OST and conflicts

[Judi Richardson]

Dominique wrote:
Sometimes, conflicts do arise during subgroup discussions in an OS event. It
is certainly not a problem per se, since, in my experience, they often
reveal areas of greater creative potential. Still, a question remains: how
to best handle them in order to prevent escalation and allow the group to
own and discuss the issues in a solution oriented manner? I had a case once
where I felt obligated to intervene because the conversation was feeding on
blame and getting increasingly aggressive. A subgroup came to discuss the
issue of  “clans” excluding others and disrupting the overall group
effectiveness. Although my intervention went very well (the subgroup decided
to discuss the issue with the entire group, which agreed, and we went on
with a mediation process in the circle where I helped the group clarify
issues around clans and developing solutions to prevent/heal the negative
side effects of natural grouping within the larger group), I felt like we
had stepped out of the OS process, burnt a lot of energy, and lost some of
the creative power of the OS process.

Dominique -- thanks for raising this and I think your thoughts are leading
edge!  I agree with others, in my experience the group has always solved its
own conflict.  If anything, after working for years with rights-based
legislation, etc., I love the fact that there is space for the real conflict
to emerge.  And, as a facilitator, I have had a few events such as Chris C.
mentioned.  In one, a Department of Fisheries and Oceans Officer (who was
not actually invited -- filling in for someone else) and two First Nation's
Chief's came face-to-face over an issue.  In Eastern Canada there has been
great tension between DFO, First Nation's communities, and Non-native
Fishermen.  The look to me was one of expectation, and as I was in the room
at that time, I pointed to the Principles.  They chose to stay with each
other, sit and move through.  At the end, the DFO Officer came up to one of
the Chiefs and myself and said, "I never knew" -- that is all.

As I have worked quite a bit in the area of discrimination, when I use OST
quite often someone speaks from deep pain and I hear the statement just hang
out there - it is a beautiful thing to watch -- you can almost see it in the
air.  And, rather than someone trying to "fix" it, everyone sits with the
fact that it just is.  THEN we move to new questions.  Only once did a group
choose to stop the OST meeting -- and it was, as Chris C, mentioned, an
example of a group in such pain they could not find a way to speak to each
other without blame and from pain.  I wondered with this one -- for about a
minute -- how I missed the deep conflict when I was working with the
sponsoring group in setting up the theme and invitation.  As I have
experience in non-violent communication, I was invited back.  I suggested
another OST with a different theme -- issues and opportunities for a
respectful working environment.  Now that book of proceedings would have
made a terrific book!

As I've worked for years in restorative justice, I watched one group of
Elders from mixed nations come to a conflict and they moved themselves
outside into nature and used a healing circle approach and then came back
when they were ready.

I also noticed in your posting that you use the term "burnt a lot of
energy" -- and I recognize the term.  I watch groups who self-organize
around creative problem solving often move through it quickly without that
over-expending of energy!

Judi

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