Facilitator "opening" the space and other things to let go of

Pannwitz, Michael M mmpanne at snafu.de
Sat Nov 22 09:40:03 PST 2003


Dear Julie,
I keep on repeating in this list and elsewhere that I as facilitator
am not the person "opening" the space....part of my insisting is that
"opening" the space is in fact an  intervention.
Its the "sponsor" that opens the space and I as facilitator introduce
open space-technology, humbly, if I can.
And then I try to get out of the way. Any focus of the group on me as
facilitator reduces the space for the group to focus onto itself and
get going with their business.
While I agree that it is a high good to attain "inner awareness" I
feel it even more important for my practice to have the things I do
correspond to, be in agreement with the principles of my approach.
Since I know that selforganisation is at the core of open space, I
like to have my actions be in agreement with that knowledge, if I can
manage to achieve that. Not getting out of the way or getting
involved in the stuff the group is involved in (especially if that
stuff interests me, too) simply reduces my ability and my space to
hold time and space for the event I was hired to facilitate. It also
reduces my ability to adhere to 1. show up 2. be present 3. speak the
truth 4. let go.
This is my way of looking at it and my practice, its not a rule.
I keep discovering what works and what is effective and what supports
selforganisation which, at the same time,  I also believe happens
pretty independently of me or of my way of looking at things or any
rules I might come up with.
One of the things I recently discovered that seems to work well for
me is to mention "open space" as little as possible or not at all
while facilitating ....and to no longer call those 4 things
principles but "experiences" or "facts of life".
Greetings from Berlin
mmp



On Fri, 21 Nov 2003 18:27:17 -0900, Julie Smith wrote:


>
>Ralph, so good to have you join the conversation.  You said
>
>>>>I think you may have the sequence out of order.
>
>Not engaging is, in my opinion, is not something "to let go of"; I think
>it's more something not to fall back into.
>
>I open space for people, in part, because I've learned that intervening
>is not effective intervention.
>
>So I stay out and let nature take its course.  Either I believe in
>self-organization or I employ old habits.<<<
>
>
>I don't think I was talking about intervention, was I?  If I used that
>word or expressed that meaning, please let me take it back.
>Intervention sounds like the facilitator as an expert with expertise.  I
>don't mean that.   There are other ways to be in the room, even in the
>role of facilitator, that are not that.   I am not advocating a return
>to the old habits.  I'm completely with you on this.  I don't want to
>return there.
>
>I'm a big fan of staying out of the way.  I have no argument with making
>that choice, as long as it is a choice, not a rule.  A choice comes from
>inside me in the moment I'm in.  A rule comes from outside me and has
>usually been defined in some other time by some other person.  Even when
>I've chosen to play a role, like OST facilitator, I need to make
>choices, not abide by rules.
>
>The highest good for the facilitator, or anyone, is not abiding by a
>rule like staying out of the way.  The highest good is developing our
>inner awareness, and then abiding by the guidance it gives us.  If we
>need a rule, this is the one I would name and follow.  (I might add that
>this version is nicely consistent with the four principles and one law
>we invite everyone else in the room to follow.)
>
>One more example.  Think about Doug and the OST he told us about last
>week... some sort of spiritually-themed OST, I believe, and Doug noted
>that as facilitator he intends to "get out of the way."   Knowing Doug,
>I can't imagine why on earth he would stay out of those conversations.
>He's passionate about the theme and he has the ability to participate
>respectfully and without returning to those old habits of
>all-knowing-expert you're talking about.  I assume that in spite of his
>passion for the theme and his ability to participate appropriately, Doug
>thinks he's not supposed to engage because that's how the role of OST
>facilitator has been described.  I think we should describe the
>facilitator's role differently to allow more openness, more space, for
>the different ways people might engage as facilitator in OST events.  :)
>
>Sorry, Doug.  Didn't mean to talk about you in the third person while
>you're sitting right there.  :)
>
>Julie
>
>* * ==========================================================
>OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU ------------------------------ To
>subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of
>oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu, Visit:
>http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
>
>
>*
>*
>==========================================================
>OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
>------------------------------
>To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
>view the archives of oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu,
>Visit:
>
>http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
>
>------=_NextPart_000_0001_01C3B05D.191B1C00
>Content-Type: text/html;
>        charset="us-ascii"
>Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
>
><html xmlns:o=3D"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" =
>xmlns:w=3D"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" =
>xmlns=3D"http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
>
><head>
><META HTTP-EQUIV=3D"Content-Type" CONTENT=3D"text/html; =
>charset=3Dus-ascii">
>
>
><meta name=3DProgId content=3DWord.Document>
><meta name=3DGenerator content=3D"Microsoft Word 10">
><meta name=3DOriginator content=3D"Microsoft Word 10">
><link rel=3DFile-List href=3D"cid:filelist.xml at 01C3B05D.17CE0290">
><title>Re: OSLIST Digest - 19 Nov 2003 to 20 Nov 2003 =
>(#2003-312)</title>
><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
>  <o:DoNotRelyOnCSS/>
> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
></xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
> <w:WordDocument>
>  <w:SpellingState>Clean</w:SpellingState>
>  <w:DocumentKind>DocumentEmail</w:DocumentKind>
>  <w:EnvelopeVis/>
>  <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel>
> </w:WordDocument>
></xml><![endif]-->
><style>
><!--
> /* Font Definitions */
> @font-face
>        {font-family:Times;
>        panose-1:2 2 6 3 5 4 5 2 3 4;
>        mso-font-charset:0;
>        mso-generic-font-family:roman;
>        mso-font-pitch:variable;
>        mso-font-signature:536902279 -2147483648 8 0 511 0;}
> /* Style Definitions */
> p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
>        {mso-style-parent:"";
>        margin:0in;
>        margin-bottom:.0001pt;
>        mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
>        font-size:12.0pt;
>        font-family:"Times New Roman";
>        mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
>a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
>        {color:blue;
>        text-decoration:underline;
>        text-underline:single;}
>a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
>        {color:purple;
>        text-decoration:underline;
>        text-underline:single;}
>span.EmailStyle17
>        {mso-style-type:personal-reply;
>        mso-style-noshow:yes;
>        mso-ansi-font-size:12.0pt;
>        mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
>        font-family:"Times New Roman";
>        mso-ascii-font-family:"Times New Roman";
>        mso-hansi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
>        mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
>        color:navy;
>        mso-text-animation:none;
>        font-weight:normal;
>        font-style:normal;
>        text-decoration:none;
>        text-underline:none;
>        text-decoration:none;
>        text-line-through:none;}
>@page Section1
>        {size:8.5in 11.0in;
>        margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;
>        mso-header-margin:.5in;
>        mso-footer-margin:.5in;
>        mso-paper-source:0;}
>div.Section1
>        {page:Section1;}
>-->
></style>
><!--[if gte mso 10]>
><style>
> /* Style Definitions */=20
> table.MsoNormalTable
>        {mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
>        mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
>        mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
>        mso-style-noshow:yes;
>        mso-style-parent:"";
>        mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
>        mso-para-margin:0in;
>        mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
>        mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
>        font-size:10.0pt;
>        font-family:"Times New Roman";}
></style>
><![endif]-->
></head>
>
><body lang=3DEN-US link=3Dblue vlink=3Dpurple =
>style=3D'tab-interval:.5in'>
>
><div class=3DSection1>
>
><p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 color=3Dnavy face=3D"Times New =
>Roman"><span
>style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;color:navy'>Ralph, so good to have you join =
>the
>conversation.<span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'>  </span>You =
>said</span></font><font
>face=3DTimes><span =
>style=3D'font-family:Times'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
>
><p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 face=3DTimes><span =
>style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;
>font-family:Times'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
>
><p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 face=3DTimes><span =
>style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;
>font-family:Times'>>>>I think you may have the sequence out of =
>order.<br>
><br>
>Not engaging is, in my opinion, is not something "to let go =
>of"; I
>think it's more something not to fall back into.<br>
><br>
>I open space for people, in part, because I've learned that intervening =
>is not
>effective intervention.<br>
><br>
>So I stay out and let nature take its course.  Either I believe in
>self-organization or I employ old habits.<<<<br =
>style=3D'mso-special-character:
>line-break'>
><![if !supportLineBreakNewLine]><br =
>style=3D'mso-special-character:line-break'>
><![endif]></span></font><font color=3Dnavy><span =
>style=3D'color:navy'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
>
><p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 color=3Dnavy face=3D"Times New =
>Roman"><span
>style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;color:navy'>I don’t think I was talking =
>about
>intervention, was I?<span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'>  </span>If I =
>used that
>word or expressed that meaning, please let me take it back.<span
>style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'>  </span>Intervention sounds like the =
>facilitator
>as an expert with expertise.<span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'>  =
></span>I
>don’t mean that.<span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'>   =
></span>There
>are other ways to be in the room, even in the role of facilitator, that =
>are not
>that.<span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'>   </span>I am not =
>advocating a
>return to the old habits.<span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'>  =
></span>I’m
>completely with you on this.<span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'>  =
></span>I
>don’t want to return there.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
>
><p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 color=3Dnavy face=3D"Times New =
>Roman"><span
>style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>=
>
>
><p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 color=3Dnavy face=3D"Times New =
>Roman"><span
>style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;color:navy'>I’m a big fan of staying out =
>of the
>way.<span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'>  </span>I have no argument =
>with making
>that choice, as long as it is a choice, not a rule.<span
>style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'>  </span>A choice comes from inside me =
>in the
>moment I’m in.<span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'>  </span>A =
>rule comes
>from outside me and has usually been defined in some other time by some =
>other
>person. <span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>Even when =
>I’ve chosen
>to play a role, like OST facilitator, I need to make choices, not abide =
>by
>rules.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
>
><p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 color=3Dnavy face=3D"Times New =
>Roman"><span
>style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>=
>
>
><p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 color=3Dnavy face=3D"Times New =
>Roman"><span
>style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;color:navy'>The highest good for the =
>facilitator, or
>anyone, is not abiding by a rule like staying out of the way.<span
>style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'>  </span>The highest good is developing =
>our inner
>awareness, and then abiding by the guidance it gives us.<span
>style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'>  </span>If we need a rule, this is the =
>one I
>would name and follow.<span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'>  </span>(I =
>might add
>that this version is nicely consistent with the four principles and one =
>law we
>invite everyone else in the room to =
>follow.)<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
>
><p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 color=3Dnavy face=3D"Times New =
>Roman"><span
>style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>=
>
>
><p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 color=3Dnavy face=3D"Times New =
>Roman"><span
>style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;color:navy'>One more example.<span
>style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'>  </span>Think about Doug and the OST he =
>told us
>about last week….. some sort of spiritually-themed OST, I believe, =
>and
>Doug noted that as facilitator he intends to “get out of the =
>way.”<span
>style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'>  </span><span
>style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>Knowing Doug, I can’t =
>imagine why
>on earth he would stay out of those conversations.<span
>style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'>   </span>He’s passionate =
>about the
>theme and he has the ability to participate respectfully and without =
>returning
>to those old habits of all-knowing-expert you’re talking =
>about.<span
>style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'>  </span>I assume that in spite of his =
>passion for
>the theme and his ability to participate appropriately, Doug thinks =
>he’s
>not supposed to engage because that’s how the role of OST =
>facilitator has
>been described. <span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>I think we =
>should
>describe the facilitator’s role differently to allow more =
>openness, more
>space, for the different ways people might engage as facilitator in OST
>events.<span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'>  =
></span>:)<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
>
><p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 color=3Dnavy face=3D"Times New =
>Roman"><span
>style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>=
>
>
><p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 color=3Dnavy face=3D"Times New =
>Roman"><span
>style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;color:navy'>Sorry, Doug.<span
>style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'>  </span>Didn’t mean to talk about =
>you in
>the third person while you’re sitting right there.<span
>style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'>  </span>:)<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
>
><p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 color=3Dnavy face=3D"Times New =
>Roman"><span
>style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>=
>
>
><p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 color=3Dnavy face=3D"Times New =
>Roman"><span
>style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;color:navy'>Julie<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
>
><p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
>style=3D'font-size:
>12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
>
></div>
>
></body>
>
></html>
>*
>*
>=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
>=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
>=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
>OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
>------------------------------
>To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
>view the archives of oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu,
>Visit:
><p>
>http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
>*
>*
>=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
>OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
>------------------------------
>To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
>view the archives of oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu,
>Visit:
><p>
>http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
>------=_NextPart_000_0001_01C3B05D.191B1C00--




Jetzt zur 3. Lernwerkstatt für open space-BegleiterInnen vom 25. bis 28. Januar 2004 in Vlotho anmelden, siehe:  www.michaelmpannwitz.de/o_lernwerkstatt2004.htm

Michael M Pannwitz, boscop
Draisweg 1, 12209 Berlin, Germany
FON: +49 - 30-772 8000   FAX: +49 - 30-773 92 464
www.michaelMpannwitz.de

*
*
==========================================================
OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
------------------------------
To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
view the archives of oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu,
Visit:

http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html



More information about the OSList mailing list