Givens (was: Already-thereness, Empowerment and Such)

Michael Herman mherman at globalchicago.net
Thu Feb 20 19:50:53 PST 2003


hi birgitt,  and yes.  it's the fun that i was mostly noticing.  that's the
part i like!

your reminder about how different adn shocking ost can be is a good one.  so
important to be able to bridge the gap between business as usual and business
as open space, giving equal attention to each end where the bridge touches
ground.   and so much more central to the practice, i thnk, than the walking of
the circle -- if only because it is closer to the beginning, where we are, and
are creating, the initial conditions for/in/as the space.   like we said some
years ago at osonos... open space starts when we pick up the phone.

m


Birgitt Williams wrote:

> Hi Michael,
> I've never considered myself as "lurking". Interesting notion. I always feel
> deeply engaged whether I am choosing gentle silence or whether, by the time
> I get to the OS list postings, there are so many great replies, there
> needn't be another from me. I wonder if we could influence the language of
> "lurking" to recognizing real engagement. For a few days, I do have the
> opportunity to respond and I am having fun doing so. Thank you.
>
> I am fond of "givens" as you know. I believe that part of why OST works is
> that it does so by "invitation" and I have always thought it was important
> for people to know what they were being invited to. As facilitators we get
> so familiar with OST that we take many things for granted, including that
> OST fits within our core beliefs or we would not be doing it and it does not
> fit in with core beliefs of everyone. They experience a real challenge to
> their concept of reality. Not a control issue, but a bigger one when reality
> (as an individual perceives it)  itself appears to be challenged. And then
> within that, there is "what the meeting is for" and "what the meeting is not
> for" and through the right theme and givens, we do our best to communicate
> this. For me, then when a person accepts their invitation, they are making
> an informed consent.
>
> What I find very challenging in setting up for the OST meeting, but much
> more so in assisting in the development of the conscious Open Space
> Organization, it to get rid of all of the illusions that are not really
> "givens" at all. Most organizations have mostly illusion, co-illusion,
> collusion and getting down to what really is "non-negotiable cuts through
> that and in the situation of the conscious OSO, usually creating real fear
> of loss (of power). The push back to get at what the "givens" really are and
> to get particularly a management team to agree on them is very healing.
>
> Your way of "forms" may well get at the same thing.
> Birgitt
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU]On Behalf Of Michael
> Herman
> Sent: Wednesday, February 19, 2003 4:44 PM
> To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
> Subject: Re: Givens (was: Already-thereness, Empowerment and Such)
>
> welcome back, birgitt... yes you've been here lurking and
> sometimes posting all along, but you feel more here than
> what has been usual for some time, so am glad for that!
>
> the notion of givens has been very helpful and also limiting
> for me over the years.  i like the notion of degrees of
> freedom, but never found a good way to explain it to my
> satisfaction and comfort...   lately i've taken to talking
> about FORMS in the planning of a meeting...
>
> -forms of opening (the invitation, also interview/planning
> questions),
> -forms of focus (ultimately and minimally the invitation
> list, but this might include many of the things you've
> called givens, along the way), then also
> -forms of meeting/space (logistics, amt of time), and
> finally
> -forms of footprint/documentation/activity afterward, how to
> support ongoing open space.
>
> for those prone to seeing things in wilber/arrien terms
> you'll map these easily enough to those four quadrants,
> loosely stated as...
>
> -purpose/passion/caring
> -vision/direction/culture
> -structure/support
> -power/action
>
> m
>
> --
>
> Michael Herman
> Michael Herman Associates
> 300 West North Avenue #1105
> Chicago IL 60610 USA
> phone: 312-280-7838
>
> http://www.michaelherman.com
> http://www.globalchicago.net
>
> ...inviting organization into movement
>
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--

Michael Herman
Michael Herman Associates
300 West North Avenue #1105
Chicago IL 60610 USA
phone: 312-280-7838

http://www.michaelherman.com
http://www.globalchicago.net

...inviting organization into movement

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