OSLIST Digest - 19 Nov 2003 to 20 Nov 2003 (#2003-312)

[Julie Smith]

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

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