speaking from the center

Mon Nov 22 10:15:09 PST 2010

Advance: The opening was easy, I really enjoyed it  and your support was a
key

The event ran very well (I'll post about it next time)

Thanks so much, friends!

 LONGISH:::

I asked my questions on Wednesday, 2 days before opening space. The next day
I was attending a workshop, and I spent Friday morning training a group of
teachers on mind mapping... Today I could finally take the time to read all
this amazing messages and now I answer them.

So, before opening space on Friday afternoon, I had just had time to view a
quick reaction to my questions on the first messages of this thread. And
first, I was again so impressed of the support one can receive from this
community! This gave me an important message: there are some people over
there that care about you, be calm, everything is ok...!

I also picked (and then followed them "on stage") some invaluable ideas:
walk the circle slowly; if you do so some hours before the event when you
are alone in the room, much better; breathe conscioussly; move over the
place when speaking; if you feel nervous just say so; practice the days
before (you can watch
here<http://burumapak.blogspot.com/2010/11/ezkontza-espazioa-irekia-gai-hartuta.html>
the
mind map prepared last week based on Harrison´s OST user´s guide-a DIN A·
real size- on opening-holding-closing space);... and, painfully, I had to
discard the option to hide at the edge of the circle :-)!

Now I´m doing the proceedings draft and hope it will summarize quite good
such a rich thread

SPEAKING FROM THE CENTER (SUMMARY) Participants: (Harrison, Suzanne,
Elisabeth, Anna Caroline, Christine, Lisa, Harold, Michael, Anne,...
Convener: Eleder

1. BEFORE

attitude/feeling:

think of the gift that participants will receive through Open Space...a gift
of freedom and of choice.

soaking in the energy of the group.
Before starting remind yourself: "Enjoy: If it ain't fun - it ain't work!"

Realizing that the 15-20 Minutes are kind of the only time that I am visible
that day makes me expand them in a feeling of gratitude... what a priviledge
and joy!

it is of course not about you. It is about them. So if you focus on them and
on making your voice and the instructions something they can hear and that
invites them, then once you begin you are in partnership with them - and
they can feel it...

be youself and enjoy.

practice:
 But I think you will become more and more comfortable as you practice, sort
how you like to say things, and experience yourself doing it more and more.

 just.... breathe.... and ... go.... and be amazed, as I know you are....

organizing physical space:

setting up the whole space the day before

 inviting people home, just expalining where things are and inviting them to
feel at home...

 circle:

do make a nice big circle with room in between each chair (It is true that
having too small a circle and towering over people is hard for them).

 If it is too small on the inside I see no problem with walking the outside
of the circle (though when I have done this some of my OS colleagues have
*gasped* !.  But it is so I do not close everyone in too tightly, in those
instances.

 inclusion:

ask on registration forms who has any access / ability / mobility issues
they would like to bring to event coordinators' attention. Then you have
this extra info if you need it for some individuals, and can give them extra
eye contact or some notes as well.

(self) preparation:
 on the evening before the event and twenty minutes before the opening -
silently walk in nature. Fresh air and the sky above maintain balance.

think of them, who they are and what they care about. .. as if opening space
before being even there

 visualize: ...And I envision the participants and their listening faces,
and I smile and welcome them before they get there.

reading:
 page 81, Third edition ("open space technology guide") ... its a great read
every time
 ps:page 118 in my (mmp) book, it gives the actual o-tone
Dale Carnegie  "How to Win Friends and Influence People"
www.scarletwindmill.blogspot.com]

 training:
 Lisa's training was so valuable - getting experience walking and talking in
the circle "desensitizes" (llama care metaphor) to the discomfort so one can
spend more time tuning into the energy of the room and being what they need
from me as a facilitator.

 pre-work:
 That's also a lot easier when I already feel I have a relationship with the
theme and the people because of strong pre-work. It has also helped knowing
a lot of the people in the room - getting a chance to talk make eye contact
even before getting into the circle, and having some friendly faces to help
remember it's all good.

I do work intensively with the sponsor and the planning group on all aspects
of the event sometimes months before the OS event itself with the result
that I get to know them, they get to know me and, of course, I also get to
know about their theme and what it is they want to achieve.......My
experience is that me getting into the theme (more than even the
participants) or my relationship with the Planning Group becoming intensive
(more than the relationship between the members of the Planning Group) can
deflect the focus in a way that both my presence and invisibility necessary
for my focus on space and time for the forces of selforganisation are
deminished.

a journey of mutual courage to accompany a client and a team as they wrestle
with the difficult moments of inviting people to something that they cannot
fully describe as most often they have not experienced open space
themselves.  I am always humbled by their trust and the deep relationship
that develops.......I also realize now that by engaging too much on the
theme with the host, it can make the post-work all the more difficult. I
think that perhaps my relationship with the host/team may be too close.

 2. DURING

walking the inner cricle:

just want to convey from your heart and by walking slowly that we will all
be safe, and that this will be fun.
 tell yourself self that it's not about you and that you´re just human so
being nervous is ok.

acknowledge the people I am passing and invite them to let their eyes go
around the circle noticing all the people.

... By walking the boundaries you define the space and make it safer by your
action. ... it is just a very natural act. It is the greeting and
acknowledgement of the people of the journey which is about to take place.

 walk the inner circle before people arrive, as slowly as I can (it's always
too fast nevertheless) when the room is still empty, and the outer circle
too (behind the chairs).It gives me the feeling of the space, and helps me
later ajust the level of my voice .

 if you look a few people ahead and keep moving (slowly, breathing, present)
you are indeed never having your back to anyone for very long. If you turn
your head as you move you are including people behind you as you travel, as
well. If your voice is loud enough or you have a microphone everyone can
hear you even if you are not facing everyone.

  when you start and walk the inner circle, do you speak or do it silentely
?

  I now always take care to have a circle of at least 10 meters in diameter
so that I am not too close to the seated participants, too towering as I
walk

 my habit is to walk it once or a bit more than once, sometimes two times...
changing my mode of movement after that "focusing the group" part which I do
with the idea that the group begins to focus on itself... and eventually
using the entire space as a dancer would on a stage with the idea that it is
a space that can be used in all ways possible

speaking:

speaking slowly

breathing

remember you are in your walking, your breathing, your explaining - *creating
a container* that is open and welcoming and has tools and a process - so
that they can do their best work....

You are with your walk, your voice, your instructions, your
breathing... *weaving
that open and inviting container*. And in your walking you are *invoking
(calling in) energy*.

If you feel nervous, just admit it and move on. The transparency puts people
at ease and you stop having to fight wondering whether anyone is noticing
that you are nervous.

Breathing:

(during walking the circle:) slow your breathing to an easy in/out and match
your paces to your breath. when you arrive at the point where you started
you will notice a real change in you and in the group.  Anxiety levels are
down and eager anticipation is up. ........

(before speaking) Take a deep breath in and out ........ and in and out and
off you go!

looking:

During the introduction I walk the circle and I look at the people a few
chairs in front of me to offer a close contact. I used to look at the people
right in front of me, but I learned that looking straight down to them from
my standing/walking position can offend people.

I have also learned from my workshop participants that if you have any
nervousness about looking people in the eye, try instead....looking at the
tops of their heads (!).It often feels like you are looking at them - try
it.

   What I really enjoy while opening the circle is to look at all the
different expressions - most of the people have very relaxed or unemotional
expressions when they listen, which doesn't mean that they aren't following
(just think of your own expression when you listen to somebody).

 leaving private space for people to breathe into what they are feeling,
nervous, uncomfortable, etc. That's why as I let my eyes meet those of the
participants walking the circle for the first times, with some people it may
only be a split second, with others a tiny bit longer. I want to honor and
respect their physical space and internal space.

Love,

Eleder

*BM31_Bilbao*: Mind Mapping-Open Space Technology-Creativity

www.burumapak.blogspot.com (Basque) <http://www.burumapak.blogspot.com/>
www.flowandshow.blogspot.com <http://www.bilbohiria.com/gaika/berbaz>

Twitter: @Eleder_BM <http://www.twitter.com/Eleder_BM>

*
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