How much can the space holder participate?

Ralph Copleman ralph at earthdreams.net
Mon Jun 24 07:36:03 PDT 2002


Doug and all,

I always assume I am not a participant.  Occasionally, in ten years or so of
doing this stuff, I have chosen to sit in as a participant, and I find I
usually have little to add, so I don't voluntarily do it anymore.  Once, a
long time ago, I convened a session (after checking with the sponsor to make
sure it was okay) on a topic I knew to be of interest to those present.  It
went pretty well, I don't really think I damaged or "invaded" the space in
any significant way, but again, I'm not sure if it really added anything.  I
don't do that anymore.  I never hang out near or just in a session.  I think
I'm very distracting to participants when I do that.  (I will collect cups,
but as unobtrusively as possible.)

Here's a notable exception:  Last week I had a one-day os event for a group
of eight people.  I stayed away all morning, according to my habitual
practice, as they spent the entire time as one group.  At lunch they pretty
much insisted I join them in the afternoon.  They again convened as one
group.  I did, and contributed thoughts from time to time.  This group is
different for me.  I have been working intensively with this organization
for over five years, and they treat me as one of them.  I feel no
consultant-client role boundaries.  They make it clear they want my person,
not my professional self, so I wasn't surprised when they asked me to
participate.

So I don't go quite as far as to draw the line absolutely, but if I had to
give advice in a word, I'd say "don't".

Ralph Copleman

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