SV: opening space with very small groups

[Joelle Lyons Everett]

Thomas--

I had a similar experience once.   On the second morning of a two-day OS, the 
"dead moose" which had been under the table during the first day was 
acknowledged by one of the participants, who announced in Morning News that instead of 
the session which he had originally posted, he would be convening a session 
on that topic in the first time slot.

Someone remarked, "I expect all of us will want to be in that session."   
However, a board member who was attending the meeting announced, "I will be 
convening the session I announced yesterday, up on the mezzanine."   Three or four 
people followed him to the mezzanine, and the remainder stayed in the central 
room for what proved to be an important and productive conversation.

I was grateful to the staff member who skillfully facilitated that difficult 
discussion, and to the board member who gently reminded the group that they 
still had a choice about what they wanted to do!   That hour and a half totally 
changed the climate of the meeting, and the remaining sessions had high energy 
levels and much creative work.

Always nice to be reminded that my job is to hold the space, not to do the 
work of the group.

Joelle





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