making requests of leaders?

[Chris Corrigan]

Echoing Michael here...I hear these concerns often, mostly from the sense of wanting the event to go well.  My invitation to people is always to just let their good judgement guide them in the moment, as that is what everyone else will be doing.  

IN other situations, I have had sponsors say that they wanted people to attend just to observe because participation would be problematic.  This is often the case with governments who are using OST for stakeholder consultations.  In those cases I always say that there are no "observers" in open space and everyone is welcome to attend sessions and post whatever they want.  If sponsors don't want people to participate I say that they should not invite them.  

In that case people are always free to show up and participate or not, but there are no different conditions for one set of participants than for another.  

I can't think of any exceptions I've ever had to this basic principle.  

Chris
----
Chris Corrigan
chris at chriscorrigan.com
http://www.chriscorrigan.com


On 2010-11-29, at 9:19 AM, Michael M Pannwitz wrote:

> Dear Raffi,
> I put my money on the force of selforganisation.
> 
> In fact, in the many contacts I had with sponsors (often "leaders", "managers") they often asked me
> --should I wait a bit so others have a chance to voice their topics
> --should I perhaps not go to the sessions so people can talk freely
> --should I have some issues up my sleeves in case nobody offers issues
> --etc.
> which was often followed by a small talk about the "assumptions" or "images" we tend to act on and not on the stuff we are passionate about.
> 
> I think open space is real life and real conflict and lots of tough stuff and shit happens... and it always gets sorted out and my assumption is that the sorting out happens more readily if I as facilitator step back and give up on control.
> 
> Have a great day in San Diego, lucky cat
> mmp
> 
> Raffi Aftandelian wrote:
>> Queridos amigos,
>> Christine, your question about the challenging OST event you are working on
>> encouraged me to post this question today. I've been meaning to put this out
>> for weeks. I'm wondering how much it is a practice for all you to talk to or
>> communicate with leaders and managers who will be attending an OST event and
>> encourage them to *hold back* a little in order to equalize the power
>> dynamics a little in the OST event.
>> Specifically by *hold back* I mean:
>> - asking them to wait a little before posting topics
>> - for them not to feel like they need to post certain topics
>> - not to try to steer the conversation, or try to resolve conflicts
>> and ask them instead to participate as just one more person in the group.
>> This question was inspired by coming across the document "Ground rules for
>> Managers" in Lisa Heft's Open Space Idea Book. In that document, Lisa you go
>> through a number of things that you communicate to leaders and managers
>> ahead of an OST event, which include the requests above.
>> When I came across this document in the book a few years back, I was
>> surprised as I hadn't really heard of such a practice before. And finally for the first time I used it recently. I run a bimonthly
>> Nonviolent Communication community practice event in OST (with one small- or
>> perhaps for some, not so small- change-- we start with a short centering
>> meditation)
>> And it's hard to gauge right now if making those requests have helped in any
>> way. The one person who I spoke to the longest about it seemed to ignore the
>> requests in the document (I adapted the document for my situation; and the
>> document explains that this is really something meant to be communicated
>> orally. Most people I told them briefly about this over the phone or in
>> person and then sent a full document over email). I'm really excited about making those requests in future OST events where it
>> seems appropriate.
>> And Lisa especially, I'm wondering that since you self-published the OS Idea
>> Book, if your thinking around making those requests has changed.
>> Thanks all!
>> abrazos,
>> Raffi
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> -- 
> Michael M Pannwitz, boscop eg
> Draisweg 1, 12209 Berlin, Germany
> ++49-30-772 8000
> mmpanne at boscop.org
> www.boscop.org
> 
> 
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