Going underground as facilitator - Follow-up

[Pat Black]

I have spent the last couple of days thinking about your question "What does
it mean to hold space?" and can the group hold it and any group?  My
thoughts on what I do when I hold the space is to just be present with what
ever goes on.  I don't judge or manage it in any way.  I am a witness to it
and that is what holding space is for me. I listen and I see, I feel it and
experience it.  But I don't judge it and I receive whatever is happening
with the same comfort and acceptance.   I totally trust Open Space and the
power it has to incubate vision so I am also the poster child for that.
 When things get rugged and they do at times in most groups that have come
to wrestle with conflict and passionate opinions I am often asked to manage
the conflict in some way.   I stand as the one person in the gathering of
people who always has their eye on Open Space and my trust in it never
waivers.  I am the person that can be relied on to say this process called
Open Space will provide whatever is needed for the issue to get sorted out
and at the depth the group has the capacity for at that moment.  I have
experienced as the facilitator and as a participant at Open Space events
that the facilitator in gives permission for people to stay engaged in
whatever has got them rattled if they feel passionate about it even when
they feel scared or threatened in some way.  I do feel that people often are
able to get on the other side of an issue when they stick with it through
the wretched hard place.  So to answer the question about is the facilitator
necessary with any or all groups I would say no.  The facilitator is not
required with any group ever but I believe that there should be one present
at every event.  I just believe that sometimes when you are in the thick of
it with a group and feel so passionate about an issue that it feels like
breathe and the engagement with others feels like they are stealing your
breathe that it is helpful to have someone there that is never inside that
soup.  Someone who by their presence reminds us that the soup we find
ourselves in is just one soup and not the entire universe.  Someone who by
their presence reminds us that if we travel a little further we will find
ourselves in a new space that is not just more comfortable but better, more
open.  That can happen with or without a facilitator but when it is hot
sometimes we disengage before we get there if there isn't a facilitator.Thanks
for the thoughtful questions.
Pat Black

On Tue, Jul 15, 2008 at 1:13 PM, Marc Steinlin (I-P-K)
<marc.steinlin at i-p-k.ch> wrote:

> 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
> 8050 Cape Town
> Republic of South Africa
> Mobile: +27 (76) 222 81 12
>
> Zweierstrasse 50
> CH-8004 Zürich
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> Mobile: +41 (78) 850 42 32
>
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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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