AW: On comparing OST with World Cafe processes (long) - offshoot from open space and open space technology

Tue Feb 12 07:04:07 PST 2002

hi allan,
what you write is absolutely beautiful. i would love to take part in one of
the cafe's you are describing. and that you know nancy margulies, who's book
'mapping inner space' is one of my favorites, shows the circles or spirals
we are moving in. thank you

reinhard kuchenmüller

VISUELLE PROTOKOLLE
Kuchenmueller & Dr. Stifel

Munich Germany

Tel: +49-89-202 447 48

http://www.visuelle-protokolle.de

 -----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
Von: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU]Im Auftrag von Alan
Stewart
Gesendet: Dienstag, 12. Februar 2002 12:48
An: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Betreff: Re: On comparing OST with World Cafe processes (long) - offshoot
from open space and open space technology

  Hi All

  It’s amazing, but not surprising, how the universe works or how Spirit
moves, according to one’s preferred paradigm.

  Yesterday my attention was drawn to Kenoli Oleari, first for his being
acknowledged by Tom Atlee for his assistance in updating Tom’s wondrous
website. http://www.co-intelligence.org

  And then when reading Reinhard VISUELLE PROTOKOLLE posting I realised that
I had overlooked Kenoli’s of Feb 6, 2002 about his experience with The World
Café (TWC) processes and his invitation “I'm wondering if others have had
experience with this form.”

  With his musing: “It seemed to me that a comparison with Open Space could
provide for a rich and stimulating conversation.  My interest here is in
exploration to expand our understanding and not trying to decide which
approach is better.  It felt to me like a good additional tool for certain
purposes in certain situations.  It is also quite adaptable.”

  Perhaps what Kenoli's invitation has triggered for me is that I have a
unique opportunity - and responsibility - to bring attention to
commonalities between Café and OST processes, as I perceive them.

  And so, here goes. Some of you may remember that I have used World Café
processes in particular circumstances and reported on aspects of this to our
list earlier. As did Ingrid Olausson, who I think has recently left this
list. See in our archives: "Open Space a la carte (long)" and "Opening Space
in the Big End of Town." Dec 2000.  In these I touched on physical
arrangements of Cafes, for example. sitting at small tables and ways in
which recordings are done on paper table cloths.

  There is much to say, more of which may emerge as this conversation
continues. I also believe that there could be advantage to seeing how OST
and Café processes may be used to extend each other both through a deeper
appreciation of their respective foundations and of their use in practice.

  For I sense that they are both processes in which people feel respected,
included and give of their best.

  Going on this premise I wish to make five brief points for now.

  Overlap

  In my experience there is substantial overlap in OST and TWC processes.
Perhaps IMO the main one is the question of ‘What do people DO in contexts
underpinned by the respective principles of each?'

  From my perspective, they converse. By this I mean that they interact
openly with each other, in a spirit underlain by the guiding principles:

    a.. We are here to treat each other well.
    b.. We’re in this together.
  To reiterate - on what I noted in the postings in Dec 2000 - one way of
expressing the meaning of ‘converse’ is:

  "The 'keeper' * for me was the wonderful notion that every time we talk
openly with another human being, a third -joint-level of consciousness is
created, from the best of both of us.  When we argue or debate, we actually
seek to block the other's contribution and limit potential solutions or
suggestions, limiting world consciousness."  Catherine Palin Brinkworth

  * “What I took away." or "What I found of particular value.”

  This comment was made by a person who had attended a 3 day gathering which
I facilitated and which had both OST and TWC components.

  I have come to call both ‘conversing processes.’ More on this can be found
on my new website www.creativestate.biz (which will have additional relevant
material uploaded on Thursday 14 Feb).

  Incidentally I sense that 'conversing' is not 'Dialogue', which in my
understanding is a formal process which requires certain conditions in which
to operate and specific instructions.

  Intervention

  I know some people are concerned about the level of intervention by
facilitator/host in TWC gatherings. There are seemingly at least two reasons
for this concern. One is that there is usually a directive from the
facilitator for people to move periodically. The other is that Cafes are
'rather structured', 'overly results oriented' and 'not so much space for
surprise.' Reinhard noted his unease about these latter.

  Such disquiet is perfectly valid IMO to those of us deeply committed to an
OST way of being.

  In my experience the practices which give rise to these concerns are not
necessarily integral to TWC meetings.

  I say this for two reasons: One is that in the way I use Café processes I
do not ask people to move at particular times; they get up and go to another
place whenever they wish. This derives from a feature of my practice in that
I invariably invoke the principles of OST and L2F when facilitating Café
gatherings.

  In so doing I believe that Reinhard's worrries are taken into account. Of
course this is my practice and not that of people who are not

  I wish to make clear that I do not claim that this is an OST meeting; what
I do say is that it is based on OST principles.

  The other is that I spent a very enjoyable day last November in the
company of TWC people at the home of Nancy Margulies, near San Francisco. I
have had a fine connection with this group since 1997, much correspondence
since then and have visited with them several times previously.

  A gathering of World Café Pioneers was held to coincide with my recent
visit. Among the participants were people you may know of, Vicki Robin and
Elizabet Sahtouris.

  Of salience here is that Nancy, Juanita Brown and I talked about having
Café gatherings in which participants move as they see fit, without any
directive from the facilitator/host. I suspect that this conversation may
lead to less ‘intervention’ becoming more integral to their practice.

  Having said this I would add that there are circumstances in which there
are substantial benefits from inviting people to move from their current
table to gain a wider perspective of what is being brought forth elsewhere –
and to interact with different people. David Isaacs, one of the creators of
TWC, expresses it this way: "Moving people from table to table is an
essential part of maximising diversity of people and ideas into a fabric of
emergent knowledge/wisdom .... that we believe, already (all-ready) exists
in an implicate form. Conversations at the World Cafe allow for the
possibility that the collective knowledge can become aware or conscious of
itself (explicate)."

  Principles

  A look at the principles which underly TWC gatherings may be helpful. This
is how Juanita describes them:

  “All of us are working from a common set of Café operating principles
which we are discovering help support the emergence of the magic in the
middle whatever the particular Café format or style that best suits your
situation. The principles are similar to the ones we’ve all been
experimenting with as the World Café has evolved over these last years:

    a.. Create hospitable space
    b.. Explore questions that matter
    c.. Connect diverse people and ideas
    d.. Encourage each person’s contribution
    e.. Listen together for insights, patterns and deeper questions
    f.. Make collective knowledge visible.

  This ‘bald’ list gives little indication of the profundity which underlies
these principles and of how they are applied in practice.

  More details can be found at TWC website www.theworldcafe.com

  More principles

  To add another soup con (delicious morsel) here are other ‘guiding
principles.’ These are invoked by Arun Wakhlu and his colleagues at the
Pragati Foundation in Pune. They have a great conference starting today on
bringing a peaceful resolution to the dispute over Jammu Kashmir.  See
posting by Peggy: Open Space Works to Bring Peace! 2/2/2002 and also
www.fhed.org.

  Arun writes: “We will use tools like Open Space Technology to structure
the proceedings, while at the same time giving space for Inner Guidance and
spontaneous meetings. The guiding principles we will follow are :

      1.                  Awaken to, and Trust, the power of Love.

      2.                  Listen, Reflect and Dialogue.

      3.                  Initiate Loving Action, now.

      4.                  Joyfully Expand the circles of Love.

      5.                  Remember that we are One

  This dialogue is the outcome of a deep longing for healing, peace and
prosperity in Jammu & Kashmir.”

  A speculation on what may evolve from considering OST and WTC principles
and practice

  In my opinion, based on my experience, there is scope for marrying the two
processes in specific contexts.

  Those interested may wish to flesh out what these may be.

  A nice story of how I did for a particular purpose can be seen at:
www.theworldcafe.com/storyconversing.html

  Specifically I believe that both could be of value in the development of
what Birgitt describes as ‘The Open Space Organization’, Harrison calls ‘The
Interactive Organization’ and what I have named ‘The Conversing Company
(Organization).

  In closing I wish to emphasise that my purpose here is to open
possibilities of building ideas together. Debating the respective merits of
each approach may be valid but is not the main point.

  and to reiterate what Kenoli noted:

  “It seemed to me that a comparison with Open Space could provide for a
rich and stimulating conversation.  My interest here is in exploration to
expand our understanding and not trying to decide which approach is better.
It felt to me like a good additional tool for certain purposes in certain
situations.”

  Let’s see what the conversation brings forth!

  Good to converse, in the dance, with love

  Alan

  Adelaide

  www.creativestate.biz

  PS Tom Atlee wrote a couple of days ago:

  “My friend Vicki Robin, co-author of "Your Money Or Your Life" and
organizer of many recent community "conversation cafes" on 911 and other
subjects is going to be on the National Public Radio lunchtime program Talk
of the Nation on Valentine's day Thursday Feb 14.  Talk of the Nation goes
from 11 am to 1 pm.  She'll be talking about the 911 conversation cafes she
organized recently in Seattle.  You can find your nearest NPR station at
http://www.npr.org/members/ .  Note that not all NPR stations carry Talk of
the Nation so, if you're not sure, give them a call beforehand.”

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