Is trust a part of open space?

Wed Feb 2 13:36:18 PST 2005

From: Harrison Owen [mailto:hhowen at comcast.net]
Sent: Wednesday, February 02, 2005 7:24 AM
To: 'Therese Fitzpatrick'
Subject: RE: Is trust a part of open space?

Therese -- I don't think it is so much a question of talking about Trust or
not -- but WHEN that conversation might take place. I would suggest that
talking about it in the introduction won't help all that much. And more to
the point, the more you say up front, the longer it takes for the people to
move into action. From where I sit the issue is not about hearing good words
about Trust, but rather BEING the trust they long for. And that state of
trusting, being trusted and trustworthy is, I think the majority experience
in Open Space -- no words needed. But there is a problem here as well. The
feeling of trust (as indeed all the other interesting things that happen in
open Space) usually comes along unannounced. It is often the case that
people just do not realize how far they have come in Open Space. What may
have felt strange in the beginning quickly becomes natural -- and hence
un-noticed. So. I think there is a real gain in bringing all those "changes"
to mind at the end, by way of reflection. This doesn't have to be a several
hour activity (which nobody would stand still for) -- indeed it can all be
accomplished quite quickly. After all when you have had the experience, you
don't have to go on about it, just have to note and acknowledge it. For
myself, I often use the Medicine Wheel as a template for reflection. I ask
the community to think about how it was that Leadership, Vision, Community,
and Management showed up in their time together -- and to notice what was
different or strange. They always seem to "get it." (If you are interested
in more about the Medicine Wheel and my approach -- take at look at the
section in The User's Guide.)

Harrison

Harrison Owen
7808 River Falls Drive
Potomac, Maryland   20845
Phone 301-365-2093

Open Space Training www.openspaceworld.com
Open Space Institute www.openspaceworld.org
Personal website http://mywebpages.comcast.net/hhowen/index.htm
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-----Original Message-----
From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of Therese
Fitzpatrick
Sent: Tuesday, February 01, 2005 6:17 PM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: Re: Is trust a part of open space?

I agree with you, Larry, that it may be counterproductive to talk
about trust as one opens space.

And, yet, I have a growing inner guidance that people in general need
to be talking about trust more and more openly.

I also believe that OS is not one single thing with one single
approach.  If I believe that talking about trust is something I should
do, I embody the principles by doing so.  If the law of two feet is
guiding me to talk about trust in my role as facilitator. . . .

Thanks for this rich conversation.

On Tue, 1 Feb 2005 15:32:55 -0500, Larry Peterson <larry at spiritedorg.com>
wrote:
> I agree with Michael that you do not need to talk explicitly about
> "trust" when opening the space -- in fact it may be counterproductive.
> I never do.
>
> I agree with Bea that Trust is Trust, in OS or not:
>
> -The sponsor or client has to trust the facilitator to open a space that
> relates to the focus/theme/directions she has established.  This is part
> of the reason for good preparation and planning.
>
> -When the sponsor/client makes their opening remarks, they need to
> engender the trust of the participants that they will follow thru with
> their commitments to what will happen during and after the OST event.
> That's why I get them to state some of them explicitly -- like you have
> freedom to act and the resources will be provided, or you have freedom
> to make proposals and the decision will be made by such and such a time,
> or you have freedom to do what ever you want but we have no resources to
> support you.  Being straight with the folks gathered increases their
> trust
>
> -The facilitator builds trust in the process by the way they open space
> -- through their confidence, words and spirit.  I believe this affects
> how quickly people put up topics and how much energy emerges at the
> beginning. (However, if there is lack of trust in the sponsor it will
> show anyway.)
>
> --The facilitator shows trust by not intervening once the space is open,
> by taking that nap or fiddling with the reporting system.  Every time
> someone asks for an intervention and the facilitator says -- in OST I
> trust you to figure out how to do it.
>
> Some Thoughts to add
>
> Larry
>
> Larry Peterson
> Associates in Transformation
> Toronto, ON, Canada
> 416.653.4829
>
> larry at spiritedorg.com
> www.spiritedorg.com
>
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--
Warmly,
Therese Fitzpatric

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