Space Invader

Harrison Owen hhowen at comcast.net
Wed Jan 26 06:35:33 PST 2005


Amanda -- I guess I would have to think more about the "debate" business,
but I loved your little aside, "And sometimes when they observe the power of
open space they feel their hard won hierarchical position is being made
redundant... the people are making laws without parliament!"

Wonderful when people catch up with reality. That good old hierarchical
position was basically redundant from the start. So nice to have a really
good blinding flash of the obvious!

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
OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives Visit:
http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html



-----Original Message-----
From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of Amanda
Bucklow
Sent: Wednesday, January 26, 2005 6:46 AM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: FW: How do you live in open space?

Dear Doug

In circumstances like this I would review a certain number of factors before
I intervened. They would include the tone of the open space so far, whether
the others in her conversation were 'looking for help' from the facilitator,
were the rest of the group ignoring her or were they listening to what she
was saying but still going their own way, and the feelings I got about her
increasing reluctance to participate or to disrupt proceedings. Did she
articulate any of her reasons? Or did she just keep saying 'no' one way or
another.

The principle behind my approach might be described as expanding the chaos
so that a better order might emerge!

If I thought it appropriate to intervene and I am always reluctant to do so,
I might do one of the following:

Make the observation to the group about the progress so far that this
'decision/topic' seems to be very important and at the same time so-and-so
seems strongly against the ideas/decision. Ask them how important it really
is for them all. If the answer is 'yes' or 'very' then spending extra time
on this might have a beneficial effect on the overall outcome and would they
be willing to give some time so that so-and-so could better explain some of
her reasons? And ask her if she would be willing to take just a couple of
minutes give her reasons and to see if she could persuade the group that
they had missed important points. Then hold the space for her to explain her
reasons. The facilitator can assist with questions for opening up more space
and creating more curiosity.

If they say no, but she says yes then asking them to give her the
opportunity to better explain her reservations.

And if everyone says no, then that might be enough to move people on I might
ask if the 'lady' if in that case she was happy to let the decision stand
and move on to something else of interest to her.

Or depending on the quality of the sense of getting on and how important to
the overall process the current block is...

Suggest a mini debate on the issue. With each point of view proposed by the
'holding' side or even more 'risky' that each side should strongly propose
the point of view of the other side! If that goes well then you can ask each
how they felt about the views they expressed. Was there anything they
learned that they did know before that was relevant to the way forward?

I have actually found the debate route to be very effective. I have observed
that some people find moving into open space very challenging. It doesn't
feel rational enough for them, decisions are made very quickly and there
appears to be no stopping this process! And sometimes when they observe the
power of open space they feel their hard won hierarchical position is being
made redundant... the people are making laws without parliament!

There are lots of ways to introduce this idea and framing will depend upon
the specific circumstances. Great attention should be paid to doing it in an
impartial way. If the intention is to open space and reveal deeper meaning
for the benefit of the group then it has the best chance of enhancing the
process.

Why does it work?
In other forms of 'conflict resolution' I have found that if people do not
have an opportunity to state their views with passion, conviction and be
listened to they are often unable to move forward and appreciate other
points of view. Everything else is seen as a threat. Sometimes we have to
give them the framework for that otherwise they take the opportunity in
small chunks at any opportunity. The most popular time is just when all the
others have made a decision. I call it the 'grenade at 4.30 in the
afternoon'!!

It also gives everyone an opportunity to see if they have missed anything
and often the person who has the alternative view but is not expressing it
very effectively, has a valid point which others have missed. For every
disaster you can find someone who knew it was going to happen and just about
when but was not listened to. They were viewed as a 'complainer' or
difficult person and ignored, often due to their level of influence or
indeed their personal style.

Why might it not work?
If the suggestion is received as partisan, judgemental or manipulative.
If the dissenting person is humiliated in some way.
You can't create enough space in the time available or complete the process
There are fundamental issues that people are not willing to share which are
really at the centre of the issue.
If you are fearful that the situation will get much worse and that is
unacceptable to you.

However, if it doesn't work to move the issue on and it was done in good
faith there will still be a benefit. You can only give them the opportunity!

It works in life too! I am often heard proposing the others point of view
framed in a way that is intended to 'put myself in other's shoes'. When I
have repeated their argument/points I might say that 'the point I relate
to/like best is.... because....' and 'the point you make about .... is very
hard for me to agree with because ... ' This all might sound a bit scripted
but in practice it isn't just sounds that way written down!

It doesn't always work but demonstrating that you have done your best to see
the other parties point of view and perhaps even enhancing the strength of
it can be very powerful in creating the feeling of respect for the other and
that is often what people really want.

I would be interested in hearing views on this.

Kind regards
Amanda







-----Original Message-----
From: Douglas D. Germann, Sr. [mailto:76066.515 at compuserve.com]
Sent: 26 January 2005 01:52
Subject: How do you live in open space?

Alan--

Have a good moving experience, Alan.

The replies from everyone have given me much to ponder. I have saved them
all and will re-read them many times, for they are heartening for me.

What do you do when someone tries to close down the space around you in a
meeting? I've recently had the experience of someone wanting to see
anything others said as a competition or a threat. She even took upon
herself to rescind a decision made by the group! Any thoughts on keeping
space open in such meetings and in life in the face of such?

                              :-Doug.
                              Who's making a difference?

*
*
==========================================================
OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
 -----------------------------
To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
view the archives of oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu:
http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html

To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs:
http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist

*
*
==========================================================
OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
------------------------------
To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
view the archives of oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu:
http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html

To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs:
http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist

*
*
==========================================================
OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
------------------------------
To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
view the archives of oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu:
http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html

To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs:
http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist



More information about the OSList mailing list