A First Step From Rome

Judi Richardson richarjl at akerley.nscc.ns.ca
Thu Jun 13 20:46:54 PDT 2002


Hello to all that are following this line....  I have been away from the
computer for the last few days, and was delighted to find your postings
upon my return tonight.  As Harrison, Tova, Avner and Carol are doing
extraordinary/ordinary work in their part of the world, on a smaller
scale we are having those discussions here. I have been having quite a
few conversations around conflict, peace, and OST.  And have been asked
to take it out into the world more.  I've just returned from a national
conference of conflict resolution and mediators.  I was asked to offer a
workshop on OST and conflict.  I have been a mediator and have worked in
organizations doing what they call conflict resolution, and
cross-cultural conflict resolution, for over ten years. I was very
privileged to have long conversations this morning with people from
Bogota, Colombia, and many of our First Nation's communities where
violence has taken place, who attended the workshop.

And, of course, the best way for an OST workshop is OST.  I opened space
around the theme of peacemaking.  I then answered questions about my
experience with OST versus mediation and other conflict resolution
techniques I've used.  We spoke of listening, being heard, non-blame,
deep caring, passion and responsibility.  I have found that when I've
been called into organizations for  conflict resolution -- it is most
often to make an uncomfortable situation "go away" because someone
doesn't want to deal with it.  Transformative mediation, in my
experience, creates more of a learning space for the participants -- not
as much space as OST though.  And, Julie, I often find in discussions of
peacemaking those who also want conflict, tension, and uncomfortable
situations to "go away".  It seems to me that productive conflict is
more likely to lead to peace.

I love OST because of the conflict that can arise.  I view conflict as
growth.  When I get that "oh oh" feeling in my gut -- I know that
something is nudging me to open up.  In most situations people are not
creating conflict -- they are exposing the fact that conflict already
exists.  We all see the world with different lenses, and are surprised
when people disagree with us, and yet that very disagreement is a chance
for growth -- a collective examination of an issue.  I strive to
increase the voices of difference.

Dan wrote:
This is all by way of agreeing with you that we have a lot to learn
about conflict resolution in and from Open Space and its ability to free
energy as a positive force...........

Dan, I would offer to the conversation that I see energy as a source ...
neutral.... it is our response that makes it positive or negative.

And, I am just jumping in with this report -- I list the topics posted
at the conference I just completed below for your interest.  And
tomorrow I am attending the Shambhala Institute for Authentic
Leadership.  I was accepted to spend 6 days with a few other people in
conversation with Meg Wheatley and in meditation.  And, I'll be offering
a workshop for the Institute on OST and conflict early next week.  I'll
let you know how that one goes.  I am so aware and grateful... I present
these workshops in a relatively peaceful setting ...... as Harrison,
Avner, Tova and Carol brave the violence in your part of the world......
thank you seems so inadequate....  I send my love.

the topics....
Using our bodies in conflict resolution
Courage to let go of the drive to fight, to take revenge
Nature and Music
Respect yourself and each other
Respect and acknowledge diversty and culture
Conflict is important for real peace
Can efforts towards peace benefit all those involved?
Knowledge, tolerance, understanding of the other
Respectful language and tone
Meditation
Cohesive community
Recognising and managing disconnects between powers/decision-makers and
wants/needs of grass-roots individuals and groups
Empowering people to believe they can make a difference.

with love and in peace,
Judi


Judith Richardson
judith at ponoconsultants.com
Pono Consultants International
Facilitating the Flow of Inspired Collaboration
(902) 435-0308
www.ponoconsultants.com


>>> chay at alaska.com 06/13/02 06:33 AM >>>
Hi Harrison,

You wrote:

>>
Since my time 10 years ago in South Africa, it has been clear to me that
OS has enormous power for what we might call conflict resolution, but it
is a resolution that does not eliminate conflict. If anything the
conflict is magnified, but space is provided so that the conflict, and
the energy it contains, may become a positive force.
<<

For many years, now, in our conflict resolution practice we have
observed that for us, "resolution" in "conflict resolution" is as much
about increasing our ability to see and understand with questions as it
is about achieving and packaging "answers."

It occurs to me "conflict" is a loaded word, having different
connotations in different cultures. For example, we have Bahai friends
who see no benefits in the category "conflict."  They talk about
"conflict free conflict resolution," with heavy emphasis on our common
humanity. This and other examples notwithstanding, we use the term
"conflict resolution" frequently, and we like the common association of
"conflict" with the Chinese Mandarin word "wei-ji," usually translated
as "crisis" and embodying the characters for danger and opportunity.

This is all by way of agreeing with you that we have a lot to learn
about conflict resolution in and from Open Space and its ability to free
energy as a positive force.

>>
All of this takes place without any carefully crafted process or
procedure. In a most remarkable way, it seems to happen all by itself.
Which leads me to the conclusion that the apparent magic has nothing to
do with Open Space Technology, and everything to do with the power of
self-organization. All we do in Open Space is to create the conditions
under which a completely natural process can start or re-start.
<<

I am very interested in questions associated with what are necessary and
sufficient conditions for constructive OS process.  I notice in this
case that a relatively large expenditure of energy must have been
required create and fill the Open Space vessel we read about in Rome,
far from the pressure cooker of home.?

De Lange on the learning-org list many times has observed the following
"essentialities" that give form to what he considers are conditions of
emergence in self-organizing complex systems:

Wholeness (associativity-unity)
Liveness (becoming-being)
Fruitfulness (connect-beget)
Sureness (identity-categoricity)
Spareness (quantity-limit)
Otherness (quality-variety)
Openness (open-paradigm)

I think Open Space has potential to deliver on these "essentialities"
quite well.

All best wishes,

Dan

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