Staying in the Room

[Don Ferretti]

Once a long time ago when the Market Place was opened for a small group of about 15, I left the room. Oh it worked out. Everyone knows it works every time. But, I had a nagging feeling that maybe the space was not fully opened, and I heard later that one person was very dominant at the beginning and then that faded and the group did what it needed to do. I will never leave the room like that again because as has been said, just the presence of the Facilitator helps to keep the space open. I will leave later just to get some air and such. I like to stick around more now and watch it happen. I love it when the sponsor takes me up on the suggestion to bring a digital camera and record the transition. It always amazes me when in those chaotic times while people are at the wall signing up for sessions (and I am busying myself with moving chairs out of their way so they can get to the wall) people of all ages and position will come up to me and start with "can we" this or that. I usually just need to nod or say a word or two because they have come with the answer and just needed to bounce that off whoever is supposed to be in charge. It has not quite sunk in yet, but it will in a few more seconds that they are in charge. As you all know, all of this happens during those moments when chaos is ordering itself into the chaord of Open Space. There are no space invaders now (the microphone disappeared) it is all taken in stride as they are all easy questions compared to the work just completed of making those posters (fresh made each time) remembering again how that space/time/matrix works, getting the circle of chairs just right and pacing it off so that when dropping the paper and pens on the floor, the whole bunch lands exactly in the................ center :-)

Don

>>> JLEShelton at aol.com 11/28/01 09:04PM >>>
My observation from OS with small groups is that the group does indeed know
what it needs (my guesses can be wrong!) and will figure out how to
self-manage.  It was fun to watch our Siberian visitors juggle posted
sessions and time constraints to make sure everyone who posted a session had
their issue discussed, by a small or larger group.

I'd like to second Jeff's belief that being in the room helps.  There is
something about having the facilitator present and non-interfering that seems
to bolster everyone's confidence.

Joelle

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