The World Cafe meets Open Space / Freedom Schock

[Harrison Owen]

Thanks Peggy -- as usual you are lucid and on target. You got me thinking about Freedom Shock. I suspect we all experience it -- but for some it becomes an immobilizing experience. I first noticed FS some 30 years ago (Oh my God!) when I designed and "ran" a program for senior health care professionals. We were aiming specifically at those folks who were likely to be the next Assistant Secretary for Health, head of Blue Cross and the like. For such people, one more degree program or bunch of courses seemed rather beside the point, if only because most of our candidates were already the dean of a medical school with multiple degree or something similar. It seemed to me that such folks needed to be put right in the middle of the system and invited to do some good. The design was a simple one. I created a Board of Governance composed of the current leadership of the American Health Care System (Head of Blue Cross, Assistant Secretary of Health, Chairman of the House and Senate Health Committees etc). The board met in what I would now call an Open Space environment, and were invited to identify the major issues facing the system. The scholars (as we called them) were then invited to take any issue, any subset or combination of issues -- and do good. This could mean writing a law, staging a conference, making a study. The only condition was that they had to make a formal proposal to the Board. If accepted (all were) the scholars were off and running. They had two years at full salary and plenty of "walking around money" -- and no conditions other than they do something useful.

About two months into the program, the Scholars called for a meeting with me to discuss a "major" issue. They wanted me fired! But my resignation would do. I asked what the grounds were, and was informed that in their view I was not, "managing the program." When pushed, they said that I hadn't told them what to do. Needless to say I was a little surprised -- if only because these were highly educated, well experienced, consenting adults who had won admission into a very competitive program (2000 applications for 5 positions) -- and the whole point was -- they were responsible for the content and mode of their education. All they had to do was ask for help if they needed it.

Without thinking about it particularly, I took a piece of paper and wrote out my resignation and laid it on the table. I told them that if they cared to pick it up, I was gone. Today I would say that I just gave them more space. A lot more space. A look of horror crossed most of the faces and nobody moved. After a moment of silence, one of the Scholars said, "I think this meeting is over." And they all left. 

>From that point on the program worked perfect. Bumps and potholes for sure -- but the Scholars pursued their interests, grew their skills -- and two years later assumed high level positions -- just like we had hoped. For me is was a major learning moment -- all about just how terrifying real Freedom can be. But I also think I learned that the antidote for Freedom Shock is more freedom -- Create more space! Had I acceded to their request for more "management," we would have been right back where all other such programs were. And I would have been subject to constant complaint because I never could have done it "right." More to the point, the Scholars would have been placed once again in the servile position of "student." And they would have complained about that too!!

30 years later, and confirmed by 20 years of Open Space -- I still think the antidote for Freedom Shock is more freedom. This doesn't mean running away, or abandoning the cause -- but rather to back up just a little more until folks genuinely understand that their freedom is real and present. It is their responsibility to pursue what they care about. I will do everything I can to create a nutrient rich environment -- but they, and they alone can claim the freedom and the learning as their own. 

I think I have also learned that there is no way to "ease folks" into an acceptance of their freedom. Every new degree of freedom is always shocking. Just like every dip into the swimming pool is always shocking. I guess you can try to go in slowly -- but I think that only increases the agony (brrrrrr. . . ). You just have to jump in.


Harrison 



Harrison Owen
7808 River Falls Dr.
Potomac, MD  20854
USA
301-365-2093
207-763-3261 (summer)
website www.openspaceworld.com


  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Peggy Holman 
  To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU 
  Sent: Monday, May 30, 2005 2:04 AM
  Subject: The World Cafe meets Open Space


  You've seen Tom Atlee's description of the recent "Evolutionary Salon".  Here are my reflections, mostly on the partnership between TWC and OS.


  We began our first evening in a circle with a check in, people speaking to what attracted them to the Evolutionary Salon.  We described the process that we'd be using for the conference as a living experiment in being an evolutionary social system.  This let us use our real time experience as a mirror for our learning.

  The next morning, Juanita Brown took us into a World Cafe.  I got to participate.  We focused on a question about our burning questions.  I think I had the honor of experiencing TWC at its very best.  Juanita is a master of her craft.  When reflections were harvested at the end of the session, people said they were touched by the experience, discovering the feeling of connection to each other, the synergy among their burning questions.  They expressed excitement at the sense of intimacy and kinship they felt.  

  I have to admit that as a participant, I felt as I did the last time I experienced TWC: constrained by the expectation of staying at the table.  It was quite a contrast for me to hear the excitement of others in the room!  


  We began the Open Space in the afternoon.  Of course, people jumped in with their sessions.  They seemed to be doing just fine.  Come the closing circle, several people expressed distress at their experience.  One went so far as to ask if we could go back to the comfort and intimacy of a cafe-like format.  I thought to myself, "freedom shock" is alive and well.  The mix of people at the conference included scientists and people of spirit.  It seems there was something of a clash of cultures going on in many of the sessions.  I just listened -- no defending, no fixing.

  As is my practice in multiple day events (learned from Spirited Work), the convening group met to reflect on how things were going after the evening circle.  The meeting was open to any who wished to join us.  A few people did.  One wondered if we needed to do something to "push the group" in the direction we wished them to go (as if we knew what direction that was!).   We discussed the fact that the discomfort people experienced wasn't necessarily a bad thing, that it provided an opportunity for something new to emerge.  I encouraged my nervous sponsors to trust that things were going just fine.

  That evening I found myself in a butterfly conversation with a couple of people distressed by the "yang" energy they ran into, feeling unsafe to express their "yin" selves.  We talked at length about what it means to take responsibility for what you love.  They left the conversation thinking about how to come fully present tomorrow in all their "yin" glory.  

  The next morning, someone announced 3 new "yin" meeting spaces.  There was much laughter as people bantered about yin-ness and yang-ness and its intersection.  Turns out there had been LOTS of butterfly conversations and those who had felt distressed, found their way, dissipating the angst before it became a real issue.  In fact, from that point forward, the OS just flowed.


  A reflection on how TWC affected the dynamic. 
  It was clear that people had a felt sense of community very quickly through TWC.  I think that the move into OS created that condition that Harrison calls "freedom shock".  It's possible that the contrast heightened the shock.  That said, I believe the sense of connection created during TWC enabled those who were distressed to seek out the friends they had made rather than completely check out (of course, being in a remote location would have made it difficult to leave!).  I wonder if that is a benefit of a cafe prior to OS -- to create relationships that might support people to stay engaged if they have a tendency towards freedom shock?


  THE TWC MEETS OS EXPERIMENT
  The OS continued as usual over the next couple days.  During our preparation for the conference, the planning team (Tom Atlee, Michael Dowd and myself) discussed the possibility of convening evening sessions on "what are we learning?"  On the third evening, Tom and I decided that it would be useful to do so and that we'd do it using "TWC meets the law of two feet".

  Our session question: what patterns do you see emerging?  About 12 people came.  We started in groups of 4 with an agreement that we'd come together as a whole to see what we'd uncovered in about an hour.  In the meantime, people were invited to stay or move as they wished.  As context, I said that we knew from the cafe experience that patterns become visible quickly when people move around periodically, so moving is useful.  At Juanita's suggestion, we had blank cards in the clusters so that groups could send an idea to another group if they wanted.  They could also send an emissary.  

  That was it.  Basically, it was OS with groups of four discussing the session topic.  What happened was a kick.  Two groups were quite intent in their conversations, clearly not moving, just going deeper and deeper.  The third group eventually dissipated, a couple people going to sleep, the others joining the two hot groups.  And then others started arriving.  They just opted for one or the other of the groups.  The conversations were animated and intense.  At one point, the group I was in sent a card with an idea to the other group.  In all, I think about 20 people were there by the end of the evening.

  After about an hour, we came together as one.  First one group described what they'd learned, then the other group did the same.  The second group mentioned that they used the idea they'd received on the card.  The remains of the original third group added their thoughts into the mix.  Llyn Peabody, new to graphic recording, but clearly in her element, took notes, drawing an incredible visual map of the weave of our stories.  The result was electrifying and became the basis for some breakthrough ideas the last day!

  One side note -- someone said during the session that they often looked for what was missing to understand a situation.  I pointed out that the yin/yang laughter in the morning signaled something rather remarkable that was missing from our living experiment of an evolving social system: angst.  Rather than fragmenting into conflict, people had transcended it.  That drew a raised eyebrow or two as people digested how the space had made room for conflict to be embraced with grace.


  A reflection on the TWC meets OS experiment
  Next time I'm a participant in an OS and have a large group, I'd likely split up again in this way.  It was a great way to reflect on our question when the group was large.


  THOUGHTS FOR THE FUTURE
  Juanita and I talked the next morning about our impressions of the intersection of TWC and OS.  We discussed several strengths of TWC -- creating a sense of community and uncovering patterns quickly.  

  Given my own biases, I wouldn't use TWC as an opener unless the client had some specific situation that moved things that way.  

  I can imagine experimenting with doing an evening reflection with people beginning in small groups.  I can see this as a natural flow of the energy as people wander in, talking together before coming into a single circle.  I think this could be a low key transition that actually makes it easier to convene the evening circle.  By following the energy of people arriving for the close, inviting them into reflection as they arrive rather than waiting for everyone before beginning, I think something simple and useful could occur. 


  Juanita suggested explicitly encouraging people post their sessions in the form of questions.  It made me smile when Harrison recently posted: 
  I  think of every Open Space gathering as a (potentially) question rich environment. That is why I always suggest to people that they phrase the theme as a question, as opposed to a statement.

  Questions are certainly a place of coming together.

  So, that's about all of my musings on this subject.

  yours, on a warm evening in Seattle,
  Peggy


  ________________________________
  Peggy Holman
  The Open Circle Company
  15347 SE 49th Place
  Bellevue, WA  98006
  (425) 746-6274 

  www.opencirclecompany.com
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