magic can be messy

Michael Herman mherman at globalchicago.net
Wed Apr 14 13:27:21 PDT 2004


raffi, thanks for this reporting.  a couple of thoughts...

you mention that the first evening was very powerful.  the only time
i've ever been part of an evening-before storytelling circle time was as
a participant.  my sense is that the stories were fantastic and the
opening and first day were flat.  it's like we'd dumped all our best
energy in the story circle and didn't have the same anticipation and
spark in the opening posting time.  we made too many connections and
didn't have time to make more questions for ourselves before the opening
the next morn.

so perhaps they were substantially satisfied with the sharing that took
place that night.  a little bit over, then, even before it starts.
maybe, too, they didn't really want or need action, even if the leaders
said they did.  and if the leaders want it adn the rest don't, maybe the
leaders are seeing things the others aren't.  so are the leaders talking
about those issues?  i can't tell any of this from here, but maybe you
can from there.

as for training participants for OS... it all happens in the openng...
nothing more required, in my experience.  and the lack of action plans
indicates to me a lack of clarity (or lack of time to finish getting
clear) or a lack of urgency and need to make plans.  sometimes we just
need to get a little more behind before catching up is really worth the
effort.  again, i can't tell from here... but just musing a bit.

as for encouraging commitment and attendance and such... the best thing
to get people engaged is a really important question... making sure that
the question being asked is really important.  as we've been discussing
recently.  going through the prep meeting with a planning group like
michaelmp says, or talking expectations, wishes, etc like others have
mentioned helps folks dig a little deeper into the possibilities and
make some pre-stories in their own minds so they*want* it a little more.

and of course, the more of these we do, the better we get at convening
these early conversations and digging deeper into what is *really* going
on and what people *really* are wishing for as a result of the OS gathering.

i'd say *messy* is right on!  michaelh


Raffi Aftandelian wrote:

>Dear friends and colleagues,
>
>I just finished doing another Open Space here in Moscow with a local NGO
>that works with teenagers with substance abuse issues as well as at-risk
>youth. This was a 1.5 day strategic planning session preceded by an
>evening of storytelling.
>
>It was the first time I'd ever gotten to conduct an evening of
>storytelling prior to the OS. It was great to see, feel the power of story
>prior to an OS.
>
>The OS itself left almost all participants rather sad and disillusioned
>and some I heard felt that this seemed a little strange that the
>facilitator walks in, opens space, hangs around, and then closes it. As if
>the facilitator does nothing. I had written before that I had struggled
>with this feeling that in conducting OS, I have the sense of the Emperor
>who wears no clothes, that I felt like a fraud. While I may never hope to
>really understand what OS is, I feel it more. And feel confident enough in
>what happened in the last OS to say that right now at least the unpleasant
>truths that came up in OS with the organization I worked with were what
>was necessary at that moment. That this will take them further. They came
>face to face like never before with the difficulties people have in taking
>responsibility. They began thinking more about what it would take to "grow
>up" as an organization, to set more rules, be a little tougher on each
>other.
>
>So, as I slowly make my way into consulting work, it's so good to know
>that this is something I get satisfaction from, something I believe in
>(and my doubt alongside the faith in OS is the force that gets me more
>excited about OS!). Enchantment, mesmorized.
>
>And as always questions:
>
>1. Training of participants pre-OS in facilitation skills and other
>important skills.
>
>I wonder how much, if at all, do other OS facilitators train the client
>(or potential participants of an OS) in basic facilitation skills and
>other skills that might come handy in an OS (report writing, writing
>action plans, project development) prior to the OS as a means of helping
>the OS itself bear more fruit.
>
>I noticed that the groups did not really develop action plans at all.
>After convergence I explained that they were to work out action plans and
>answer the detailed questions in the report form (I did not read out the
>questions). Neither group did that, instead they further discussed the
>question, which probably is fine, too. Maybe that's what was needed at the
>moment.
>
>2. How much time do you spend establishing what the client will do to
>ensure the participation of all the people they intend to invite? Do you
>encourage, work with the client to ensure that participants commit to the
>whole Open Space? We had participants come and go (one person was there
>for storytelling and then showed up at the closing circle...for example!),
>which of course is fine. But I wonder if I should've worked with the
>client to think through what exactly they could do to get as strong a
>commitment on participation from invitees as possible.
>
>I'm sure I'll have more questions, but that's all for now!
>Thanks,
>Raffi
>
>*
>*
>==========================================================
>OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
>------------------------------
>To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
>view the archives of oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu:
>http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
>
>To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs:
>http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist
>
>
>

--

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

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

To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs:
http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist

>From  Thu Apr 15 01:23:33 2004
Message-Id: <THU.15.APR.2004.012333.0200.>
Date: Thu, 15 Apr 2004 01:23:33 +0200
Reply-To: averbuch at post.tau.ac.il
To: OSLIST <OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
From: averbuch <averbuch at post.tau.ac.il>
Subject: what is the Question?
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: multipart/alternative;
 boundary="----=_NextPart_000_000B_01C42288.47AFB290"

This is a multi-part message in MIME format.

------=_NextPart_000_000B_01C42288.47AFB290
Content-Type: text/plain;
        charset="windows-1255"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

I'd like to try to offer this new direction:

"What is the question?"=20

What if the question is not about what are the "givens"
 but rather
 what are the "musts" (I mean like in sailing) that make it possible for
the wind/spirit (in Hebrew it is the same word :"Ruach")
 to move us in a direction.
Tova
=20

Tova Averbuch             =E8=E5=E1=E4 =E0=E5=F8=E1=E5=EA
34 Rabinovitz St.   =F8=E7=E5=E1 =F8=E1=E9=F0=E5=E1=E9=F5 34    =20
Holon            58672               =E7=E5=EC=E5=EF=20
Israel       =20
               972-3-5523476=20
         averbuch at post.tau.ac.il


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

To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs:
http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist

------=_NextPart_000_000B_01C42288.47AFB290
Content-Type: text/html;
        charset="windows-1255"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 3.2//EN">
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<META HTTP-EQUIV=3D"Content-Type" CONTENT=3D"text/html; =
charset=3Dwindows-1255">
<META NAME=3D"Generator" CONTENT=3D"MS Exchange Server version =
6.0.4630.0">
<TITLE>what is the Question?</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<!-- Converted from text/rtf format -->

<P DIR=3DLTR><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"><FONT COLOR=3D"#0000FF" =
FACE=3D"Arial">I'd</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"><FONT =
COLOR=3D"#0000FF" FACE=3D"Arial"> like to try</FONT></SPAN><SPAN =
LANG=3D"en-us"> <FONT COLOR=3D"#0000FF" =
FACE=3D"Arial">to</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"> <FONT =
COLOR=3D"#0000FF" FACE=3D"Arial">offer</FONT></SPAN><SPAN =
LANG=3D"en-us"><FONT COLOR=3D"#0000FF" FACE=3D"Arial"> this new =
direction:</FONT></SPAN></P>

<P DIR=3DLTR><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"></SPAN></P>

<P DIR=3DLTR><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"><FONT COLOR=3D"#0000FF" =
FACE=3D"Arial">"</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"><FONT =
COLOR=3D"#0000FF" FACE=3D"Arial">What is the =
question?</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"><FONT COLOR=3D"#0000FF" =
FACE=3D"Arial">"</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"> </SPAN></P>

<P DIR=3DLTR><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"></SPAN></P>

<P DIR=3DLTR><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"><FONT COLOR=3D"#0000FF" =
FACE=3D"Arial">What if the question is not about what are the =
"givens"</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"></SPAN></P>

<P DIR=3DLTR><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"><FONT COLOR=3D"#0000FF" =
FACE=3D"Arial"> but rather</FONT></SPAN><SPAN =
LANG=3D"en-us"></SPAN></P>

<P DIR=3DLTR><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"><FONT COLOR=3D"#0000FF" =
FACE=3D"Arial"> what are the</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"><B> =
<FONT COLOR=3D"#0000FF" =
FACE=3D"Arial">"musts</FONT></B></SPAN><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"><FONT =
COLOR=3D"#0000FF" FACE=3D"Arial">" (I mean like in =
sailing)</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"> <FONT COLOR=3D"#0000FF" =
FACE=3D"Arial">that make it possible for the wind/spirit (in Hebrew it =
is the same word :"Ruach")</FONT></SPAN><SPAN =
LANG=3D"en-us"></SPAN></P>

<P DIR=3DLTR><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"><FONT COLOR=3D"#0000FF" =
FACE=3D"Arial"> to</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"><B> <FONT =
COLOR=3D"#0000FF" FACE=3D"Arial">move</FONT></B></SPAN><SPAN =
LANG=3D"en-us"><FONT COLOR=3D"#0000FF" FACE=3D"Arial"> =
us</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"><FONT COLOR=3D"#0000FF" =
FACE=3D"Arial"> in a</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"><B> <FONT =
COLOR=3D"#0000FF" FACE=3D"Arial">direction</FONT></B></SPAN><SPAN =
LANG=3D"en-us"><FONT COLOR=3D"#0000FF" =
FACE=3D"Arial">.</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"></SPAN></P>

<P DIR=3DLTR><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"><FONT COLOR=3D"#0000FF" =
FACE=3D"Arial">Tova</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"></SPAN></P>

<P DIR=3DLTR><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"><FONT COLOR=3D"#0000FF" =
FACE=3D"Arial"></FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"> </SPAN></P>

<P DIR=3DRTL><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"></SPAN><SPAN =
LANG=3D"en-us"></SPAN></P>

<P DIR=3DLTR><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"></SPAN><SPAN =
LANG=3D"en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG=3D"he-il"></SPAN><A NAME=3D""><SPAN =
LANG=3D"he-il"><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">Tova =
Averbuch=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 =A0</FONT></SPAN></A><SPAN =
LANG=3D"en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG=3D"he"> =
<FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial (Hebrew)"><SPAN =
DIR=3DRTL>=E8=E5=E1=E4</SPAN></FONT></SPAN><SPAN =
LANG=3D"en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"></SPAN><SPAN =
LANG=3D"he-il"><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">‎</FONT></SPAN><SPAN =
LANG=3D"en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG=3D"he"> =
<FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial (Hebrew)"><SPAN =
DIR=3DRTL>=E0=E5=F8=E1=E5=EA</SPAN></FONT></SPAN><SPAN =
LANG=3D"en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG=3D"he-il"></SPAN></P>

<P DIR=3DLTR><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"></SPAN><SPAN =
LANG=3D"en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG=3D"he-il"><FONT SIZE=3D2 =
FACE=3D"Arial">34=A0Rabinovitz St.=A0 =A0</FONT></SPAN><SPAN =
LANG=3D"en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"></SPAN><SPAN =
LANG=3D"he"><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial (Hebrew)"><SPAN =
DIR=3DRTL>=F8=E7=E5=E1 =F8=E1=E9=F0=E5=E1=E9=F5 =
</SPAN></FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"></SPAN><SPAN =
LANG=3D"en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG=3D"he"> <FONT SIZE=3D2 =
FACE=3D"Arial"><SPAN DIR=3DRTL>34</SPAN></FONT></SPAN><SPAN =
LANG=3D"en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"></SPAN><SPAN =
LANG=3D"he-il"><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">‎=A0 =
=A0=A0</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG=3D"he-il"> =
</SPAN></P>

<P DIR=3DLTR><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"></SPAN><SPAN =
LANG=3D"en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG=3D"he-il"><FONT SIZE=3D2 =
FACE=3D"Arial">Holon=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 =
=A058672=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0</FONT></SPAN><SPAN =
LANG=3D"en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG=3D"he"> =
<FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial (Hebrew)"><SPAN =
DIR=3DRTL>=E7=E5=EC=E5=EF</SPAN></FONT></SPAN><SPAN =
LANG=3D"en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"></SPAN><SPAN =
LANG=3D"he-il"><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">‎</FONT></SPAN><SPAN =
LANG=3D"en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG=3D"he-il"> </SPAN></P>

<P DIR=3DLTR><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"></SPAN><SPAN =
LANG=3D"en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG=3D"he-il"><FONT SIZE=3D2 =
FACE=3D"Arial">Israel=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0</FONT></SPAN><SPAN =
LANG=3D"en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG=3D"he-il"></SPAN></P>

<P DIR=3DLTR><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"></SPAN><SPAN =
LANG=3D"en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG=3D"he-il"><FONT SIZE=3D2 =
FACE=3D"Arial">=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 =
972-3-5523476</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"></SPAN><SPAN =
LANG=3D"he-il"> </SPAN></P>

<P DIR=3DLTR><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"></SPAN><SPAN =
LANG=3D"en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG=3D"he-il"><FONT SIZE=3D2 =
FACE=3D"Arial">=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0</FONT></SPAN><SPAN =
LANG=3D"en-us"> </SPAN><A HREF=3D"mailto:averbuch at post.tau.ac.il"><SPAN =
LANG=3D"en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"><U></U></SPAN><U><SPAN =
LANG=3D"he-il"><FONT COLOR=3D"#0000FF" SIZE=3D2 =
FACE=3D"Arial">averbuch at post.tau.ac.il</FONT></SPAN></U><SPAN =
LANG=3D"en-us"></SPAN></A><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"></SPAN></P>

<P DIR=3DRTL><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"></SPAN></P>

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

To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs:
http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist
------=_NextPart_000_000B_01C42288.47AFB290--



More information about the OSList mailing list