Power, hierarchy and OS
douglas germann
76066.515 at compuserve.com
Sun Nov 29 18:06:04 PST 2009
Jon--
Thanks for this. Have embedded the video in the Ning site:
http://openspaceworld.ning.com/video
:- Doug.
On Fri, 2009-11-27 at 10:01 +0000, Jon Harvey wrote:
> Linda
>
>
>
> Thank you!
>
>
>
> This is wonderful! The video and the report and, crucially, your words
> below are inspiring. As you requested, I have posted this on the OS
> list on your behalf. With your permission – I will post this on the
> iCoCo forum as well – so that the network of community cohesion
> practitioners can access all of it too. Would that be OK with you? Or
> if you wish – you can join – it is open to all – and post it
> yourself....?
>
>
>
> Thank you for affirming for me – what I knew to be true – that OS
> would work fabulously in the domain of community cohesion. Although I
> do note in your list of attendees there do not appear to be any
> ‘ordinary citizens’ – in other words people who were not activists or
> politicians or officers – but people with a concern (perhaps hitherto
> unexpressed in public forum) about their neighbourhood and its
> cohesion etc. Or have I got this wrong? Are you able to speculate on
> what might have happened had such people being present?
>
>
>
> The reason I ask is I am wondering how open space might be used not
> only to learn from experiences and build plans for the future (as it
> has done in your case very well) from amongst the existing players –
> but how it might also be used to actually build community cohesion
> itself... What do you (or anyone else reading this) think?
>
>
>
> I loved the story of the tree planting in the report, by the way.
>
>
>
> Thank you again – and let’s stay in touch.
>
>
>
> Very best wishes
>
>
>
> Jon
>
> _______________________________________________________________________________
>
>
>
> Jon Harvey
>
> Director
>
>
>
> " www.jonharveyassociates.co.uk
>
>
>
> ( +44 (0) 7771 537535
>
> ( +44 (0) 1280 822585
>
> › jon at jonharveyassociates.co.uk
>
>
>
> JHAL Logo Sep 09
>
> Helping you connect the prose and the passion
>
> to deliver superlative results
>
>
>
> http://smallcreativeideas.blogspot.com/ for ideas about how to
> improve public & third sector services
>
> http://jonharveyassociates.blogspot.com/ for articles & ideas about
> leadership and organisational change
>
> http://twitter.com/JonSHarvey for ideas and questions to help build a
> more creative, fair and ambitious world
>
>
>
> Jon Harvey Associates Ltd
>
> Registered Office: Chandos House, School Lane, Buckingham, MK18 1HD
>
> Company Number 6661588. VAT Registration Number 936 2921 11
>
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> ü Please consider the environment before printing this email. Thank
> you.
>
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>
> From: Linda Mitchell [mailto:lindamitchell at virgin.net]
> Sent: 27 November 2009 08:46
> To: Jon Harvey
> Subject: Re: [OSLIST] Power, hierarchy and OS
>
>
>
>
> Hi Jon, am replying directly to you as despite being on the OS list
> for a couple of years for some reason I can’t post replies directly,
> I think it’s something to do with how I use my 2 e mail addresses, one
> day will sort it out....but really wanted to respond to this posting-
> maybe you could post this for me on the network
>
>
>
> Here in Leeds in the UK we did an open space day with 87 community
> practitioners ( all shapes and sizes including the leader of the
> council - LSP group on cohesion, faith groups, VCS and activists) to
> share, connect and exchange info about what was going on in community
> cohesion work. It was amazing
> http://www.leedsinitiative.org/harmonious/page.aspx?id=11726&ekmensel=cdb9b7c3_174_640_11726_1( read the report here ) and link to you tube video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdTkogSOeRM
>
>
>
> There was lots of things we could have done better like better
> convergence and harvesting of the things people were talking about,
> but most people in the closing circle said they had never experienced
> anything like this ever in terms of making good connections across the
> city. I have some stories about particular conversations that made my
> hair stand on end - people had space and time to post really
> controversial stuff like - 'black people are not welcome on white
> estates' discuss.....and discuss they did. I know of 3 - 4 new
> initiatives that arose as a result of the session and there might be
> loads more we will never know. One of the biggest impacts of the
> event was of people wanting to experience more open space as a way of
> working, We are now working with 2 local neighborhoods who are "pilot
> cohesion areas" whatever that means ....... this morning I’m going to
> view a venue so that we can open space for front line workers in
> really conflicted community setting
>
>
>
> I heartily agree that pre work with the client to get really clear
> about the purpose of the event ( in ours we were simply looking for
> connections ) and the ability of the sponsor to give themselves over
> to the process and go with the flow is really important. When I get
> frustrated with this (because it is quite fearful for people higher up
> in the hierarchy).... I just hold in mind the comments made in the
> closing circle about how powerful it is ....and know that we will get
> there, so I have to hold their fear for long enough for us to get
> there. People often say the same things to me that person said in
> your group - we need to build a level playing field. I think I
> disagree with this that we need to open up the playing field and get
> out of the way ( actually maybe they are the same just a different
> approach and maybe we need to do both ) .....the ones we least expect
> to come forward come rushing in when they see they can ......and those
> that try to dominate?.......well once space is open everyone just
> walks away....law of 2 feet!
>
>
>
> I always see open space events as the tip of the iceberg, all the work
> goes on underneath the bit you see. My other thought is that the
> frame at the beginning of the opening is also really important in
> giving permission ( if indeed it is really needed I’m not sure it is )
> to all to step up - a good invitation that stimulates those who want
> to to come in is so powerful in overcoming inequalities of power. In
> my experience once you open the space - no one can get in the way of
> that happening
>
>
>
> Very happy to talk further and might look into joining you network
>
>
>
> Best Wishes Linda
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
>
> From: "Jon Harvey" <jon at jonharveyassociates.co.uk>
>
>
> To: <OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
>
>
> Sent: Thursday, November 26, 2009 7:49 PM
>
>
> Subject: [OSLIST] Power, hierarchy and OS
>
>
>
>
>
> Hallo
>
> I went to a meeting of community cohesion practitioners today (UK) and
> had a
> really great time - lots of good ideas, research trails to chase and
> lovely
> people. Of course it would have been better to have used OS as the
> process
> of the day - which of course I suggested for the next meeting...
>
> But then we started a debate - with no time to explore it - as to
> whether OS
> is always applicable to meetings where there are people present with
> very
> different levels of power and authority. The presumption by one person
> was
> that hierarchy would get in the way of the flat structure of OS - such
> that
> the less powerful would not feel as empowered to have the
> conversations they
> wished and needed to etc... He was advocating (although I may well
> have this
> wrong) more structure & perhaps capacity building in adavnce to ensure
> a
> level playing field etc where everyone's voice would be heard.
>
> I was left frustrated - as this is a topic that interests me as I have
> some
> sympathy for the point of view. Equally, I take the view that the law
> of
> mobility means that the even the least powerful have vote with their
> feet /
> wheels etc to move to other topics of conversation. And Open Space is
> what
> it says on the tin - it is open to all - and part of our job as
> facilitators
> is to make this abundantly clear.
>
> So I promised to start a debate here on the OSLIST to see what others
> may
> think. I have also just posted a link to here for people from the
> Community
> Cohesion network (on the forum part of their website) so we may get
> some new
> members too.. (if you want to check out the host organisation - here
> is the
> link:
> http://practitioners.cohesioninstitute.org.uk/PractitionersNetwork/About all
> can join)
>
> So to start the ball rolling:
>
> 1) Do less powerful people get less (or more) from Open Space?
> 2) How does hierarchy interact with the OS process - if at all?
> 3) Are less powerful people less inclined to go with / show their
> passion
> and nominate topics for discussion - if so - what do you do about
> that?
> 4) If the subject is all about variable power (and in community
> cohesion it
> often is...) - does that make OS more or less applicable?
> 5) Am I over complicating all this?!
>
> I look forward to your thoughts.
>
> Many thanks
>
> Very best wishes
>
> Jon
>
>
> ____________________________________________________________________________
> ___
>
> Jon Harvey
> Director
>
> www.jonharveyassociates.co.uk
>
> +44 (0) 7771 537535
> +44 (0) 1280 822585
> jon at jonharveyassociates.co.uk
>
> Helping you connect the prose and the passion to deliver superlative
> results
>
> http://smallcreativeideas.blogspot.com/ for ideas about how to improve
> public & third sector services
> http://jonharveyassociates.blogspot.com/ for articles & ideas about
> leadership and organisational change
> http://twitter.com/JonSHarvey for ideas and questions to help build a
> more
> creative, fair and ambitious world
>
>
> Jon Harvey Associates Ltd
> Registered Office: Chandos House, School Lane, Buckingham, MK18 1HD
> Company Number 6661588. VAT Registration Number 936 2921 11
>
> Please consider the environment before printing this email. Thank you.
>
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