Coming to Circle virtually & when the surf is up

[Heather]

With respect to the question about lurkers and identifying our virtual 
circles, and also in response to Harrison's query about OST in spaces 
where the 'surf is really up':

I'm here, reading Oslist in digest format, and in Jasper Alberta, Canada 
too. Great to be in two places at once!
I have not done any Open Space work here (yet), but have used it in 
Papua New Guinea, to pretty good effect, particularly in 'democratising' 
the process and content of district level strategic plans for HIV & 
Gender-Based Violence issues. The idea of coming to circle resonates 
very strongly with many Pacific peoples, and the freedom of the roles 
one may adopt and still be considered productive is empowering. But also 
challenging. Many of the Pacific peoples have strong ideas of leadership 
as vested in some sort of headman or (less frequently but not unheard 
of) headwoman. This could be a hereditary title holder, or a self-made 
businessperson or a member of the clergy. Whatever it is, leadership is 
a key trope. That's why Open Space can be powerful, but also scary. For 
example, a circle can feel normal when discussing family matters in a 
family compound, but when it's a room in building  and the chairs are in 
a circle and there is a big empty space in the middle, it can be 
intimidating. People are used to demonstrating good etiquette by where 
they seat themselves in relation to who they perceive as the leader. A 
circle often becomes an oval, and while 'round', it can still have an 
understood 'head'. What I like about OST is that it doesn't end with the 
circle -- you can let people self-organise and let them adopt roles and 
in that process, some of the structure supporting the hierarchy is 
elided and the ideas and energy flow, and people *feel* like their 
voices are being heeded, that their contribution is welcomed. And that 
is empowering.

HyL

 

Heather Young-Leslie

*www.HeatherYoungLeslie.wordpress.com 
<http://www.HeatherYoungLeslie.wordpress.com>*

*www.linkedin.com/in/HeatherYoungLeslie 
<http://www.linkedin.com/in/HeatherYoungLeslie>*

 

 


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