the dark side of circle practices -- and related themes

Mon Jul 12 15:25:41 PDT 2004

some thoughts on our role as facilitator...

Harrison Owen wrote:

>...And what about all those other great experiments -- Dialogue, Appreciative
>Inquiry, Community Building, and I suppose "Circle practices" (although I am
>not quite sure what they are)? Speaking just for my self -- I must say that
>each of these have been profound teachers. From the practitioners of
>Dialogue I have learned what intense and productive communication can be
>like. From Appreciative Inquiry I have learned the incredible power of a
>positive, appreciate approach to my fellow human beings. And from Scott Peck
>and Co. I have learned much about the nature and function of effective human
>community. Each of these has opened my eyes, sharpened my attention, and
>raised my expectations in terms of what and how we can function at optimal
>levels both individually and collectively. But my deepest learning occurs
>when with open sharpened,  eyes I see exactly the same things happening in
>Open Space -- all by themselves, and all without the overt intervention of
>some prescribed, facilitated process. I find my emerging conclusion to be
>basically mind-blowing -- although some may take it to mean that I have
>blown (lost) my mind. It seems to me that genuine dialogue, deep
>appreciation of difference, and the manifestation of real community are all
>the natural concomitants of any fully functional self-organizing system. If
>this is true, the real focus should be on enabling/allowing the
>self-organizing system (which we all are) to do what it alone can do --
>rather than trying to "fix" apparent and real problems encountered along the
>way with special interventions and added processes, as fascinating as those
>processes and interventions might be. As I said, Don't fix it if it ain't
>broke -- just make sure that "it" (good old self organizing system) has
>plenty of time and space in which to breath.
>
>Harrison
>
>
>
Zelle writes:

I'm oscillating between two prime pillars: 1) Learning and adopting
tools (Appreciative Inquiry, Dialog, etc.) to help us interact
ultimately in a state of grace*** 2) Living, being, experiencing as our
path to learning and as a way of life.

***sidebar*** Living in a State of Grace means coming from a place where
peace is our ultimate goal in any relationship rather than striving to
keep the status quo of a relationship at any cost. When we hold onto our
idea of a relationship at any cost we are coming from a place of fear -
fear of loss, fear of pain - Living in a State of Grace does not mean we
hold the relationship as a sacred cow, but rather we hold the people
involved as sacred. I never want to see you walking down the street and
feel I need to cross over to the other side to avoid talking to you,
whether we agree on certain issues or not. To learn more about how to
more fully live in a State of Grace visit www.stateofgracedocument.com***

The way of being I hold is a paradox. In Open Space I can use the tools
I've learned towards better relationships with others and myself. And I
can practice being in Open Space, living as the waves and tides of my
internal and external world compel me to move, act, speak, listen, and
be. I seek to live by the principles of Open Space, since I see the act
of formally opening space as an acknowledgment of what is already out
there to be lived. I need neither skills nor advanced training to take
responsibility for myself and my passions, yet in my experience, I more
richly engage in bountiful relationships when I utilize skills and tools
which I have been taught or have created to facilitate living the
reality of responsibility and passion.

To address what Harrison wrote:

"It seems to me that genuine dialogue, deep
appreciation of difference, and the manifestation of real community are all
the natural concomitants of any fully functional self-organizing system. If
this is true, the real focus should be on enabling/allowing the
self-organizing system (which we all are) to do what it alone can do --
rather than trying to "fix" apparent and real problems encountered along the
way with special interventions and added processes, as fascinating as those
processes and interventions might be."

Having learned many skills and tools which enable me to better know how
I wish to be in relationship with others has greatly enhanced my ability
to act and move within a "formally" - being in circle, stating the law
and principles, creating a marketplace of ideas - opened space. I am
more "fully functional" within a "self-organizing system" because of the
tools I have learned. Leaving space open for others to learn techniques
within the bounds of a "formally" opened space, in my experience, can be
beneficial. Our challenge as facilitators of Open Space is to know when
to hold um and know when to fold um - know when to offer aid in
facilitating dynamically changing relationships and when to simply hold
space for each individual to find their own way and their own learning.
As I've seen from posts here and heard from discussions with colleagues
the ultimate path to knowing when to do what comes full circle back to
following our passion and our responsibility on an individual basis as
spirit arises.

When "formally" holding space I like to provide opportunities for topics
to be posted relevant to facilitating the resolution of the questions
addressed in the invitation, including opportunities for learning tools
and processes that foster fruitful relationships. These opportunities
must, in my opinion be as voluntary as the other topics which arise.
Often these opportunities are offered outside of the "formally" opened
space and are not a prerequisite of being involved in an Open Space event.

In my experience once I "formally" open space I rarely do anything but
hold space and try to bounce back any attempts to bring me in to
facilitate a discussion, by saying something like, "This part of the
meeting is yours. You have the ability and the responsibility to follow
your own two feet and solve problems and challenges on your own."
Outside of "formally" opened space I tend to still stay out of trying to
"teach" something that I "know" unless I am invited to do so.

In my experience tools and skills which help us to be more fully present
in dynamic relationships (Appreciative Inquiry, Dialogue, State of Grace
Documents, Byron Katie's Loving What Is) focus on

"enabling/allowing the self-organizing system (which we all are) to do what it alone can do"

Do we need these tools to be and self-organize into active, responsible,
passionate bodies? - No. Do these tools enable and allow self organizing
systems to be more fulfilling, fruitful, and rewarding? - In my
experience, Yes. As long as these tools and skills are not "required" as
a ticket for admission into a seemingly open space.

With Grace and Love,

Zelle

************
Zelle Nelson
Engaging the Soul at Work/Know Place Like Home/State of Grace Document

www.stateofgracedocument.com

zelle at maureenandzelle.com
office - 828.693.0802
mobile - 847.951.7030

Ravenswood - Isle of Skye
2021 Greenville Hwy
Flat Rock, NC 28731

>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Artur Silva" <arturfsilva at yahoo.com>
>To: <OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
>Sent: Friday, July 09, 2004 1:00 PM
>Subject: Re: the dark side of circle practices
>
>
>
>
>>--- chris macrae <wcbn007 at easynet.co.uk> wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>>The process starts erring to absolute democracy of
>>>everyone must have
>>>equal time contributions to speak at each phase
>>>
>>>
>>(...) In other
>>
>>
>>>word's the circle's communal harmony ... can
>>>
>>>
>>co-create such
>>
>>
>>>deep love of nice
>>>behaviours to each other that it misses the biggest
>>>spiral out above our
>>>communal thinking's common denominator
>>>
>>>
>>That's interesting, Chris.
>>
>>I have been, at times, in situations like that one -
>>circles (or squares) where everyone must "be in
>>place", must "speak in his turn" and must have a "nice
>>behavior".
>>
>>They call this democratic, but in fact it is a
>>dictatorship. In a democracy I can stay silent if I
>>want. When everyone is obliged to speak that is not
>>democratic. This can be a "rules' dictatorship"
>>(created by the rules previously defined,) a "leader's
>>dictatorship" (the leader(s) imposes that everyone
>>must speak), or even a more interesting type - a
>>"majority's dictatorship" (where the rule is created
>>at the moment by the majority).
>>
>>Apart from claiming to be democratic, this type of
>>groups/sessions also claim that they are following
>>"good principles". The two I have heard more often are
>>"appreciation" (like in "appreciative inquiry") and
>>"dialog".
>>
>>Democracy (and Open Space) are made of dialogs AND of
>>discussions. If one suppresses discussion and impose
>>dialog (as in "everyone must be nice to each other and
>>hear the other with appreciation") then there is no
>>democracy and no open space, I think.
>>
>>Apart from the fact that there are some people that I
>>don't want to hear with appreciation (say, Bush, to
>>give only one example) the point is even more strange.
>>"Playing the appreciative game" (an expression I have
>>created just know) is only one form of "playing games"
>>- and that is the essence of Argyris and Schon's Model
>>1.
>>
>>If, in a meeting or organization, one imposes dialog
>>and appreciation, then a close session or organization
>>will come to place.
>>
>>Artur
>>
>>PS: I never heard to call this "circle" and even less
>>Open Space. But I would not be too surprised if some
>>would call that. I have already referred to a
>>respectable group of practitioners of "Communities of
>>Practice", USA based, that not long ago claimed that
>>they had used "Open Space" (OST) in a meeting because:
>>
>>- they assembled in a circle
>>- they gave participants the opportunity to ADD issues
>>to a large group of issues pre-prepared by the
>>organizers
>>- they divided the large group in small groups to
>>discuss those issues (by choice of the organizers, if
>>I recall well - but I recall well that there was no
>>reference to "the law" - people were not expected to
>>leave their group! That would not be considered
>>"appreciative" to the other group members, I
>>suspect...)
>>
>>But don't worry about what some people do "in your
>>name", Harrison. You can always remember what some
>>have done (and are doing) in His name. And at least
>>about you I know that you exists - something I am not
>>prepared to say about the Other...
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>__________________________________
>>Do you Yahoo!?
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>>
>>*
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--
ÐÏ à¡± á

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