Participation in Environmental Management Systems

[Barry Owen]

Greetings folks . . . I am passing along a message from Dr. Holger Nauheimer in
Berlin. If you have ideas and/or case studies for him, please email him
directly.

Dr. Nauheimer, I am forwarding your message to the "OSLIST" which is a group of
about 145 Open Space practitioners around the globe. Else, I suggest that you
visit http://www.tmn.com/openspace/ (I am assuming you found my email address
from my site referenced in my signature block) . . . and you might wish to
contact Michael Pannwitz "mmpanne at berlin.snafu.de" who is doing much Open Space
work in your area.

Please email me if I can be of further assistance.

Be well,

Barry Owen

h.nauheimer wrote:

> I am planning a research on methods for improving employee participation in
> environmental and quality management, with focus on Open Space Technology.
>
> I am looking for case studies from (small and) medium enterprises, let's
> say 50 - 500 employees.
>
> Can you help me with case studies?
>
> Thanks in advance,
> Dr. Holger Nauheimer
> Training - Coaching - Consulting
> Freisinger Str. 10A
> 10781 Berlin
>
> Tel.: +49-30-2134728
>
> Toolbook for Change Management: http://www.snafu.de/~h.nauheimer



--
Barry Owen
The Owen Group
5518 Kendall Drive
Nashville, TN, 37209
Phone: 615-356-2888
Fax: 615-327-3248

The Global Open Space Institute Website
"http://www.geocities.com/athens/oracle/9215"

Simply living the FourFold Way in Open Space

>From  Mon Mar  1 09:53:15 1999
Message-Id: <MON.1.MAR.1999.095315.0500.>
Date: Mon, 1 Mar 1999 09:53:15 -0500
Reply-To: eewing at inforamp.net
To: OSLIST <OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
From: Esther Ewing <eewing at inforamp.net>
Subject: Re: Open Space Facilitators
In-Reply-To: <01BE634E.C898AB40 at port227.hm.interlynx.net>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit

I was really "captured" by this discussion because it doesn't just apply to facilitating in Open Space but also in other occasions when I have acted as consultant. I have found the antidote to my own pride and ego getting in the way is to remember that when someone asks me a question or tries to get me to give answers is to ask powerful questions.

A recent case in point: I was asked at a training session about whether you should fire the boss when on of their staff has come to you above the boss' head and given you the ultimatum of "it's the boss or it's me". The question was asked by the president of the company in front of all of his senior executive team. My first urge was to give an answer. The more powerful response is to ask the question, "What kind of people do you want to grow and nurture in your organisation. I can't tell you what to do but I can suggest that an ultimatum usually only gives you two choices. That is very limiting. What could you do to broaden the choices available to you in this situation?"

I couldn't possibly have the insight and perception needed to make that decision in that situation but I can broaden their thinking by asking questions. It seems to me that is the tremendous gift that an outsider/facilitator/consultant can bring to the client.

I now try to remember that when a client wants an answer from me, it is like candy. It may satisfy in the moment but will not have lasting nutritional value! But if I can muse together with the client about what the considerations of the issue may be, then I have added to his/her toolkit of ways to look at the problem which is far more long-lasting. Smacks of teaching someone to fish!

And, I never go into a client situation without praying that God will make me an instrument of peace, like Saint Francis. Seeing myself as an instrument puts me in the proper humble place rather than one who knows all the answers.

Comments, anyone?

Esther



-----Original Message-----
From:   OSLIST [SMTP:coopgrp at interlynx.net] On Behalf Of Michelle Cooper
Sent:   Sunday, February 28, 1999 6:59 PM
To:     'OSLISTSERVE'
Subject:        Re: Open Space Facilitators

I found the discussion on whether open space facilitators should convene a session very interesting.  My professional education is as a Registered Nurse and as such I, as Joe suggested, am held to a professional code of ethics and behaviors when I facilitate an event that may be different or more stringent than those from other professions.  The ethical code that I must consider is whether my actions cross the boundaries of the nurse-client relationship (facilitator-client relationship).  There is not a hard and fast rule about what that boundary is.

Most of my facilitation in open space and other forms is with groups that include my profession and on subjects for which I have great passion.  Therefore, whenever I feel the urge to contribute, I ask myself “Whose needs are being served by my action.”  In reflecting on that question, I often decide that it is my own need to share my “expertise” or my ego that is driving the want to host a session or intervene.  I have also decided on some occasions that my intervention with process e.g. showing how to do something “right” actually contradicts the message that I give them initially “the wisdom is in this room to solve the problem, issue etc.” By doing something or intervening would have actually disempowered them.

I agree with Harrison, my most difficult moments have been sitting on my hands and saying nothing when every fiber of my being wished to “fix it”, and particularly hard when my professional career was built on “making it better”.  However, I was thankful after the fact, for the wisdom and restraint not to do, just to be.

I have also found, as Larry indicated, that at any time that I have been engaged by participants in a group discussion about a topic, that guru syndrome seems to apply (An  expert is someone who lives 30 miles away and has slides!!) If I say something, it becomes truth.

Now that is not to say that there is not occasion for therapeutic use of self in a situation or an appropriate contribution that can be made by the facilitator.  I just think that it takes a huge amount of finesse and skill to keep the space safe and open.  At this point in my experience as a facilitator, it takes so much energy for me to hold space, I too have taken to just focussing on holding space and praying lots!

What I have done is to take observations e.g. skill gaps, and include them somehow as recommendations as part of a summary report.  This helps me to meet my need to improve the skills of the group a.k.a. make it better, but leaves it to the group to decide that is what they need too.

Kind regards
Michelle

Michelle Cooper
The Cooper Group Consultants
200 Crestview  Avenue
Ancaster, Ontario
Canada L9G1E2
Telephone -     (905) 648- 4633
Fax -           (905) 648-1763
E-mail          coopgrp at interlynx.net