FW: back to the future in Liberia with OS

Sun May 9 15:16:33 PDT 2010

Harrison, this reminds me that Oprah Winfrey (in the 2006 PBS program African American Lives) traced her ancestry to the Kpelle tribal group whose ceremony you visited and remembered. Does Oprah know about Open Space?
Jeff AitkenMount Tamalpais

Date: Sun, 9 May 2010 16:27:01 -0400
From: hhowen at verizon.net
Subject: [OSLIST] FW: back to the future in Liberia with OS
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU

Some little while ago a friend asked me if I knew anything about
using Open Space in Liberia, West Africa. I had to smile because that is where it
all began. As the martinis were doing their magic, the first image that came to
my mind was that of people sitting in a circle, and it came from my time in
upcountry Liberia in the ‘60s. Circle complete. As you can see from Blake’s
letter space was opened and the people felt right at home. Surprise! I found it
truly wonderful, and I believe you will share the wonder when you read her
letter. Happy day!

Harrison

Harrison Owen

7808 River Falls Dr.

Potomac, MD 20854 

USA

Phone 301-365-2093

www.openspaceworld.com

www.ho-image.com (Personal Website)

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From: mmmblake at aol.com
[mailto:mmmblake at aol.com] 

Sent: Sunday, May 09, 2010 3:53 PM

To: hhowen at verizon.net

Subject: back to the future in Liberia with OS

Dear Harrison,

Just finished OS in an NGO office in Liberia that deals with
malaria prevention, treatment and education. (25 people, 13 topics, 1
day) In the closing circle, I wished you had been there and thought of you
everytime someone said "This is our heritage of how we use to do it and it
feels good." " This is the first time we sit together in 4 years
and it is because of our Liberian past ."" "It is how they
do it in our villages and now it brings us closer together and we can be
one team, one program." "This is the first time I have seen everyone
smile in our office." "People were fully engaged in the room."
Immense pride filled the room. (I was asked to go to this office to do
some team building. I think it worked, wouldn't you say?)

This team has gone through major transitions from working
with malarial concerns in an emergency situation, just after the war to post
emergency work; from one country director's style to an opposite country
director's style; and a total change of expat management; all in the last 3
months.  And, you know what the # 1 topic out of the 13, after they prioritized?
LOVE, plain and simple and powerful. A committee is now in charge of
finding ways to express it in the office. I think the country director was
shocked at that choice but even more surprised that a quiet man who
pushes the broom, convened the topic.  

I was a bit worried for the first hour as it was very slow moving
and I thought I had made the wrong choice, so I left the room and worked on my
laptop, to not control the group and close the space. Turns out, no one
had ever asked them before for their opinions. That was the hesitancy. The ball
started rolling after the first time period.

So, my dear, Harrison...it all comes around and back to Liberia,
you and your brillance at capturing the essence of the African culture and
bottling it up for the rest of the world to sip. You have touched their hearts
deeply. In the closing circle, they didn't thank me...at first I was...gee, no
praise for me bringing it to them...HA!  "When the best leader's work
is done, the people say "We did it ourselves." Lao Tzu.

Blessings,

Blake

PS: if you want to post our conversation, please do. I'm still
having trouble with my email address and the listserv.

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