The challenge of "luminaries"
Brendan McKeague
mckeague at iprimus.com.au
Tue Aug 21 08:54:29 PDT 2007
Hi Kaliya - your approach is really interesting -
I had not thought of these dimensions before -
especially the notions of being 'fanatical about
the circle' or imposing my beliefs, or about
working a community into a circle....much food for thought indeed.
In my understanding of Open Space, which my
experiences have confirmed, the initial journey
of the leader is to open and walk that circle of
connection - which, without doubt has created
unease and/or anxiety in some or many of the
participants....among other aspects, this is
about evoking chaos and confusion (desirable, if
not essential, for OS to work as well as it
possibly can?) and about illustrating or
modelling to the gathering that it's ok to walk
into this circle of uncertainty, this 'unknown
space' and engage with the issues you and others bring.
I don't walk the circle to 'impose my belief' -
rather to take a leadership role that invites the
group to engagement in this circle of 'open
space' - and to embody the reality that all space
is boundaried - the space occurs within the
parameters of this meeting of people who care about the issue....
I think that the circle is a fundamental part of
Open Space. For me, to have a semi-circle would
break the connection and focus. The group can be
tempted to look/focus outside the circle for
their direction/solutions/expertise, rather than
embodying the invitation to recognise the wisdom
that is in the circle (whether be expressed
through 'really smart amazing people' or others) ....
The circle is not there for 'its own sake' to
prove equality - as I see it, it is a
configuration for gathering that is deeply
archetypal, with many layers of meaning and
symbolism. It has the capacity to touch something
within people that I agree may have been lost or
driven out. In my own Celtic mythology for
example, it is a symbol of community connection,
hospitality and the nature of infinity (no beginning, no end).
I guess it may well be culturally way out of
bounds for some folks - and as facilitators I
think it is important for us to recognise this
aspect - within ourselves and within the group that gathers.
I wouldn't be without it though!
Cheers
Brendan
At 10:12 PM 21/08/2007, you wrote:
>On Aug 21, 2007, at 4:10 AM, Harrison Owen wrote:
>
>>Kaliya – I might take small issue with you
>>regarding the strangeness of the circle. In my
>>own experience the circle is the most common
>>and natural configuration (geometry) for human
>>communication. We all do it most of the time, a
>>fact that shows up repeatedly in our language
>>and expressions, as in “Circle of friends”,
>>Family Circle, “In the loop (circle),” “The
>>Inner Circle,” “Coffee Circle,” “Knights of the
>>Round Table.” How strange it would be to have
>>a “Semi-circle of friends?” Seems like
>>something is missing, dropped out,
>>disconnected. Then we have the old Gospel Hymn
>>– “Let the Circle be unbroken.” But I guess
>>that does make the circle weird and strange. J
>
>Right.
>so then all these open space people get
>'fanatical' about the "circle" and miss out on
>the fact it can be culturally way out of bounds
>for some convening. Is the point of open space
>to help them create a great day together - with
>an agenda that is their own making OR to impose
>my belief that the circle is totally 'natural'
>and 'normal' and then make it difficult for them
>to access the process because of the form.
>
>Let me be clear - I work my communities into a
>circle for openings over time. There are
>already many cultural hurdles to doing open
>space and adding in the circle at the very
>beginning for its own sake to 'prove' a point of
>"equality" etc. is not what I choose to do.
>
>I get the circle is very natural. It is also
>something that has been driven out of these
>cultures bringing it back in takes some time and
>isn't for me the 'first' thing I do.
>
>> I am sure there are people who feel
>> uncomfortable in a circle but I suspect they
>> are the ones who want to pontificate as opposed to communicate.
>Nope they are just not used to it.
>
>>Doubtless there is a place for such people and
>>their feelings – but probably not Open Space,
>>which they may find terrifying, out of control,
>>and other terrible things – not to mention New Age!
>you don't "need" a circle to do open space. you
>need really smart amazing people who you support
>in creating their own agenda the day it happens.
>
>I choose to take an attitude of understanding
>and respect for professional cultures that are
>not used to the form and adapt to them - not imposing to much change to fast.
>
>=Kaliya
>
>
>
>>
>>
>>Harrison
>>
>>
>>
>>----------
>>From: OSLIST
>>[mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of Kaliya Hamlin
>>Sent: Tuesday, August 21, 2007 12:51 AM
>>To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
>>Subject: Re: FW: The challenge of "luminaries"
>>
>>
>>
>>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.
>>
>>
>>
>>I have to say honestly - I totally understand
>>this reaction. Some times 'typical' open space
>>can get into this 'circle grooviness' that some
>>how demeans people with high professional
>>expectations. When I first introduced open
>>space to my tech community we sat in a multi
>>ring semi circle with the agenda wall at the
>>front that we then filled. When first
>>introducing open space to technical communities
>>not used to the 'circle culture' I often use
>>theater style - they are already doing a
>>radically different process then normal. I
>>don't need to force 'circle" on them too. I
>>always close the day in the circle though and
>>sure enough in good time (like by the third
>>conference) they get the process and begin in circle no problem.
>>
>>
>>>
>>>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.
>>
>>
>>
>>Interesting. The 'luminaries' in my community
>>LOVE the Open Space and the fact it mixes
>>things up. They get to hear from others who are
>>thinking about innovative things AND they get
>>to talk about their latest thing - but not
>>because someone on some committee picked them - because they wanted to.
>>
>>
>>>
>>>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?
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>Perhaps the best thing that I have found is to
>>use a wiki to let them all output what they
>>want to talk about before hand - The luminaires
>>who are all like 'i want to speak about x' you
>>just put all that up on the wiki and say they
>>get to put it on the agenda the day it
>>happens. The "luminaries" in my community are
>>the biggest fans of the process and are infact
>>active inviters of new people who would otherwise not come.
>>
>>
>>>
>>>would avoid doing a “round the circle” at the
>>>beginning, which I personally find less than
>>>useful for two reasons. First it delays the
>>>actual start when people go to work – and this
>>>is the most important consideration for me.
>>>Secondly, all those names and needs/wants/desires badly confuses this old mind.
>>
>>
>>
>>I almost always do 'audience/attendee'
>>introductions for my events yes and even when
>>we are sitting in theater style. The thing is
>>a lot of folks 'know' each other form
>>correspondence on mailing lists AND reading
>>each others blogs but have NEVER met or seen a
>>photo. Making the visual connection between
>>person and name along with identifing the
>>company or organization they are will his
>>helpful. I can get a room or 150 people to do
>>rapid fire introductions in 10 min.
>>
>>
>>
>>Agreement on the needs thing - a bit much time
>>wise and energy wise for a group. Best to do that kind of thing on paper.
>>
>>
>>>
>>>It seems strange to go to an Open Space
>>>conference and then complain about the format
>>
>>
>>
>>He was expecting what he had understood an
>>'unconference' to be - which in one conception
>>of the process that was put forward in the tech
>>community had a chosen topics and a chosen
>>'luminary facilitators' "leading a discussion"
>>in a theater style room with anywhere from
>>25-200 people. Needless to say this is not very
>>open space (and it never claimed to be - geeks
>>are not known for their face-to-face group
>>process literacy but they were trying their
>>best to step out of conference norms.) It put
>>the luminary in the 'center' controlling a room.
>>
>>
>>
>>I hope this perspective helps.
>>
>>=Kaliya
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>Kaliya - Identity Woman
>>
>><mailto:kaliya at mac.com>kaliya at mac.com
>>
>>
>>
>>http://www.unconference.net
>>
>><http://www.identitywoman.net>http://www.identitywoman.net
>>
>>
>>
>><skype:identitywoman>skype:identitywoman
>>
>>Y!:earthwaters
>>
>><AIM:kaliya at mac.com>AIM:kaliya at mac.com
>>
>>
>>
>>510 472-9069 (bay area)
>>
>>415 425 1136 (on the road)
>>
>>
>>
>>
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>Kaliya - Identity Woman
><mailto:kaliya at mac.com>kaliya at mac.com
>
>http://www.unconference.net
><http://www.identitywoman.net>http://www.identitywoman.net
>
><skype:identitywoman>skype:identitywoman
>Y!:earthwaters
><AIM:kaliya at mac.com>AIM:kaliya at mac.com
>
>510 472-9069 (bay area)
>415 425 1136 (on the road)
>
>
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