Positive space invaders

[Chris Corrigan]

Michelle Cooper wrote:

> <snip>
>
> My most recent experience was that one group was meeting about a conflicted
> issue. They decided that they would stay on this issue all day (a merger of
> two organizations) so that it could be "resolved".  At noon time, some
> participants came to me to say they thought that their meeting needed to be
> facilitated in order to move the process forward. I did not do that and
> explained why.  There were still many other topics and discussions happening
> and Imy role was to hold space for the entire meeting.  Instead, talked with
> them about their concern....had that been raised in the group?  (It hadn't
> been).  Suggested that that was a good starting point.  I encouraged them to
> look within themselves to resolve the issue.  If they could not move forward
> and did not feel there was anything more they could contribute or learn,
> they could use the law of two feet.  Their conclusions or recommendations
> might include the use of a facilitator for next steps.  They regrouped after
> lunch and did just that....left part of the group to  work through where
> they were stuck and others went on to join different sessions.

>
> <snip>

One of the disciplines of working in Open Space that I really enjoy is
constantly turning responsibility back to the participants.  I like to use
questions to do this as well, figuring out ways to shock the consciousness into
embracing the freedom that is inherent in the Space.  I take it this is a little
like what Buddhist teachers do to their students with koans (although I know
little of this practice).

It has occurred to me that Open Space offers people genuine freedom, the likes
of which we have generally come not to expect, especially in work places.
People say they want freedom, but I think what most people actually want is
control -- control over their own lives -- which they equate with freedom.  I
think being free is the opposite of being in control --  it's being out of
control and embracing this.  The reason is that I think that control is always
self-reinforcing.  If you are in control, you are also controlled. If the woman
in your case had asked you to come in a facilitate, she would have been able to
control the process and ooutcome of the group (through you), but she would have
been in much more serious trouble.  She would have been controlled by her need
to surrender authority.

It goes to what Harrison said about positive space invaders -- if you do it for
people, they will never know if they could have done it for themselves.  There
is no freedom there, only a prison.

So freedom takes some getting used to, especially if you're experiencing it for
the first time.  I think one of our jobs as OS facilitators is to help people
discover that they really are free, and that's an exilherating place to be.
Exilherating like sitting on top of a cliff.  Scary too.  We don't want to march
them up to the edge and say "sit here, experience freedom."  Rather, I think we
occiasionally need to equip people with tools to access their inner desire to be
there.

Sounds like that's what you did there, Michelle.

Chris



--
CHRIS CORRIGAN
108-1035 Pacific Street
Vancouver BC
V6E 4G7

Phone: 604.683.3080
Fax: 604.683-3036