First OS in Sofala Province, Mozambique

[Jeff Aitken]

At 12:07 AM -0500 1/9/02, john engle wrote:

>in terms of open space meetings, i have sat in silence with groups for 1-5
>minutes before anything happened.
>
>i wait. i do not intervene once i have opened the space. i am always
>prepared to sit and ponder indefinitely, or to excuse myself to go get other
>work done if folks present are not yet ready or not interested in engaging.

Bernhard (and John)

My first thought is that you have joined what our Canadian friends call the
Dead Moose Society. Perhaps the African chapter of this society will be
called something else, I beg your pardon.

I am not yet a member of the society, so I do not speak from experience.
But it sounds like there was an issue so big and unspoken in the center of
the room that no one would come forth and an intervention became
appropriate. I have heard of interventions as simple as going around the
circle to talk about what is so - similar to a traditional closing circle -
and that's what I think I will do personally when I do join the society.

I'm quite appreciative of your sharing what you did in that intense moment.

And one learning for next time seems to involve spending more time up front
with the sponsors to try to uncover any Dead Moose who may be present.

Warm wishes
Jeff

-
Jeff Aitken
JA at svn.net
Consultant/Facilitator: Specialist in Open Space Process
410 Prospect Street, Petaluma CA 94952 USA
(01) 707-769-8155

"Thank you space, for everything." - Aine Corrigan, age 4

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