making requests of leaders
Lisa Heft
lisaheft at openingspace.net
Tue Nov 30 20:30:50 PST 2010
Raffi and others -
In my experience and approach...
- everything in context,
- do thorough pre-work,
- be aware of culture
- talk in advance about those things that support people of minority
or diverse viewpoint (not in the OS process but in such things as the
invitation, signage, whatever is appropriate)
- analyze with the client what (Open Space or otherwise) is the right
tool for the task, time available, capacity and needs of the
organization / group, and so on.
So: in my pre-work conversations with the client - especially when I
hear about a group of mixed levels of perceived or actual power - we
talk about power dynamics.
And then if we agree after our analysis that Open Space is indeed the
tool we will be selecting for this event, sometimes the client says
something like "My managers will be there - and they are very into
leading and directing - and I can see that it is important to let all
participants experience co-leadership / self-leadership instead. What
shall I tell my managers so we can help them understand the benefit of
not directing everybody?"
So we talk about this, and either they say 'Okay I know what I will
say to them' or they say 'Can you give me some thoughts to help them
keep in mind?' and we work together in the context of what they are
asking, their needs, and their work culture. Sometimes the client /
supervisor invites them to come or not come, but if they come, to be
full participants rather than directive. Whatever s/he thinks works in
her/his cultural context. Sometimes they invite me to meet with the
managers to answer their questions about the upcoming Open Space.
Sometimes we even meet at the hotel bar the night before and have a
casual chat.
And in those times I let them know that if they direct everyone they
are losing the benefit of this interactive process. It will tell them
a great deal about emergent leaders in their organization if they step
back from directing everything and see who shines. And I invite them
to be themselves - if they feel inspired to post a topic - especially
something that comes up from within as a juicy puzzle or inquiry -
this is the place and time.
Sometimes we talk about how if they jump up too soon to fill the space
with topics, will that leave space for others to emerge, given the
power dynamics? If they feel that may be an issue, I invite them to
therefore let others post their topics, see what comes up, go with the
flow and then announce any topic that inspires them. My response
springs from their pre-event inquiry.
Sometimes they want me to write up something as a reminder. So I do.
It is again: in context, it springs from conversations with the client
and their teams, they are often the ones who lead and inquire in this
pre-event exploration, and I'm there to answer their questions about
what I have noticed in other similar Open Spaces when people with
great power mix with people with lesser power in the meeting. All
part of the conversation.
I don't do it automatically. I don't do it for every organization I
perceive to have a strong hierarchy. I don't do it most of the time.
That would be a cultural assumption, and it would not be about me
listening to them.
That, I think, is the nuance, Raffi.
And the context.
Thanks for inviting this exploration,
Lisa
Lisa Heft
Consultant, Facilitator, Educator
Opening Space
lisaheft at openingspace.net
On Nov 30, 2010, at 3:55 PM, Raffi Aftandelian wrote:
> Queridos amigos,
>
> Muchas gracias for your responses. And I'm surprised to hear at
> least based
> on the current responses that this practice of encouraging "leaders"
> to hold
> back is rather uncommon.
>
> I've cross-posted this question to the Genuine Contact list, too.
>
> abrazos,
> Raffi
>
> p.s.-- Querido Miguel- I think right now we're a little less lucky
> here in
> San Diego (and hence if you're calling me a "lucky cat," that
> probably makes
> me a little less feline, too)-- it has been rather cold here
> recently...
>
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