Going underground as facilitator

[Marc Steinlin (I-P-K)]

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

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Margaret Mead


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