Lorenz Sell of Sutra.co: Transformational Teaching Online
Channel: George Kao
Date: 2021-08-14

Lorenz is the co-founder of Sutra.co, a platform designed around conversational group learning experiences online. Sutra has supported programs at the Harvard Program in Refugee Trauma, the United Nations, the Presencing Institute, as well as many other organizations and individuals.  Today, their platform is home to over 24,000 people participating in group learning experiences.  Together with his partner, he's created Transformational Teaching Online, a seven-week mentorship program that has helped hundreds of educators create online experiences that emphasize meaningful connection and deep conversation.



You can learn more about the program and register here: https://tto.sutra.co


One of the best ways to get a feel for whether this is right for you is to join one of their free upcoming webinars: https://sutra.co/get/calendar  


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In this interview, we discuss…  


The power of prototyping and how to do prototyping in a powerful way.


We’re talking about creating a transformational experience which means something that is alive


Because it’s alive, it’s going to be different with each community and body of knowledge.  There isn’t a set formula.


The best way to approach this is to bring a small group of real people together to go through a pilot experience and learn from that.


This also takes the pressure off needing to be perfect.


You create an experience that is co-created.  Participants feel like that part of making it what it is.


Prototyping helps you create something that feels authentic and real


With prototyping you can test and iterate:


If there’s interest in your offering


How to create engagement


How to shape the content


How to communicate the value of your offering and spread the word


You can prototype just by creating a landing page


You can prototype by creating a free webinar


See how many people show up and compare that to other webinars that you run


You can prototype iterations of your experience


Soft metrics vs hard metrics.


Sometimes you can’t explain exactly what you’re aiming for.  When you’re prototyping for a transformational experience, it’s hard to quantify that.  It’s more about a felt sense of the experience.  Prototyping gives you an intuitive and embodied way to sense into the next step.


Prototyping helps you create an experience that feels transformative


If you’re not sure about the value of what you’re offering or who, specifically it’s for, it can be tempting to spend a lot of time in your head about it.  The best way to find out, is to put together a simple version of what you have in mind with a small group and learn from that.


If you have a big idea and you’re not sure where you start, prototyping gives you a simple and accessible entry point


Once you have your pilot group, how do you learn from them?


Pre course registration survey


Mid course survey


Exit survey


Exit conversation


Embodied understanding


No matter how far along you are, there is always something to prototype.


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If you're interested in working with Lorenz, he has an upcoming program launching called Transformational Teaching Online.



Creating an online experience that truly touches people's lives is difficult.  Transformational experiences are part technology, part process, and part content. In person, you have people's undivided attention for entire days. Online, you're lucky if you have a few hours here and there. How do you build a container to hold a transformational process that engages people and leaves everyone truly inspired and uplifted?


In this program, you'll explore how to structure an online learning experience that generates meaningful connection and deep conversation.  You'll cover territory from technical setup to content creation and embodied facilitation online.


You can learn more about the program and register here: https://tto.sutra.co


One of the best ways to get a feel for whether this is right for you is to join one of their free upcoming webinars: https://sutra.co/get/calendar