Baby-step into O.S. -- questions

douglas germann 76066.515 at compuserve.com
Tue Feb 10 18:50:47 PST 2009


Lisa--

Welcome to the pool! Dive on in, the water is warm, embracing, friendly.

You've already sent the invitations, now enjoy the party.

And yes, it is OK to be a host and take part in your own quasi-OST.
You'll do fine--you have a good head and a good heart, don't you?

Oh! Be sure to report back how it went, Lisa. We're all ears....

			:- Doug.



On Mon, 2009-02-09 at 20:05 -0800, Lisa Floyd wrote:
> Hello, everyone, 
>  
> I'm a new swimmer in this pool -- 1st time in the pool, actually.
> I've had the pleasure of two OS Facilitator trainings with Lisa Heft
> this year.
> I'm not a facilitator by trade, occupation, habit, or
> experience....but:
>  
> I have a community of friends with a common goal and some guidelines
> and action plans on how best to pursue that goal.
> As always there are some in the vanguard of the process and some (of
> us) that are lingering back not feeling much attraction to the tasks
> at hand, not participating much, but want to participate actively in
> some other (not yet explored or offered) ways.
> Those in the vanguard are on 'tilt' over-time, and are scheduled to
> burn-out soon, so they don't have the time -- nor the pace -- to keep
> holding our hands...we need to get ourselves motivated and active. 
>  
> I've invited some of the laggers to get together to see what we can do
> to support the collective effort -- for about 4 hours this Thursday
> (State holiday) or this weekend depending on most convenient date --
> for 3 purely selfish reasons:
> 
> 1)  I want to dialoge with the other laggers to get myself motivated
> in some direction or activity -- not just a social-whine time.
> 2)  I want to introdue O.S. to the community.
> 3)  I want to practice some O.S. to the extent that I might be able
> to, as a raw beginner. 
>  
> Last week -- before consulting you -- I sent out a personal invitation
> with motive and purpose to about 12 people, and offered a choice of 3
> dates within this week to see which day would be best.  I'm hoping to
> get maybe 4-12 participants.  
> I cast it as an informal O.S. experiment and a fun, productive use of
> our time.
> Most know that I'd like to try this (OS) method as they've heard me
> advocate it as a change from the common facilitator-centered,
> agenda-driven, arm-twisting mtg.) 
> So, so far, I'm the "client" and the self-designated
> "facilitator".... 
>  
> So, my questions are: 
> Obviously, I'd like to participate in the converstions, dialogues.
> Must I remain faithful to a facilitator roll?  
> Or can I open the space then put on my "participant" hat until the
> closing circle, making it clear in the intro that I'm doing that
> and it is not "orthodox" OS?
>  
> I'm conflicted that I did not reach out to the whole community, i.e.
> the enthusiasts & the people I don't really know, for this mtg.  
> I basically invited those who seem to have similar needs as me.
> Is that okay this time?  ("It's my party and I'll invite who I want
> to", mentality.)
>  
> [Background & rationale:
> The enthusiasts are already overwhelmed with their work; that's why
> they need us, too.  I only invited those 'silent' folks with whom I
> sense common feelings and reasons for not enthusiastically following
> the lead of those who are already off & running with an action plan.
> We stragglers don't necessarily have common action ideas or abilities,
> so there is still a wee bit of diversity in the group of invitees.
> It's certain that we don't want to create an alternative initiative,
> either.  We are very familiar with the goals and plans of action now
> in process and the stretched resources and sacrifices of those doing
> the work, and we would like to be useful in our own ways.]  
>  
> So my invitation left out the vanguard folks. (They've led the
> agenda-driven meetings with much enthusiasm which hasn't lit some of
> us up so far -- yawn.)  
>  
> By leaving them out, I thought we stragglers could get some confidence
> in our own thoughts -- in an open space -- to practice our own voices
> for the next community reflection/planning mtg, or to invite the
> enthusiasts to a future mtg. of us stragglers.  Afterall, we need the
> enthusiasts' input at some point in order to support them
> successfully.  Or, one could hope, that seeing the stragglers step up
> with renewed enthusiasm, good ideas, and participation might provide
> motive to use O.S. as the format for the next reflection/planning
> meeting.
>  
> Pitfalls, counter-arguments, or encouragement, anyone? 
> (I should confirm a date by tomorrow and maybe know my role by then,
> eh?) 
>  
> Thanks ahead of time,
> lisafloyd
> Santa Rosa, CA, USA
>  
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