Self-Organization is What Consciousness (Spirit) Does

[Birgitt Williams]

Julie,
During the decade I spent developing the Genuine Contact program to assist
individuals to learn to develop conscious Open Space Organizations, I
experimented with what worked regarding conflict resolution. Please note
that my exploration distinguished between mediation, negotiation, and REAL
RESOLUTION.

Within the Genuine Contact program, when we look at conflict resolution, we
emphasize that the BEST means of conflict resolution is an Open Space
Technology meeting dealing with a critical business issue for which all
participants have passion (the theme is not about the conflict resolution).
Inevitably, as the business issue is getting dealt with, someone eventually
begins discussions that lead to raising the topic of the conflict, and then
dealing with it—no TRAINED facilitators involved in the discussions that
emerge within the bigger OST meeting. Within the Genuine Contact program,
when we look at conflict resolution, we emphasize that using Whole Person
Process Facilitation (in which participants use their intuition to choose
who they work with and how they will do the work within a preset agenda)
again dealing with a key business issue rather than the conflict itself,
allows the conflict to be raised and dealt with.

Most frequently, conflict is resolved in either of these processes by the
participants themselves, without anyone else needing to be involved. It is
not because the people necessarily wanted to resolve the conflict, but
because they want to get on with the business  opportunities for which they
have passion and recognize for themselves that the conflict needs to be
resolved to get on with it. Their passion takes them beyond their attachment
to victim behavior, their passion takes them beyond their attachment to
conflict
.

And from time to time, the people most involved in the conflict, most
affected by it, make it part of their action plans to get assistance after
the meeting for conflict resolution. Conflict resolution processes are then
in response to their expressed WILL. OST and Whole Person Process
Facilitation are wonderful for surfacing that WILL. And I don’t know of any
successful conflict resolution if the WILL is not there. Within the Genuine
Contact program, we offer a two day program in facilitating conflict
resolution so that the OST facilitators who are learning skills with the
conscious Open Space Organization have a chance to reflect about the use of
OST meetings and Whole Person Process Facilitated meetings in conflict
resolution. And to equip them with a process for an intentional conflict
resolution process if it is asked for. In developing this part of our
program, we emphasize Angeles Arrien’s work with conflict resolution which
in turn relies heavily on conflict resolution processes taught at US schools
for diplomats. Well researched.

Blessings,
Birgitt
-----Original Message-----
From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU]On Behalf Of Julie Smith
Sent: Saturday, December 29, 2001 2:03 PM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: Re: Self-Organization is What Consciousness (Spirit) Does

Thanks, Ralph!

As I was pondering this, I realized I didn't quite hit the nail on the head.

It isn't that Open Space allows for expanded consciousness, perhaps, but
that it invites us to more fully express our current level of consciousness.
(And what a gift that is!)  It is unlike many other group processes in that
it doesn't erect artificial barriers to our full expression of our present
consciousness.  (I get it, Harrison.... we are invited to more fully express
our Now, our current state of consciousness.... to the extent that we
express it and share it, we individually and collectively expand.)  The
experience might lead us on a spiral of expanding consciousness, and it
might not.  That part is up to each of us to choose.  What Open Space offers
is simply the invitation to more fully express who we are in the present
moment.

Is that closer?

This piece about taking another look at how we think about conflict is also
important.  There is a growing profession developing around this question,
of which I am a tiny part.  I don't hear OS practitioners talking much about
conflict resolution, but I wonder whether there are some important lessons
for conflict resolution professionals in the work you're doing.  I think the
answer is yes, but I haven't quite figured out what the lessons are.

Julie


-----Original Message-----
From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of Ralph
Copleman
Sent: Saturday, December 29, 2001 6:32 AM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: Re: Self-Organization is What Consciousness (Spirit) Does

> By letting go and letting be, OS allows for an expanded consciousness that
> results in the natural fading of existing problems (and passionate
engagement
> in what is important to the group), while most forms of mediation and
> facilitation tend to focus on solving problems logically on the existing
level
> of consciousness.

Julie and all,

Let us be careful....  The key word in your statement may be "allows".  I
have seen what you describe happen in OS countless times ­ but expanded
consciousness does not *automatically* occur.  I also believe that OS is not
the only technique (large group or other) that makes expanded consciousness
possible.  So if we're looking for ways to distinguish OS from other
approaches, I'm not sure this is it.

But keep at it!

--
Ralph Copleman
609-895-1629

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