facilitating participant

[Phelim McDermott]

Hi kevin,

I was just thinking of this today. As I floated in a tank of salt  
water in the dark. In preparation for next weekend when I also  
facilitate  my first open space event! I put together an invitation  
which was about how to make things better in our theatre community.  
It was because I felt passionately that things weren't as good as  
they could be in theatreland and i was fed up of hearing myself moan  
and not doing something about it. The invite was called "devoted and  
disgruntled." It's had an extraordinary response and we have gone  
beyond the capacity of our space. with 200 people and fifty on a  
waiting list. It was only after a short while i realised that this  
thing I cared about passionately was something I wouldn't be able to  
contribute to as a participant. What about all those things i was  
disgruntled about! How would I get to contribute them and get them  
dealt with?

Then i realised that I had to model what I was asking for in my  
community which is to trust that those things WILL get dealt with by  
the group. Especially if I hold the space with the right spirit. In  
fact it was imperative for me to hold back my impulse to contribute  
as that was actually a secret way for the bit of me that wants to  
control things  to work its way into the process. It was the bit of  
me that was attached to the event "Going well" and wanted solutions!

In reply to this bit i find myself saying! "In fact i have already  
made my contribution by sending the invite and getting the response I  
have. In fact the event has already gone very well! It's already a  
success and I have to do my best by enjoying that..  hold the space  
and not do it! Let the ~Open space event do me! Even if it is a  
disaster modeling holding the space and staying out of things will be  
an incredible gift/learning for myself and everyone involved. In fact  
when i think about it one of the big things i am disgruntled about is  
that theatre doesn't model and use this kind of servant leadership  
enough. So i was contributing in a wider an answer to all my questions.

The other thing that occurs to me in the moment is that in the tank I  
asked myself this question..   get back to this string and its been  
asked and answered by people. It's the same process.

Of course I'm not saying this is what you should do and I also think  
it would be interesting to get fluidity around the participant/ 
facilitator roles. I just know its not right for me on my first  
outing. It will be enough to manage to stay awake as it all happens.  
This is where I'm at a week away. I'll let you know how it goes and  
good luck with your event.

Phelim

www.improbable.co.uk

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