Question on OS with a subgroup first

[john engle]

hi peggy.

i had worked with the director of a school in haiti and teachers and
administrators over the course of a couple of years. they would invite me to
come and do open space meetings from time to time.

i would always propose that we do something with the entire school--include
all the students. they never bit.

then one day one of the teachers called me and explained that she and
another teacher were organizing an open space with all the kids and asked me
if i would be willing to just give a little coaching.

this seemed like a great evolution to me.

here's the story for those interested:

http://www.globalchicago.net/haiti/haiti.cgi?DiscoveringAuthenticHarmony

while i totally buy the notion that ideally, "we're getting everyone who has
a stake, into the room" the power dynamics which often exist especially when
we're dealing in an extremely classist society and/or with children and
adults, and/or with americans and folks in a two-thirds world country,
another principle comes to mind for me: small is beautiful.

once those that customarily have the power, come to discover the potential
of trusting others and inviting input, the space really starts to open. and
maybe sometimes, this can happen more easily for them when they've had
experiences with it among their colleagues, and then they decide
collectively, to open it to others. it might be more sustainable.

i'm sure there's examples where the opposite of what i'm saying has worked
wonderfully.

john


http://JohnEngle.blogspot.com - November 9-16 Haiti Trip Report
http://JohnEngle.info
http://TheExperiment.info


>From: "Peggy S. Holman" <peggy at opencirclecompany.com>
>Reply-To: OSLIST <OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
>To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
>Subject: Question on OS with a subgroup first
>Date: Wed, 10 Nov 2004 20:18:45 -0800
>
>I've always been a believer that OS is best done by bringing all
>stakeholders together right away.  The OS with the street kids has given me
>a situation that for the first time makes me wonder if this is always true.
>  I'm referring to the teachers and wondering if we had done an OS with
>just teachers first if it would have made a difference in both their
>experience and the young people's experience.
>
>I'm curious how others see this.  Is there ever a time when you have found
>it useful to do an OS with a subgroup before bringing the whole system
>together?
>
>Peggy
>
>___________________________________
>Peggy Holman
>The Open Circle Company
>15347 SE 49th Place
>Bellevue, WA  98006

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