nametags?

[Christy Lee-Engel]

Hello Phil,
 
I don't have any answers for most of your questions, but just an
observation from that name-tagged Open Space that the photos are from
(the Practice of Peace on Whidbey Island last year). A part of that
experience which was very striking to me was how many people who didn't
know each other (yet) looked each other in the eyes & greeted each other
by name right from the first evening, even when, for example, just
crossing paths in the hallways, and how people referenced one another by
name when responding to comments during the sessions. (Important point:
the nametags were printed in letters that were actually big enough to
read from a little distance, so that you could look each other in the
eyes when you got closer, and you could read someone's name from across
a room)
 
But at most conferences I've attended, there are almost always
nametags--and no one really uses them. So, for me, the way the nametags
at the Practice of Peace were used was more of a reflection of what was
created by being in Open Space with the particular people who showed
up--the tags were just a tiny aspect, but a really nice tiny aspect.
 
Christy Lee-Engel
Seattle
-----Original Message-----
From: Phil Culhane [mailto:pculhane at magma.ca] 
Sent: Thursday, August 05, 2004 4:56 PM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: nametags?



        Name tags? In Open Space?
         
        Sorry...I just took a close look at the photos, and I see name
tags?
         
        In my work, I often have people from wildly differing places on
the org chart sitting in the same circle...with no nametags, everyone is
an equal - a carbon-based life form, sharing a common passion. I have
never used nametags just to keep that equality. A data entry clerk has
as much validity as an ADM (and I had the two sitting side by side
recently), but knowing who's who could distract? Although the control
freaks want to go around the circle with introductions at the beginning
of day 1, I've found the anonymity freeing. 
         
        Does everyone else use nametags? Is there a time when nametags
are useful? Am I missing out on value by not using them?
         


*
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