Conflict Transformation (was Craig)

[Lisa Heft]

Hi, Craig -

 

You wrote:

< Question for you using OST in Conflict Transformation: If one uses Open
Space Technology in the beginning, form the circle, open the space, hold the
space, create a bulletin board, as the first and primary process, what does
the theme look like?  ..is it direct?--You are in conflict and what
conversations need to happen to find your way out of this? or does it work
best without the directness and focusing on the positive direction of
thinking such as--What is the future you are trying create? Or does it
matter because the group is going to go where it is going to go where it
needs to go?>

 

I find it is best to invite people to come together for a theme that really
engages them in co-creation - and I also find it is best to bring diverse
and often conflicted people together to work on a task together.  Hence for
example, 'What is the future we want for our children' or 'How to preserve
our island and grow our economy at the same time?'

 

I find that when people post their topics they are interested, surprised,
maybe a little anxious at what comes up.  Which is normal.  Then they are
drawn into a session they care about and find that someone sitting across
from them is someone they have historically seen as a competitor (or
irritator or opposite-thinker or unpleasant person) and they realize they
are both parents and both talking about the future for their children (or
whatever).  I call it 'stealth collaboration' - Open Space gets in under the
radar / before people can set up their barriers...

 

I find that the conversations the client/sponsor/host/core team has as we go
back and forth developing the best possible theme/focusing question is an
essential part of the pre-work.  It is one of the elements which sets
intention and creates the container for the work to happen however it will
happen.

 

My two transformation cents,

Lisa

 

___________________________

L i s a   H e f t

Consultant, Facilitator, Educator

O p e n i n g  S p a c e

lisaheft at openingspace.net

www.openingspace.net 

 

 


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