A case for training.Revised

[Birgitt Bolton]

Harrison,
When Michelle speaks of our area she is referring directly to one
city--Hamilton. I suspect when you say we have had successes in our area you
might be thinking of the province of  Ontario, where several good people are
doing Open Space. Michelle and Jody and I and others continue to struggle
with the very, very bad rep that Open Space has gotten in Hamilton which is
very small town in mentality and where everyone seems to know everyone who
knows everyone. It is clearly a case of the success of bad reputation,
undeserved, created by people who do their version of modified Open Space,
table groupings and all. And despite good reputations of some of the rest of
us outside of this city, we can't break through this mindset, despite
attempts over a three year period. Unless of course we just don't  know of
some positive stories that you may be aware of, and if so, please let us
know. Just over three years ago, the first of these modified Open Spaces was
done with significant people in the health sector. We might say, whatever
happens... this community isn't ready for the success of Open Space....and
we should resign ourselves to it. I just think it is sad.  And no, I am not
in a space that says there is only one way to do Open Space-we all give it
our own best---just that some things called Open Space are not Open Space.
Changing subjects just a bit, we have a "doctor" here in town who is
currently up on several counts of sexual abuse and fraud-he has been
practicing as a doctor for 15 years. And then was found not to be a doctor
at all. When is a doctor not a doctor and what to do about it. When is Open
Space not Open Space and what to do about it.

You are right---energies are best spent getting out into the world and doing
good Open Space-and building that wonderful reputation. And maybe if doors
are closed in one area, we should just stop knocking on them. Unless of
course we are fuelled by passion and responsibility.
Birgitt

-----Original Message-----
From:   OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of owen
Sent:   Monday, January 11, 1999 1:24 PM
To:     OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject:        Re: A case for training.Revised

>I think that both Birgitt and I have related stories of how hard it has
been
>in this region to get people to use or consider open space for an event.
>The few that have been tried have been disasters (with the exception of
>those conducted by Birgitt) , because the facilitators did not know how to
>hold space.  Unfortunately, these unsuccessful "UN-Open Space events" have
>been attended by influential people in the community, which damaged the
>reputation of open space.  Therefore, when I received an  invitation to
>attend a half-day planning meeting for the organization that I am
associated
>with, I was delighted to see that it was to be held on open space.

Thank you Michelle -- Good story... but not to worry about Open Space.
Seems to me folks pretty well figured out what they had and had not
received. It wasn't open space and they knew it. So what to do? No point in
creating a "Truth Squad"  probably wouldn't work and certainly would
require a whole mess of energy that might be better expended on Opening
more space. As for folks who get the "wrong impression" making  the use of
open space down the road more difficult, I always ask them what happened.
It usually doesn't take too long to get to the point where they recognized
that what they experienced was a lot less than they could have. If they are
still sceptical I give them the phone number of somebody in the same
business area who had a better experience. Usually works out just fine. But
in any case -- whatever happens is the only thing that could have. Or words
to that effect. Oh and one last thing -- I am not quite sure it is correct
to say that the Open Spaces conducted in your neighborhood were generally a
disaster. Seems to me that I remember quite a few that came off rather well
including those that Birgitt did as well as other folks. h.