening:

When you "Listen" you are also showing your "Appreciation" by paying your "Attention" to the speaker which can give a very good "Support" to the speaker to feel more confidence that their story is interesting enough to be able to catch the attention of the listeners.

While "Listening", you probably also have some questions and by "Asking" questions to clarify your understanding and to be able to "Share" your ideas and your experiences to contribute to the discussion can also "Stimulate" the speaker to "Talk" and to "Share"
more...... "from the heart" when they feel "Trustable" and comfortable from a safety environment that you have just created with all the elements in "SALT" that you've just used during the discussion. Fromthis environment, both you and the speaker will be able to "Learn" from each other from your both "Sharing". Then from this"Learning", you both will be able to "Transfer" what you have "Learn" to your own communities/contexts or even be "Transformed" by "Learning" during the discussion with both sides of "Listening" and "Sharing". And hopefully, the "Learning" by "Listening" to someone's story together with "Sharing" yours ideas and experiences may leads to some "Actions" to response to the issue that you've discussed as well.

And I think this is a beautiful exploration of SALT showing how all of the pieces blend together into one way of looking at the world.

I have tried do something similar to explore how I saw SALT and this is what I found. I
start with Learn.

If I am going to learn from the experience of others, then I have to listen carefully. And when I listen carefully to an individual or a group, I show that I appreciate their achievements. And when I appreciate theirachievements, they feel supported and so continue with their actions and they are stimulated to do more. And as I listen and learn, it is natural for me to share what I have learned from my own experiences and from those of others. And as I learn-and-share, I transfer.

I would be very interested to see how others link together the different elements of SALT.

Perhaps there will be common themes or perhaps there will be great diversity.

Phil

[Lawan Vejapikul]

Thank you Phil for sharing your version of SALT. I like it and I think it is very clear and visible!!!

It makes sense to me to start from "LEARN" according to the main objective of SALT Visit is "To Learn" from Local Responses. Your version of SALT is like the model that Dusit used to mentioned; "LAST" : )

[chandra nurhasz]

Thank you Phill for this awesome discussion.
I quiet similar with Lawan. I started with Listen. Sometime Listening is not usual bussiness for some of us here. So Listen could become an entry point to get in to this new life style. From listening, I could Learn a lot of things. In the same time, our partners feel being Appreciated.

[Laurence Gilliot]

When I go for a SALT visit, my focus is on 'connecting on a human level' or connecting with the heart. This is also what inspires me to practice SALT, it is 'feeling our common humanity'. When I arrive in the community, I want to connect with people, sit next to them quietly, maybe holding hands, smile, play with their children, remind them that they are beautiful.
To connect deeper, I can express my feelings.

So, I am not so interested in the technical aspects of the community but more in what is alive in people, what are our common concerns and sources of joy and especially their wisdom about life.

I agree with Phil and Lawan's description of SALT. I think I would focus on Love and Connection (but C is not part of SALT ;-) )
"If I show Love and Appreciation for people, they will Trust me and Love themselves more. This Stimulates them to Take care of themselves and to Act."

Laurence

[Phil]

I like very much the idea that when people love themselves... then they will desire to take care of themselves...then will recognise that they can take care of themselves....and so they act.
I had not seen that link so clearly before. It is good.
Phil

[Elvis Simamvwa]

What we struggle with in conversations is 'presence' and while practicing SALT,I have been suprised by what develops when we are 'present' and conviced that,this 'moment' is life.

[Phil]

Elvis, thank you for that idea. Does 'presence' have the sense of being tuned in to all that is going on around you....so that you notice more, feel more and so are able to respond more effectively to what is going on?
Phil

[Elvis Simamvwa]

Yes Phil, it is really about being into that 'moment' and acknowledging the moment as 'life'.

[Emmanuel Mwale]

Dear Phil,

This is fascinating,There is no time S.A.L.T stops its operations as you have analyzed above. In Malawi we are trying as much to make sure that S.A..L.T is as successful as itsa concept which much you have written above. it has also been also applied here to build a team in our capital city under what we call Faith based facilitation. but maybe the confusion was many dd not know that tyhe above are much linkable and can mean a lot if a well applied

[Phil]

Emmanuel,
As you say, all of the ideas link together in so many ways. At first, this was confusing and puzzling to me. And then I began to see that this complex linkage is what gives the approach its power.
Phil

[Rituu B. Nanda]

Dear Phil,

SALT begins for me when I go to learn in the community, and then I listen . When I listen, I learn. Thereafter I appreciate the community strengths. Therefore, I provide support, link and eventually transfer. One element of SALT which we often forget as facilitators is to share, not as experts but human to human sharing of experiences. This encourages the community to talk and share even more.

Rituu

[Phil]

Thank you Rituu.
Perhaps I can ask a question. What happens as you go from listen to learn? That intrigues me.
Phil

[Elvis Simamvwa]

Ultimately, we radiate that which we have lean't in life. The way we interact with others and/or act.