Space Invaders? (Sensitivity & Inclusion)

[John Dicus]

Dear Julie,

Thank you.  For two reasons.

First, the initial messages did cause a bit if anger to stir in me, and
I'll own that.  And this was my involuntary reaction (though I don't mean
to direct it at anyone but myself):  Talk of caution, how love needed to
overcome (like nobody would realize that?), and opportunities to open space
seemed to diminish the atrocities that people were experiencing first hand,
in real time.  Although I know I would never act in such a way if presented
the opportunity, the phrase "nuke 'em" came close.  I've already expressed
as passively as I could muster how unbelievably heinous I consider these
attacks on humanity -- especially having knowledge of the technological
choices they made.  I wanted to say something but couldn't for a few days.
I had to wait until the rest of me was sufficiently present again.  The
part where the love resides.  And I guess the assumption that our leaders
had their fingers on the trigger with no capacity for reason and compassion
was unreasonable to me.  And I felt a sense of arrogance in the assumption
that they would botch things for sure if they weren't harnessed or quickly
informed.

That's where I was, so thank you very much for asking us that.

And the second -- this inclusion/exclusion thing is not easy.  At least for
me.

I cannot easily express how I would decide to take action with respect to a
space invader.  Or when I would let the larger group handle it.  I would
know, I believe, but am not sure how.  It might have to do with perceived
harm to the greater good.  It might have to do with the level of community
and degree of group development (which requires time spent together).  And
iIt's hard to be clean such that you're not reacting to your own stuff.
I've seen people bothered when they thought I should have done something
and I didn't.

Perhaps others have more concrete examples from experience?

What if I act too soon?  What if I don't act at all?  In the largest view,
you might say that one should never do anything but just "be there."  Both
extremes can harm, I think.  A fixed response won't work.  It's always a
balancing act of sensing -- balancing the urge to run from trouble with the
urge to fix something.

If someone showed up at the front door to my home with obvious intent to do
harm, I would take action. I wouldn't say, "Oh well, let's just see what
emerges."  I believe there's organizational, societal, and OS equivalents
of this home/harm scenario.

In all honesty, I have never taken major action against an OS space
invader.  A few times I was sorely tempted.  I've gone outside and counted
to 100 (once to 1000).  But usually I try to suggest ways for that person
to mix their beliefs and intentions back into the group and allow the
dynamics of group ownership to take care off things.  A truly inclusive
environment will cover a lot of stuff.  Just give space to the notion that
it won't always work that way, and that some "intervention" might be called
for.

l've seen situations where it felt like there was some poison retarding
growth.  I've seen people tread on the verge of obnoxiousness.  It's hard
to know what people are fighting inside and whether or not patience will
help them.  And it's just as hard to know when they are putting others at
risk.  Every time I act or don't act, I know I've shifted the field.  And
maybe that's okay.  Where does it say that the facilitator is separate from
the whole and that his/her actions are not part of the dynamic?

Anyone of us...  with respect to taking responsible action in the world...
what would you do if you woke up tomorrow morning as the person in charge
of this current global conundrum?  What if all eyes were on you?  What if
you had the responsibility to consider all values?  What if you didn't have
the luxury to be the third party prodder -- or the eavesdropper?  What if
you were the one to act -- or not?  A World Leader OS at Camp David would
be cool.  Even give the suspected bad guys immunity while attending.  But,
failing that, what would any one of us do if we had the baton?

All I know is that there has to be a practical limit beyond which one
person's freedom cannot be allowed to significantly diminish the freedom
(and safety) of others.  This is a conversation that's been going on for
thousands of years.

A final note, don't fear exclusion.  I know that's easy to say -- for I
fear it myself.  The way you unveil your inner strength and beauty through
your writing says to me that you are inclusive and included.  Those that
threaten the well-being of others are the ones who should fear exclusion.

Thanks,

John Dicus

--
John Dicus  |  CornerStone Consulting Associates
- Leadership - Systems Thinking - Teamwork - Open Space - Electric Maze -
2761 Stiegler Road, Valley City, OH 44280
800-773-8017  |  330-725-2728 (2729 fax)
mailto:jdicus at ourfuture.com  |  http://www.ourfuture.com

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