A duty to take part?

Michael Herman mherman at globalchicago.net
Sun Nov 9 07:56:35 PST 2003


well said, larry.

it may be worth noticing that there are at least two ways of
'intervening'...the first being to meddle in the content of
the work being done and the second being to reflect on what
is happening.  there are also at least two ways i can think
of for the facilitator to enter the participant
conversation(s)... self-injection and invitation.  of these,
i would say that self-injection into the content is the
greatest departure from Open Space and that responding to
participant invitations to reflect on what is happening,
because there is an interest at that moment in understanding
and deepening the practice itself, is the smallest
departure.  participants often ask in passing 'how do you
think it's going?'  in these instances, there is a
difference between giving a definitive answer and having a
mutually observant conversation about what is happening.  so
i do like what you say about intervention running afoul of
'whatever happens...' had not seen that linked so clearly
before.  and also want to notice the possibility that
'whenever the reflection happens' can be the right time.

also, it is more and more my sense in the places where i am
working that we always have a stake in the outcome of these
events... we want to be paid, we want to tell the story, we
live in the community, we know people who know people who...
in short, we/i are/am more and more connected, more
consciously connected, or at least i find more and more
invitations coming from within the communities in which i
live.  being clear about my stake/purposes and the
purpose/interests of the group -- and keeping a clear view
of each -- seems more important and more workable than not
having or (worse yet) trying to not to have any stake at
all.  anymore, a position of 'no stake' feels disconnected,
lifeless and not as true as it used to.

m




Larry Peterson wrote:
> It is important for me to be clear about who's needs are being met by
> "taking part".  I do believe that OST engages the group's energy,
> insight and direction.  If I have a personal stake in the particular
> outcomes of that event, then I don't think I'm the one to open the
> space.  My role during the Open Space part of the interaction with them
> is not as expert.  I do have faith that the group will learn what it
> needs to learn when it self-organizes, even if I could provide some
> "expertise".  If I "take part" after starting as a facilitator it
> demonstrates that I do not trust their ability to learn what they need
> to learn or that "whatever happens is the only thing that could have".
> I quickly negate some of the principles of Open Space.
>
> I am most happy to reflect with them after the experience on our mutual
> learning -- action/reflection like Paulo Friere but afterwards.  Then my
> role is clear.  I also have recently worked with a Canadian who worked
> closely with Friere before moving here.  The "ideas" are so important
> that Open Space is not a possibility for her -- she could not open a
> space for her organization because she could not help but intervene in
> the substance of the analysis during that time.  Since there was not
> real space, we used other approaches and had a very good session -- but
> it was not Open Space.
>
> Larry
>
> Larry Peterson
> Associates in Transformation
> Toronto, ON, Canada
> 416.653.4829
>
> larry at spiritedorg.com
> www.spiritedorg.com
>
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--

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

http://www.michaelherman.com - consulting & publications
http://www.globalchicago.net - laboratory & playground
http://www.openspaceworld.org - worldwide open space

...inviting organization into movement

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