Alternatives to Debate/Was Re: Open Space in the European Community

[Christine Whitney Sanchez]

Thanks for this, Diana.  I will incorporate this in my next opening where
the topic is governance and debate could be a naturally assumed discourse. 

Christine
 
Christine Whitney Sanchez
KAIROS Alliance Inc.
2717 E. Mountain Sky Avenue
Phoenix, AZ  85048
480.759.0262
www.kairosalliance.com <http://www.kairosalliance.com> 

-----Original Message-----
From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of Diana
Larsen
Sent: Thursday, September 29, 2005 12:29 PM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: Alternatives to Debate/Was Re: Open Space in the European Community

Hi All,

Time to stop lurking, I guess. ;-)

When the purpose of a gathering (or that part of a gathering) is to explore
ideas more than it is to make decisions, I create an additional flip chart
poster with four continua. As I open space (notice the lower
case) for groups, I extend the invitation to focus on:
- inquiry rather than advocacy
- discussion rather than debate
- conversation rather than argument
- understanding rather than defending

Participants have come to me to say that it helped them for me to make this
distinction in the kinds of possible discourse. They hadn't thought about
the fact that they had options to choose from when they interacted on topics
about which they felt passion.

Peace!
Diana

Diana Larsen
www.futureworksconsulting.com   503-288-3550

I'll be at the Pacific Northwest Software Quality Conference in Portland OR
USA, Oct 10-12, 2005. They are ready to accept registrations! Sign up now
for a great conference:
   http://www.pnsqc.org
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Other Upcoming Events:
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   "The Secrets of  Agile Teamwork: Beyond Technical Skills"
    Dec. 6-8, 2005, Portland OR USA
    http://www.futureworksconsulting.com/events.html


On Sep 29, 2005, at 9:29 AM, Harrison Owen wrote:

> Very good point! I have just been invited to facilitate a gathering of 
> 200 Rabbis and Imams from around the world -- on the question "Issues 
> and Opportunities for enabling peace between Jews and Muslims" (At 
> least I think that is the question). And that nasty word "debate" came 
> up in our discussions of how to write the invitation. I can certainly 
> understand how it jumps up -- given everybody's history. But it really 
> is a bummer.
> We do
> need to think of some alternatives. "Engaged Conversation" might head 
> in a more fruitful direction. And other possibilities would be 
> wonderful.
>
> 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
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>

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