Hi All, Does anybody attended ISABS' Basic Human Lab? It would be great if someone can share their experience in the lab, its benefits, etc. Thanks a lot in advance! Manish
From India, Nagpur
Acknowledge(0)
Amend(0)
17From India, Nagpur
Acknowledge(0)Amend(0)
Hi Manish,
Like many other like-minded people, I have attended the Barkha event of ISABS at Karjat. I must admit that it was not a very nice feeling, especially because, whether Advanced Lab people or Basic Lab people, we all were royally fooled that we would be given feedback after the session.
We are still awaiting that. The organizers, at one point, had been true to their purpose of having such a Human Lab, which managed to lure many, but now the entire picture is so miffed and bleak that it is thoroughly commercialized.
The facilitators try their level best to show their expertise with behavioral skills and understanding human psyche, but in vain. They are very rude, curt, and blunt to an extent that most of the lab participants who are in touch with one another are facing worse issues and are in an identity crisis.
I ardently wish that this whole concept becomes more serious and the facilitators like Shreedhar, Sanjeev, Rashmi, Vignesh, and the like understand the pain that others undergo because of their so-called social cause.
Rather than spending the money collected from the participants on booze and getting drunk at such an event, it would have been better if a little bit could have been done in the understanding of issues.
If you are mature enough to gauge the intensity of your own problems and sort them out yourself, then you seriously do not need ISABS. Rest... you know better.
Aabha.
From India, Mumbai
Acknowledge(0)Amend(0)
Like many other like-minded people, I have attended the Barkha event of ISABS at Karjat. I must admit that it was not a very nice feeling, especially because, whether Advanced Lab people or Basic Lab people, we all were royally fooled that we would be given feedback after the session.
We are still awaiting that. The organizers, at one point, had been true to their purpose of having such a Human Lab, which managed to lure many, but now the entire picture is so miffed and bleak that it is thoroughly commercialized.
The facilitators try their level best to show their expertise with behavioral skills and understanding human psyche, but in vain. They are very rude, curt, and blunt to an extent that most of the lab participants who are in touch with one another are facing worse issues and are in an identity crisis.
I ardently wish that this whole concept becomes more serious and the facilitators like Shreedhar, Sanjeev, Rashmi, Vignesh, and the like understand the pain that others undergo because of their so-called social cause.
Rather than spending the money collected from the participants on booze and getting drunk at such an event, it would have been better if a little bit could have been done in the understanding of issues.
If you are mature enough to gauge the intensity of your own problems and sort them out yourself, then you seriously do not need ISABS. Rest... you know better.
Aabha.
From India, Mumbai
Acknowledge(0)Amend(0)
hi Aabha, WOuld you recommend ny other similar course... I’m new to OB but would like to get some certification or some degree. Vishant.
From India, Delhi
Acknowledge(0)Amend(0)
From India, Delhi
Acknowledge(0)Amend(0)
Thanks a lot for your encouraging reply! If we do not go with any purpose or intention, then how do we make a decision to participate in Human Lab? And why? Could you please elaborate on your experience to know more about what EXACTLY Human Labs are?
Regards,
Manish
From India, Nagpur
Acknowledge(0)Amend(0)
Regards,
Manish
From India, Nagpur
Acknowledge(0)Amend(0)
Dear Manish,
I understand where you are coming from. How does one decide on ISABS, since there are so many similar organizations out there that focus on similar aspects? One of the key reasons informing my decision to do the ISABS basic lab was my preparedness for change. This may be a tricky thing to do, especially when we are constantly bombarded with information that we need to change. I asked myself, do I want to change, and change may be a really difficult process. I am still struggling, even though I had an extremely positive experience. Another aspect that is unique about ISABS labs is that there is no remuneration for the facilitators; they do it absolutely free. I think only their travel costs are reimbursed. The fee is modest, and ISABS events happen in beautiful locations, most of which are expensive. The one that I attended was in South Goa, in a beach resort. Staying there is quite expensive, but we were given the best facilities possible. So there is no profit-making.
There is no definitive answer for how to make a decision; you just take it. You do not think about how to blink; you just blink. As for the why part, you can consider asking yourself, why am I asking for other people's reactions and experiences? We do not ask if anyone has experienced eating chocolate. They cannot describe it; we have to experience it ourselves. Only then can we get to know the complex taste of chocolate. Still, I would share my experience below.
My Experience with ISABS
To describe my experience, I would say that during the ISABS lab, we all lived in the present moment. There is a tendency to talk about the past. You know, what a bad/good/fantastic/abusive childhood/adolescence we had, how we are self-made, and blah-blah-blah, but we do not focus on what is happening with us in the present. ISABS helps us focus on the present. For instance, I am responding to your query because I feel the need to share and to obviously show that I had a good experience. There is a need to prove a point—in this case, that ISABS is about a good experience if you go through it with the right attitude. Now before ISABS, I would have said lofty things like—I am writing because I want to contribute to the general good, that I want to help people live their lives better, and that there is a higher objective involved. I would have hidden my own feelings of sharing, of inclusion, of proving something. You see, after ISABS, we feel courageous enough to share our own feelings. We become prepared for the consequences also. So I know that after this long reply, there is an inherent danger that you will be so put off that you may think 'To hell with ISABS, and to hell with change. How can people think in such complicated ways?' and I may think 'Oh Gosh!! I have lost a reader and a person with whom there was a possibility of a dialogue.' But these are the consequences I am prepared to face.
Changes After ISABS
Another thing that I changed in myself was the following. Before ISABS, I used to react a lot. You know, like if a friend/family member has been publicly rude to me, I would reply back, shout, or not talk to him/her for a long, long time. After ISABS, I realized that people have a right to feel/do what they do. What matters most is how I change the situation. I can be more observant of my feelings and behavior. Also, how can I express my feelings rather than reacting? So if my friend is rude and I shout back or not talk to him/her forever, I am reacting rather than expressing my feelings. What I do now is—I tell my friend, you are behaving rudely, that makes me sad, and I am hurt. The immediate effect is that my friend comes in touch with my feelings rather than my reaction of shouting back or going into a shell. S/he is able to empathize more and hence deal with it. Mostly now it happens that my friends first get a jolt, then an awe, and then comes a sorry. The reaction is not exceptional, but neither does it happen most of the time. But I feel good after sharing what I feel. I know it is difficult. I took some time to make this demarcation and do these kinds of things, but I have started. And believe me, starting is better than not starting at all.
Like Abha had shared, I haven't received feedback even after a month from ISABS. We were told that it would be sent in 15 days. But I do not complain because the feedback is what other people saw in me. What I have seen in myself is much more valid and important. The facilitators are also extremely busy people. Most of them head their organizations or are even working for many at the same time. Plus, each of them has their personal lives also. I have been in touch with my facilitator, and he was extremely busy to even respond to calls. If you have any other questions, do drop in an email on my Gmail ID since I am not very regular on this site. It's the same as the username here.
Regards,
Nisha
From India, New Delhi
Acknowledge(1)Amend(0)
I understand where you are coming from. How does one decide on ISABS, since there are so many similar organizations out there that focus on similar aspects? One of the key reasons informing my decision to do the ISABS basic lab was my preparedness for change. This may be a tricky thing to do, especially when we are constantly bombarded with information that we need to change. I asked myself, do I want to change, and change may be a really difficult process. I am still struggling, even though I had an extremely positive experience. Another aspect that is unique about ISABS labs is that there is no remuneration for the facilitators; they do it absolutely free. I think only their travel costs are reimbursed. The fee is modest, and ISABS events happen in beautiful locations, most of which are expensive. The one that I attended was in South Goa, in a beach resort. Staying there is quite expensive, but we were given the best facilities possible. So there is no profit-making.
There is no definitive answer for how to make a decision; you just take it. You do not think about how to blink; you just blink. As for the why part, you can consider asking yourself, why am I asking for other people's reactions and experiences? We do not ask if anyone has experienced eating chocolate. They cannot describe it; we have to experience it ourselves. Only then can we get to know the complex taste of chocolate. Still, I would share my experience below.
My Experience with ISABS
To describe my experience, I would say that during the ISABS lab, we all lived in the present moment. There is a tendency to talk about the past. You know, what a bad/good/fantastic/abusive childhood/adolescence we had, how we are self-made, and blah-blah-blah, but we do not focus on what is happening with us in the present. ISABS helps us focus on the present. For instance, I am responding to your query because I feel the need to share and to obviously show that I had a good experience. There is a need to prove a point—in this case, that ISABS is about a good experience if you go through it with the right attitude. Now before ISABS, I would have said lofty things like—I am writing because I want to contribute to the general good, that I want to help people live their lives better, and that there is a higher objective involved. I would have hidden my own feelings of sharing, of inclusion, of proving something. You see, after ISABS, we feel courageous enough to share our own feelings. We become prepared for the consequences also. So I know that after this long reply, there is an inherent danger that you will be so put off that you may think 'To hell with ISABS, and to hell with change. How can people think in such complicated ways?' and I may think 'Oh Gosh!! I have lost a reader and a person with whom there was a possibility of a dialogue.' But these are the consequences I am prepared to face.
Changes After ISABS
Another thing that I changed in myself was the following. Before ISABS, I used to react a lot. You know, like if a friend/family member has been publicly rude to me, I would reply back, shout, or not talk to him/her for a long, long time. After ISABS, I realized that people have a right to feel/do what they do. What matters most is how I change the situation. I can be more observant of my feelings and behavior. Also, how can I express my feelings rather than reacting? So if my friend is rude and I shout back or not talk to him/her forever, I am reacting rather than expressing my feelings. What I do now is—I tell my friend, you are behaving rudely, that makes me sad, and I am hurt. The immediate effect is that my friend comes in touch with my feelings rather than my reaction of shouting back or going into a shell. S/he is able to empathize more and hence deal with it. Mostly now it happens that my friends first get a jolt, then an awe, and then comes a sorry. The reaction is not exceptional, but neither does it happen most of the time. But I feel good after sharing what I feel. I know it is difficult. I took some time to make this demarcation and do these kinds of things, but I have started. And believe me, starting is better than not starting at all.
Like Abha had shared, I haven't received feedback even after a month from ISABS. We were told that it would be sent in 15 days. But I do not complain because the feedback is what other people saw in me. What I have seen in myself is much more valid and important. The facilitators are also extremely busy people. Most of them head their organizations or are even working for many at the same time. Plus, each of them has their personal lives also. I have been in touch with my facilitator, and he was extremely busy to even respond to calls. If you have any other questions, do drop in an email on my Gmail ID since I am not very regular on this site. It's the same as the username here.
Regards,
Nisha
From India, New Delhi
Acknowledge(1)Amend(0)
If I had to give you a few reasons why you should not consider going to ISABS, here they are:
1. Facilitators are not well-trained to handle people with appreciative inquiry; instead, they are rude in the name of being authentic or straightforward.
2. ISABS is a place where you will find people yelling at each other, and facilitators seem to enjoy this process.
3. Facilitators use derogatory language, such as "tumhara demag kharab hai kya," "tum kitne dikhawa karte ho," "what the fuck," "You are dumb," etc., and some sentences that are too inappropriate to mention here.
4. The facilitators are either not paid or are paid peanuts, so the seriousness is lacking.
For any transformation to happen, people need a change in safe spaces. Instead of spending your money at ISABS, consider hiring a good coach or participating in a transformation program in group settings.
From India, Pune
Acknowledge(0)Amend(0)
1. Facilitators are not well-trained to handle people with appreciative inquiry; instead, they are rude in the name of being authentic or straightforward.
2. ISABS is a place where you will find people yelling at each other, and facilitators seem to enjoy this process.
3. Facilitators use derogatory language, such as "tumhara demag kharab hai kya," "tum kitne dikhawa karte ho," "what the fuck," "You are dumb," etc., and some sentences that are too inappropriate to mention here.
4. The facilitators are either not paid or are paid peanuts, so the seriousness is lacking.
For any transformation to happen, people need a change in safe spaces. Instead of spending your money at ISABS, consider hiring a good coach or participating in a transformation program in group settings.
From India, Pune
Acknowledge(0)Amend(0)CiteHR is an AI-augmented HR knowledge and collaboration platform, enabling HR professionals to solve real-world challenges, validate decisions, and stay ahead through collective intelligence and machine-enhanced guidance. Join Our Platform.
HUMAN RESOURCES BASIC.ppt