Going underground as facilitator - Follow-up
Jack Martin Leith
jack at jackmartinleith.com
Wed Jul 16 02:16:41 PDT 2008
Marc,
Thanks very much for sharing your experiences with us.
Following the workshop that Paul Levy and I ran in May to explore the ins
and outs of Open Space (read all about it at
www.jackmartinleith.com/?page_id=212), my current view is: "If you think it
will work, then it will."
I hope your experiments will continue, and wish you success and fulfilment.
Jack
Jack Martin Leith
Facilitating collaborative innovation and change using the Now-to-New
approach
Bristol, United Kingdom
Mobile: 07831 840541 (+44 7831 840541)
Skype: jackmartinleith
email: jack at jackmartinleith.com
www.jackmartinleith.com | www.united.uk.com
2008/7/15 Marc Steinlin (I-P-K) <marc.steinlin at i-p-k.ch>:
> Dear all,
> I had asked you for your feedback and input almost 2 months ago on "going
> underground" as a facilitator and I have received much valuable input from
> many among you.
>
> In the meantime, the event took place and it was great. We were about 90
> persons from the KM4Dev (Knowledge Management for Development) community
> gathered for our annual meeting in Lisbon. After having experimented with OS
> last year already, we this time decided to run the whole meeting over 2 days
> entirely in OS. We had a lot of enthusiasm and committed people, interesting
> discussions, countless sessions. Reporting was done online on a wiki (
> http://www.km4dev.org/wiki/index.php/Open_Space_Discussion_Reports) - so
> we didn't have to provide computers in the back of the room; most of the
> participants had their notebooks with them and we just announced the wiki
> URL - this worked excellent.
>
> What also worked great was: having no facilitator to hold space. I opened
> the OS but during the nomination of topics declared that I would now convert
> into a normal participant; I quickly returned to the facilitator role for
> just one sentence to open the market place and they we took off. Evening
> news were done by other people - a group, one doing a closing circle, some
> doing some announcements, and a professional theatre artist did some funny
> performance games with the entire group.
> I reopened the OS next morning to recollect some more topics, but from
> there onwards, I again dived back into the crowd and entirely forgot about
> the process. The second evening was pretty much "participatory managed" like
> the first. It just worked great!
>
> This leaves me with the questions:
> What means "holding space"? What is the function, if demonstrably one can
> do without?
> Or is it really that the group as a whole can hold space (which seemed to
> be the case)? Any group?
> Why do we really need any facilitator throughout the event?
> And consequently under which conditions can we dispense with it?
> What is the risk? Can this go totally wrong?
>
> Again many thanks to those who contributed to the previous discussion!
> Best regards,
> -marc
>
>
>
> IngeniousPeoplesKnowledge
> Marc Steinlin
> marc.steinlin at i-p-k.ch
> Skype: marcsteinlin
>
> PO Box 27494
> Rhine Road
> Sea Point
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>
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>
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> P *Help save paper - do you really need to print this email ?*
> *
> *
> *'Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can
> change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.' Margaret
> Mead*
>
> On 25 May 2008, at 14:46 , Marc Steinlin (I-P-K) wrote:
>
> Dear all, many thanks for your feedback! I will take up your ideas and
> inputs with my colleagues.
> I can take some ideas with me: initially I was more thinking of having each
> of us facilitating a part of the OS - "serial" facilitation. But on the
> basis of your comments, I feel like maybe rather going for "parallel"
> facilitation. I don't know exactly what that means, but have a feeling
> emerging in my guts - I'm positive we will know how to do it.
> Thanks for the words of caution, in particular to you Michael. I have made
> similar experiences in other contexts with regard to confused roles,
> projections and so on and if we are aware of this possibility, I'm sure we -
> well, as you say maybe not avoid it, but will be able to deal with it when
> it's there. But I'm not really afraid of this, I have a lot of confidence in
> my friends' and my own experience.
>
> What makes things easier is that nobody would consider me as their leader.
> I will - together with others - facilitate the event, and for some it will
> be their first full-fledged OS experience, but nobody would think I might be
> something like their "leader" beyond facilitating this day. The nice thing
> about this group of people is, that it is very open and open-minded
> community - in fact I feel that the open space philosophy is very close to
> the thinking of this group.
>
> I also like very much the idea of adopting OS as a system of continuous
> operation, which has come through some of your responses. I am currently
> thinking about how to run my own little organisation in a micro-macro-OS
> way: micro because at this stage we are just 3 of us, macro because I would
> like to start somehow getting into the OS way and opening space, but not
> really closing it anymore - eg. having a constantly evolving market place of
> topics that we are conversing about, and to somehow apply the principles as
> our normal mode of operation. Don't know whether this (will) make any
> sense...
>
> -marc
>
>
>
> IngeniousPeoplesKnowledge
> Marc Steinlin
> marc.steinlin at i-p-k.ch
> Skype: marcsteinlin
>
> PO Box 27494
> Rhine Road
> Sea Point
> 8050 Cape Town
> Republic of South Africa
> Mobile: +27 (76) 222 81 12
>
> Zweierstrasse 50
> CH-8004 Zürich
> Switzerland
> Mobile: +41 (78) 850 42 32
>
> http://www.i-p-k.ch
>
> P *Help save paper - do you really need to print this email ?*
> *
> *
> *'Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can
> change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.' Margaret
> Mead*
>
> On 21 May 2008, at 17:31 , Ted Ernst wrote:
>
> I echo the voices saying that this is not only possible, it can be a
> good thing for the organization. I've tried this alone and also with
> a partner. I felt much better with a partner. With four of you, I
> would think you could all 4 be involved in breakouts without any
> trouble losing the space-holding that you're all doing. Can't wait to
> hear how it goes!
> peace,
> ted
>
> On Wed, May 21, 2008 at 9:58 AM, Michael Herman
> <michael at michaelherman.com> wrote:
>
> i'm encouraged by and encouraging of this, mark. thanks for sharing the
>
> question.
>
>
> this, to me, is the next step of the "facilitator" learning to disappear.
>
> it seems to me that we'll ultimately have more and more open space
>
> if/when/as people/leaders learn to do this from within, not abandoning
> their
>
> position as leader, but refining a pulsation between directing or actively
>
> guiding, on the one hand, and inviting and hosting on the other.
>
>
> i think your sense of several being able to share the role, or support each
>
> other in it, is helpful as well. but i would encourage a faster pulsation
>
> than daily. consider a second law: the law of two roles. or maybe the
> law
>
> of two minds. one mind inviting, hosting, holding and the other mind still
>
> nominally in charge, at the top, as director. somatically, this can be
>
> understood as pelvis (literally holding a space for everything stacked on
>
> top) and brain (seeing, visioning, choosing and directing). the whole
> thing
>
> mediated by heart in the middle. so you can find your way between the two
>
> roles you've identified by following heart, same as navigating learning and
>
> contributing as participant using law of two feet. so the practice is to
>
> refine your pulsation between the two, until they look and feel like the
>
> same "being".
>
>
> two cautions, or mileposts really, on the way...
>
>
> first, while you're pulsing back and forth, i find it's easy to get lost.
>
> yes, sometimes that means getting caught up in conversation, letting
>
> attention focus locally and forgetting about the larger space, maybe
>
> forgetting to ring the bells for evening news, for instance. it's helpful
>
> to have partners to remind you, or to ring them for you. in the same way,
>
> it is also possible to accidentally not be fully present in a breakout
>
> session, to be not fully local, and in that state, be offering views of the
>
> world that nobody else sees or can understand, cuz they don't have this
>
> larger view of space. the caution isn't about not sharing, but about
>
> recognizing that it's possible to do, possible to try to be in a breakout
>
> session but bringing experiences that are totally foreign to those who are
>
> apparently your colleagues and partners in the group. this not an
>
> unfamiliar situation for leaders who regularly have more information, a
>
> wider view, that those in the "trenches" in an organizaiton.
>
>
> the second caution or noting here is less obvious, or peculiar to
> straddling
>
> the facilitation/participation divide in open space. i don't think fr.
>
> brian will mind if i tell a story about osonos in oz to illustrate. he was
>
> facilitator and host, but also a member of the community. he ran a great
>
> event, facilitated the whole thing "by the book". there was somebody
> there,
>
> however, who had not had firsthand experience with our approach. she also
>
> knew that brian was a priest. when she had a difficult time with how
> things
>
> were going in open space, and discomforts do naturally arise for
>
> participants at various and random moments, her experience with "priest"
>
> allowed her to dump responsibility for difficulties on "how the facilitator
>
> is", what he's doing, how he's run things, etc. all of that story she was
>
> making was nonesense and after a long talk, she understood that her
>
> difficulty came from what he wasn't and didn't do. it was the openess of
>
> the space, the press of responsibility and reality that was making her
>
> squirm. so it was the combination of *her* newness in open space and her
>
> (in this case rather thin) connection to brian that allowed her to make up
> a
>
> story that was getting in her way. so if you have colleagues new to this
>
> experience and you are still known as some sort of 'leader' or just some
>
> sort of guy to these folks, they might be confused by what is open space,
>
> what is you, what is you as leader and what you as facilitator, and so on.
>
> in the end, this is just a noticing that such confusion is possible. there
>
> is nothing to "do" about it, other than know it's there and possible. if
>
> you notice it along the way in your meeting, and maybe it'll be there or
>
> maybe it won't, then all the clarity you will bring to the process from the
>
> very beginning, is all you will or can or should bring to that moment.
> just
>
> be as clean in both roles as you can, and as clear about what is you and
>
> what is reality of org/world, and it's all still open space, or not.
>
>
> good luck! i hope you'll find this is a great and fun practice, and come
>
> back and tell some of the internal story of how it goes for you...
>
>
> m
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On Wed, May 21, 2008 at 8:07 AM, Jack Martin Leith
>
> <jack at jackmartinleith.com> wrote:
>
>
> Harrison, those are some of the wisest words I've ever read. Thank you!
>
>
> Jack
>
>
> 2008/5/21 Harrison Owen <hhowen at verizon.net>:
>
>
> Marc – I have done what you are proposing (actively participate in a
>
> gathering I facilitate) on multiple occasions and have never encountered
> any
>
> problems, and I rather think you will have a similar experience. I would
>
> never suggest that you try such a thing if it were your first experience
>
> facilitating an Open Space, but that is obviously not the case.
>
>
>
>
> The art of Holding Space is of course critical and because it is so
>
> different from what most people have come to understand "facilitation" to
>
> mean – it is just too easy for the first time facilitator to get sucked
> into
>
> the action and forget to mind the store. But with experience, at least in
> my
>
> experience, you can keep that old intuitive sense alive and functioning
> even
>
> when actively engaged in a conversation of passionate concern to you. As
> I
>
> think about it, this is probably where we all hope to end up anyhow. At
> some
>
> level every conversation is an Open Space, and the more open the space,
> the
>
> better the conversation. And a really great conversation has a powerful
>
> (passionate) focus while still being open to everything else that is
> going
>
> on in the environment.
>
>
>
>
> Approaching the same thoughts from a slightly different point of view, I
>
> find that when a group really begins to groove/cook/work – space holding
> is
>
> a community activity. In fact, enabling a group to reach a point where it
>
> will effectively "hold its own space," might well be the Holy Grail of
> OST.
>
>
>
>
> So anyhow, I would think that rather than a problem, you have a real
>
> opportunity to enhance your own capacity as facilitator by moving into
> that
>
> marvelously "zeny" place where you are simultaneously attached and
>
> non-attached – passionately concerned about an issue and always free to
> move
>
> beyond. And if you want to share this opportunity with your colleagues
>
> (different people opening space every day) that would work for me, or at
>
> least it always has.
>
>
>
>
> Have fun!
>
>
>
>
> Harrison
>
>
>
>
> Harrison Owen
>
>
> 7808 River Falls Drive
>
>
> Potomac, Maryland 20854
>
>
> Phone 301-365-2093
>
>
> Skype hhowen
>
>
> Open Space Training www.openspaceworld.com
>
>
> Open Space Institute www.openspaceworld.org
>
>
> Personal website www.ho-image.com
>
>
> OSLIST: To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the
>
> archives Visit: www.listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
>
> From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU<OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>]
> On Behalf Of Marc
>
> Steinlin (I-P-K)
>
> Sent: Tuesday, May 20, 2008 1:18 AM
>
> To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
>
> Subject: Going underground as facilitator
>
>
>
>
> Dear OS list members,
>
>
>
>
> I have been following this list for almost two years now and have enjoyed
>
> many of your conversations, learnings, ideas and inspirational thoughts!
>
> Many thanks for all that valuable insight and encouragement!
>
>
>
>
> I myself over the last 2 years have organised/ facilitated approx. 20 OS
>
> all over the world (from Switzerland to South Africa, from Indonesia to
>
> Ethiopia), some as large as 70 participants (unfortunately I never had
> the
>
> opportunity for a larger group - would love to try that!), some as small
> as
>
> 5 persons - and I (as well as the participants!) enjoy it greatly each
> time!
>
>
>
>
> We, the KM4Dev (a global community of practice on Knowledge Management
>
> for Development; http://www.km4dev.org) have decided to run this year's
>
> annual meeting over 2.5 days entirely as an OS. We are about four persons
>
> who have already facilitated OS and are preparing the facilitation of the
>
> event.
>
>
>
>
> However, all of the four of us are also greatly interested in the topics
>
> which will be discussed, it's certain that we also want to propose topics
>
> for groups to work on. Therefore my question:
>
>
>
>
> Is it possible, that a facilitator opens the Open Space, but once the
>
> market place starts, she/ he will transform into a regular participant
> and
>
> mingle with the rest? I always attached great importance to "holding
> space"
>
> - I have never been doing anything actively, I have done my best to get
> out
>
> of the way, however I have been there, almost invisible, but still...
>
>
> Do you have any experience or advice on whether the facilitator can give
>
> up her/ his role and become a normal participant until to the closing
>
> circle?
>
>
> Alternatively, do you have any thoughts about rotating faciliators:
>
> person A doing it on the first day, B on the second day, so that we all
> have
>
> the opportunity to participate in the discussions with our own topics? I
>
> guess none of us would want to limit her/ himself for the full duration
> to
>
> just holding space...
>
>
>
>
> Your experience is much appreciated!
>
>
> -marc
>
>
>
>
> IngeniousPeoplesKnowledge
>
>
> Marc Steinlin
>
>
> marc.steinlin at i-p-k.ch
>
>
> Skype: marcsteinlin
>
>
>
>
> PO Box 27494
>
>
> Rhine Road
>
>
> Sea Point
>
>
> 8050 Cape Town
>
>
> Republic of South Africa
>
>
> Mobile: +27 (76) 222 81 12
>
>
>
>
> Zweierstrasse 50
>
>
> CH-8004 Zürich
>
>
> Switzerland
>
>
> Mobile: +41 (78) 850 42 32
>
>
>
>
> http://www.i-p-k.ch
>
>
> P Help save paper - do you really need to print this email ?
>
>
>
>
> 'Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can
>
> change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.' Margaret
> Mead
>
>
>
>
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> --
>
> Jack Martin Leith
>
> Bristol, United Kingdom
>
> Mobile: 07831 840541 (+44 7831 840541)
>
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>
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> Michael Herman
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