First OS in Sofala Province, Mozambique

[Joelle Lyons Everett]

Thanks for the conversation, Bernd, John, Jeff, Artur.  Lots of complex and
subtle issues here.

John, I don't think that being too unattached to outcomes is a problem for
most of us, just the reverse.  I see a lot of strength in your willingness to
wait for the group to take charge of its own meeting, affirming that the
people in the room are fully competent to do just that.

And I have been in groups with a major Dead Moose--some willing to talk about
it, some too fearful.  Sometimes my own un-anxious presence will encourage
someone to begin the conversation.  Sometimes not.  I appreciated the
suggestions of possible ways to open the conversation without violating the
spirit of Open Space.

I have had clients take me aside and ask me to be more directive, which I
usually decline to do, in the belief that something important is going on.  I
have asked the boss to sit down and give someone else a chance to speak.  I
don't think there are any easy answers, but I truly believe that the people
in the room have more power than they usually know, and I truly try to work
myself out of a job as quickly as possible.  Once I was fired--that was a
little quicker than I planned.

I do see differences in working with groups in other cultures with people who
have no history of being allowed to make their own decisions.  I see this
list as a major forum for us to share experiences and learn to be more
sensitive to the different histories of different places.  Thanks to Bernd
for opening your experience to us!

Joelle Everett

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