Conflict in community

[Lisa Heft]

Hi, brother Chris -

 

Chris wrote:

<So my question goes to people who have worked in this situation, with
groups that are highly wedded to positions.  What are the kinds of
invitations that allow for "airing," generated shared understanding, and
perhaps lead to transformative relationships? >

 

One of the best themes I've seen a core planning group come up with in an
incredibly high-conflict situation - where people couldn't even breathe they
were in a place of such pain, fear and anger - was:

 

"Getting Unstuck"

 

In the opening I presented it as not a time for solutions, but an airing.
Getting more air around it all.

 

So that's different than everybody understanding each other exactly, and
certainly different than people changing each other.  But it's certainly an
opportunity for naming things, for deep listening, for witnessing.



Of course a single event doesn't shift behavior, so much work was done by
that group post-Open Space event - they learned communication tools,
adjusted the way they held meetings, kept meeting and so on.

 

Lisa

 

___________________________

L i s a   H e f t

Consultant, Facilitator, Educator

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

 <mailto:lisaheft at openingspace.net> lisaheft at openingspace.net

 <http://www.openingspace.net> www.openingspace.net 

 

 

 

 


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