What is the Question?

[Chris Corrigan]

Harrison Owen wrote:
> In our recent discussion of "The Givens" it may have appeared that I was
> dismissive of looking at all that. And the truth of the matter is that I
> have found myself spending little time with clients on the subject before
> opening space with them. But that is only part of the story. It is not that
> I think The Givens are inconsequential, not worthy of discussion, but rather
> that  (for me) they are always secondary to The Question - which eventually
> turns into the theme. Why are we doing all this anyhow? What, or where, is
> the heart of the matter?
>

In working with clients about this givens/question dichotomy I often use
a line lifted from Michael Herman, who advised me once that we grow
things to which we give our attention (he might have been talking about
the OSW.org wiki...!).  This is pretty much what underlies Appreciative
Inquiry as well.

So I like to focus on the question too: a positive, strategic, open
question (if positive, strategic and open is where the group wants to
go...).  I have found that these qualities define the Spirit of the
gathering far more than the givens do.

MPannwitz has already written of a great process...thanks Michael.

Chris

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