Opening space 24X7 --Wave Riders Unite!

Tue Dec 15 21:25:47 PST 2009

I also take (or try to) a similar stance in my law practice. See a  
cool book by a therapist, William Purkey, The Inviting Relationship.

Sent from my iPhone

On Dec 15, 2009, at 9:09 PM, Michael Herman  
<michael at michaelherman.com> wrote:

> oh this is fun.
>
> for me, this business of inviting has long been the center of the  
> ongoing practice of opening.  what i noticed some time ago is that  
> "inviting" is something that we can *do* as a business practice,  
> somethign we can try and repeat and refine.  but it's also something  
> that we can, as individuals, *aspire* to *be*.  the practical  
> inviting is essential for performance.  but the latter, the  
> aspiring, is where spirit shows up.  if we are a space for that.
>
> as for the accepting or not.  being trained in economics and  
> finance, straight through a rather serious mba program, i have  
> always understood invitation in terms of markets and prices.  any  
> invitation is just like a bid or offer in any market.  the text of  
> an invitation is like a price.  it's got to be stated, announced.   
> but it also might need to be adjusted.  i like what denise says  
> about getting to "core" because core is from french coeur, heart.   
> when an invitation fails, it's usually because i've started from  
> something other than heart.
>
> the way i think of markets, despite the financial training, i mostly  
> think in terms of farmers markets.  the guy who brings tomatoes or  
> blueberries or whatever has poured some chunk of his life energy  
> into tending and harvesting that crop.  it's him. it's his care.   
> his responsibility in those baskets.  it's what he has to offer.  so  
> invitation is the same.  it just has to be offered.  the danger is  
> not that an invitation might be declined.  the danger is in caring,  
> in being full of somethign, and not sharing it, letting it go to  
> waste.
>
> so the invitation to a meeting or simply into relationship in a  
> passing smile on the street, is about being a space that doesn't  
> know what will happen next, but shows up anyway.  alive.  ready.   
> enough.  and inquiring.
>
> anyway, these are some first thoughts that didn't want to rot.
>
> m
>
>
>
>
> --
>
> Michael Herman
> Michael Herman Associates
>
> http://www.michaelherman.com
> http://www.ronanparktrail.com
> http://www.chicagoconservationcorps.org
> http://www.openspaceworld.org
>
> 312-280-7838 (mobile)
>
>
> On Tue, Dec 15, 2009 at 9:59 PM, Denise Tennen <denisetennen at comcast.net 
> > wrote:
> Harrison
>
> For me, when an invitation I extend is refused, I take another look  
> at the invitation (especially when I think the person and project  
> would be a good fit).  In some ways it feels like my whole life is  
> about learning to extend vibrant, inspiring invitations (this often  
> helps me get to the core of what I'm trying to accomplish), as well  
> as receiving the response with acceptance and love.
>
> I also notice that it is useful to reconnect with my own sense of  
> inspiration about the project - that seems to make a difference in  
> the whole interaction around the invitation - whether or not the  
> invitation is accepted.  My being centered and inspired helps retain  
> the relationship regardless of the response.  I am always thankful  
> for a clear no...
>
> On Dec 15, 2009, at 3:32 PM, Harrison Owen wrote:
>
>> Denise --
>>
>> So this is all great! And my question is how can you do the same  
>> thing every day with every project, organization start-up, whatev 
>> er…
>>
>> I think you are hinting at the problem of making a REAL invitation 
>> … Not the sort that we all have received knowing full well that we 
>>  will be shot at dawn if the invitation is not accepted. Or at the 
>>  very least -- FIRED!
>>
>> So what would happen if all our invitations were real? Which means  
>> they could be refused. And then what?
>>
>> Harrison
>>
>> Harrison Owen
>> 7808 River Falls Dr.
>> Potomac, MD 20854
>> USA
>> Phone 301-365-2093
>> www.openspaceworld.com
>> www.ho-image.com (Personal Website)
>>
>> From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of  
>> Denise Tennen
>> Sent: Tuesday, December 15, 2009 2:17 PM
>> To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
>> Subject: Re: Opening space 24X7 --Wave Riders Unite!
>>
>> Harrison
>>
>> Thanks for these thought-provoking words.
>>
>> As far as invitiation - in my work as an artist supporting large  
>> groups to come together to create collaborative works of  
>> "permanently" installed art for their (the participants')  
>> communities - Invitation is the only thing that works.
>>
>> My underlying belief is that engagement in artistic endeavors is a  
>> useful piece in the puzzle of creating a peaceful world.  I've  
>> found that eople creating art together generally aren't engaged in  
>> fighting
>>
>> here are the ingredients of invitation, for me, that I believe  
>> contribute to good flow:
>>
>> 1) getting the word out is critical,
>> 2) the "stickiness" (see Malcolm Gladwell and more particularly,  
>> the brothers Heath in their book Making It Stick) of the invitation  
>> and project description heavily affects the outcome in terms of  
>> participation and engaged-ness of participants.
>> 3) having the setting ready before the participants arrive so I'm  
>> not distracted by DOING and can keep my attention on BEING PRESENT  
>> with the participants
>> 4) having a structure in mind and at the same time being willing to  
>> let it go at any moment
>> 5) keeping participation voluntary (a bit tricky when I am  
>> operating in a classroom setting where the children are basically  
>> in the position of being "sitting ducks")
>>
>> As far as the invitation, my on-the-ground work is lots of word-of  
>> mouth, who knows who.  Increasingly via internet - helps spread the  
>> word quickly, although in the end, nothing beats the realm of the  
>> personal, one by one invitation.
>>
>> Different age groups respond to different methods (snail mail/flyer  
>> vs internet etc)
>>
>> my beginning thoughts on this for now...
>>
>> Denise
>> On Dec 15, 2009, at 7:26 AM, Harrison Owen wrote:
>>
>>
>> Several days ago I sent a note to what I thought was going to be a  
>> small group of friends, inviting thinking about opening space every  
>> day, what that might mean, and how to accomplish all that in  
>> specifics. In effect, I was taking off from my book "Wave Rider"  
>> which is my best shot on the subject to date -- with the  
>> expectation that there is much more "out there" in terms of ideas  
>> and actions. Along the way I did suggest that OST (as the meeting  
>> approach) might be getting in the way of the larger discussion.  
>> Even worse, I facetiously (jokingly) invited everybody to join "The  
>> Imperial Society of Wave Riders!" Well you can imagine the uproar  
>> this caused. Here I am suggesting that we eliminate OST and become  
>> imperialists! Not a good day -- but I do think the proposed  
>> discussion has merit. In fact from where I sit it may just be the  
>> most important discussion we could have.
>>
>> Given the state of the world (no need for detailed analysis)  
>> superior human performance achieved in a peaceful fashion seems  
>> like a very good idea. Or put another way how do we find the  
>> intelligence and energy to deal with the massive issues we face  
>> without killing each other? I believe that the 25 year Open Space  
>> experiment has clearly shown that superior performance in a  
>> peaceful manner can be achieved any time we open space. It may not  
>> be perfect, but it works better than just about anything else, and  
>> for sure it is a lot less work. The reason for all this is that we  
>> are not really doing anything. Rather, we are inviting the system  
>> (business, family, organization) to do what it can do all by  
>> itself. Self organize. We are just helping people to notice that --  
>> and when they do magic seems to happen. Peace and high performance  
>> show up. If we are honest about it, I think we might realize that  
>> OST is in some real ways a fraud and a joke, at least it becomes  
>> all that if we take credit for the power and effect of the process,  
>> and the special way that we might "do" it. Rather like taking  
>> credit for the power and effect of gravity -- which will continue  
>> no matter what we do!
>>
>> Anyhow, I believe the community that gathers here online (and  
>> anybody else who cares to join us) is uniquely positioned to engage  
>> in this discussion not just at a theoretical level but at a very  
>> solid practical level. We have the shared experience of hundreds of  
>> thousands of Open Spaces. And we have something else -- the shared  
>> experience of life in our community. As the world might see it the  
>> "Open Space Community" is a pretty strange thing. It has no  
>> boundaries, no formal organization, leadership, or corporate  
>> status. Membership is pretty much whoever shows up -- and the party  
>> has been going on for 25 years. Odd but very effective. Indeed  
>> there are multiple formal organizations in the world who with might  
>> greater effort have accomplished substantially less. Think about  
>> it! Multiple Global and regional meetings. A world wide reach. More  
>> training programs than you can name. And absolutely nobody is in  
>> charge. There has never been a Business Plan, and if a budget  
>> exists it has never been found. Is it all just a gossamer dream, a  
>> fanciful delusion, or something much deeper and more important? I  
>> vote for the latter. I think this is a conversation that needs to  
>> happen, not to the exclusion of all others, but this is where my  
>> passion is.
>>
>> Anyhow I invite you to share and think about our common experience  
>> -- and let our experience be our guide. As a starting point we  
>> might just begin with invitation. What would happen if all our  
>> projects began with invitation as opposed to assignment?
>>
>>
>> Harrison
>>
>>
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