Different Intelligencies Was: Honouring Each Other

Sun Nov 29 15:31:21 PST 2009

Dear Katie

I think it’s important to keep in mind and hold space for different
intelligencies/learningstyles, and to be aware of that people have preferred
ways to take in information, understand, process info etc. I don’t actually
do much when facilitating an OS-meeting other than making it as clear as
possible for people to take care of their own needs – and doing my best to
stay aware of this. 

Second thought, I do think I do/we can do some things such as using signs,
music, food/drinks, smells – the other day when I facilitated an OS-meeting
there was a big pile of cinnamon buns when people came back after lunch –
many commented on that...so I guess it had some impact....maybe for those
who learn better while eating a cinnamon bun;-)

Even if I use Open Space Technology a lot, most meetings I facilitate I
don’t “open the space” as much/in the same way as when using OST. Almost all
of those meetings I use Whole Person Process Facilitation (a meeting method
developed by Birgitt Williams and part of The Genuine Contact(TM) Program).
Then I always make sure to plan the meeting to at least give people of the
most basic different learning styles the opportunity to learn their
preferred way, for at least a small part of the meeting.

I agree with what I understand Michael pointed out, we cannot make a
detailed plan and make sure every individuals’ unique learning style is
given equal attention – but for sure open space for each individual to take
on that responsibility themselves...

I do like your question and wonder – what can we do to give people maximum
opportunity to use their potential in an OS-meeting?

Warm regards & Good Night

Thomas

  _____  

Från: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] För Michael Herman
Skickat: den 29 november 2009 20:07
Till: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Ämne: Re: re Honouring Each Other

wondering a little about how you do this, kathie.  how do you hold space for
different intelligences?  

when you go listen to music, maybe it's a violin recital, and a quartet
chimes in, do you listen differently?  what if someone steps in to sing?  or
is your noticing different still if someone has taken the time to paint a
backdrop, or designed a lighting program?  how does that happen?  what do
you do, or does it just happen?  and what if it's the sort of place that
allows a bit of food or maybe a glass of wine while listening?  and in the
midst of seeing and hearing and understanding and tasting, do you still have
room to notice if the chair is well-formed and comfortable?  if it rocked or
swivelled, would that be too much?  and what if you're lucky enough to have
someone special along with you, holding hands, so hearing, seeing, and
tasting together?  the complexity just goes on and on, i think.

so, if we're working with a group of 75, how many intelligences are in the
room?  how many ways of paying attention, of learning and contributing,
might be present in the room?  if there are nineteen ways and all of us have
a little bit of all or most of them, seems there are uncountable ways of
showing up... so i don't understand, what is it that we could possibly do
differently to listen or see or feel or accommodate 7 or 19 or many more
different ways?  what if three or four new people walk in halfway through
the opening?  

or maybe i'm just not understanding this challenge properly?

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 Sun, Nov 29, 2009 at 12:27 PM, Kathie Wallace <kathieace at lycos.com>
wrote:

Hi Michael,
In a book,"Open Mind/Whole Mind", Bob Samples lists 19 "senses" that I would
call 19 intelligences. One of my challenges is how to hold space for all of
them! :-)
Kathie

Dear Michael M,

The "forbidding" aspect of a space with this many listeners for me had
nothing to do with the "size" of people taking up the space as it did
the pure size of the group and the number of listeners who felt like
strangers. True, the power and value of the content and the contributors
raised a high bar, but it's certainly not because it seemed to me like
anyone was "hogging" the space. If anything, this is an amazingly
welcoming group for its size and I'm certain it's because of the Open
Space principles. I could also see that questions were always warmly
received and answered, but I still felt after I joined that I'd better
have a really good question to post before I dared to do so.

It makes it a lot easier for me to post now that I've been in actual
Open Space events with a number of the active contributors. In some
ways, the OpenSpaceWorld.ning.com site also makes it easier to post -
because over there I can see a lot of your faces and it's easier to feel
the humanity of many of those posting - as well as being in smaller
circle conversations. Like they say in writing and speaking classes,
know your audience. It just takes more time with a group with 600+
listeners.

Harold

Michael M Pannwitz wrote:
> Dear Michael Dobbie,
> hope you have a great time in Australia and run into many of the
> os-workers there! Are you facilitating os-events there or do
> os-related stuff? I remember
> Since I have always just simply participated in the oslist, the aspect
> of being invited never came to my mind. Maybe that contributes to what
> Harold (and many, as he states) perceives as "forbidding", fat guys
> like me taking up the space.
> The "roll call" in process did reveal to me that there are many on the
> list who are mostly in the "learning" mode (as in the Law: "I honor a
> group with my absence if I neither learn nor contribute. If I learn, I
> stay, If I contribute, I stay. But if neither nor, I leave.")
> By the way, I noticed that the email you used in your post varies from
> the one in your info box in the Open Space World Map...let me know if
> you would like to have it adjusted).
> Greetings from Berlin
> mmp

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