FW: The challenge of "luminaries"

Mon Aug 20 20:13:32 PDT 2007

Thanks Harrison. Very meaningful learning. Reinforces the gap between intent & assumptions made by others about the intent & how dialogue or opening up the intent helps create open space & liberate people.

  Regards

  Pankaj

Harrison Owen <hhowen at verizon.net> wrote:
        v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}  o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}  w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}  .shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}        st1\:*{behavior:url(#default#ieooui) }                  Catherine – I would be a little careful with “witnesses,” especially if those “witnesses” are what you might call “power figures.” Several years ago I was called in to facilitate an Open Space which had been arranged by somebody else. It seemed that the original facilitator had become sick or something, and I was called in at the very last moment knowing little more than the date and place. The purpose of the gathering was to re-energize and re-direct a very large federal program, and the participants included the federal managers as well as the non-federal  people (citizens) who related to that program either as grantees (they received funding from the program) or as representatives of external (non-federal) organizations and associations whose cooperation was
 essential for the program’s success. The organizers, unbeknownst to me, had told all the Feds that they could be present, but not say a word (witness) – all on the assumption that the Federal silence would insure free and open discussion. The result was quite the opposite. 

  This was a two day program and all during the first day I had the feeling that the whole group was simply going through the motions and doing so in a very sluggish way – sort of like walking through thick molasses. I didn’t have a clue what was going on, but I did know that never before had I seen a group behave that way in Open Space. The mystery remained for me until the last session of the day when I noticed one group that was particularly dysfunctional. The subject was important and yet when the convener would say a few words he would be greeted by total silence. It turned out that most of the people in that group were Feds who had been sworn to silence!

  That was an extreme situation, but the other groups were not doing a lot better. After the evening news I overheard a conversation that went something like this – Two non-federal people were talking to each other and remarked that having the silent feds in their groups really made them nervous because they seemed to be sitting there in silent judgment. And when you tried to talk to them either they would not answer or answered evasively. Big Brother was watching!

  The situation improved radically on the second day after I removed the gag from the feds – with the organizers’ permission. My learning in the whole things was simply this. There are only participants in Open Space. Some people will say a lot, some very little, but each should feel free to participate in their own way. 

  Subsequently in other situations I have found that the problem you are anticipating just never really happens. I suppose that if there was 75% professional cancer specialists and 25% patients you could have difficulty, but if the vast majority are patients, and it is made very clear that this is a “Patients Meeting” – no problem, just Open Space.

  Harrison

---------------------------------

  From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of Catherine Pfaehler
Sent: Monday, August 20, 2007 2:14 AM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: AW: The challenge of "luminaries"

  Peggy, great question!

  I am in a similar situation preparing for an Open Space with cancer patients. The preparation group has decided that a few health care professionals & experts will be invited, but with the explicit task to be there as witnesses only. They will be asked not to answer individual questions, as this would re-create the situation they are all used to – experts speak, patients listen. This Open Space is a patients forum with reversed roles, it belongs entirely to the patients.

  Individual pre-talks are most valuable to explain the situation to luminaries beforehand (the experts in our case will even get a briefing in the morning). Plus, for journalists especially, who might be used to observing situations from the outside AND Open Space not being a spectator sport, it could be difficult for some to really become part of the system and experience its assets first hand - because this would mean they have to step out of the spectator role, and this could be a role they might not all be aware of functioning in during most of the time of their lives. 

  Also, some people who are used to the traditional conference format where impulse speeches give input before anything else happens, have difficulties to imagine how they could possibly translate one of their speeches into a group workshop. Even if I always mention, in relation to the law of 2 feet (and of self-responsibility, I add), that when they look at the wall and find a topic missing, it might be exactly them who should add it to the listed topics. This has happened to me with a journalist in the HIV+ Open Space last year. The man then talked to me and deposited his ideas with me. I later decided to bring his main question (a real taboo topic) into the post-conference email-forum, and there it did trigger quite a big discussion. (Of course he could / should have done this himself, but I wasn’t sure if he was at all part of this mail-forum, so I decided to bring it in.)

  Catherine

    Catherine Pfaehler Senn
  lic.oec.HSG
  Open Space Begleitung
  Kellersriedweg 8
  CH - 2503 Biel
  +41-(0)32 - 365 68 41
  c.pfaehler at bluewin.ch

---------------------------------

  Von: Peggy Holman [mailto:peggy at opencirclecompany.com] 
Gesendet: Sonntag, 19. August 2007 02:25
Betreff: The challenge of "luminaries"

    Along with Stephen Silha, I just completed an Open Space with 150 journalists.  Actually, it was a mix of mainstream journalists, media educators and students, and citizen journalists.  It is the 5th gathering of the "system of journalism" that Stephen and I have done in the last 2 years.  It was also the largest.  Along with the size, it brought a new twist to our journalism work.

    We have developed a positive reputation and as a result, attracted a handful of people considered expert in the changing landscape of journalism.  These "luminaries" are used to being on stage, the ones others turn to as the experts.  And, while ego may be a factor for some of them, they truly do bring particularly valuable insights.

    Following the conference, we head from one of them, who was quite turned off by the whole experience. Here's an excerpt:

    > Instead I was at a New Age, "open circle" conference where
> the questions were as flat and meaningless as possible so no one would feel
> excluded.  

    Just so we don't dwell on this individual, a variation of this luminary situation occurred with the Nexus for Change.  In that examploe, I spoke with one of the "luminaries" who had originally planned on attending.  She cancelled at the last moment because she just didn't see a role for herself.  She described herself as a high introvert and without a role, felt she would not be comfortable there.

    So, here's my question:  these folks (even the ones with egos) have gifts to offer.  What experiences have you had in creating conditions where luminaries/elders/experts actually see a role for themselves and make a productive contribution to an Open Space?

    (In retrospect, my current thought is to talk to them beforehand and encourage them to post a session on a question they wish to explore or, if they don't feel the others present are sophisticated enough for their question (whether that is actually the case is an entirely different question), at least post a session on a subject they believe others would be interested in learning about from them.)

    thoughts?

    curiously, 

    Peggy

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

    www.opencirclecompany.com

For the new edition of The Change Handbook, go to: 
www.bkconnection.com/ChangeHandbook 

    "An angel told me that the only way to step into the fire and not get burnt, is to become 
the fire".
  -- Drew Dellinger

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