[OSList] OS In Liberia

Susan Partnow susan4ps at comcast.net
Thu Aug 11 13:54:35 PDT 2011


Thanks for sharing the OS story:  I'd love to connect with your Monrovia friend.

Absolutely agree -- circle process is in the DNA of Liberians and they
love it.  --Our faciliators shared the story of how they were bringing
back their own process.  (They also loved Compassionate Listening,
which I was sharing with our team of 35 Peacebuilders - listening from
the HEART... they made their own instantly and so much more naturally
than typical North American groups).  I would imagine if we had had
more time with the Open Space the groups would have become more
generative... We only had time for two short sessions (barely one hour
each) ... and given the nature of African flow that was way too short.

-- 
Susan Partnow
Founding Director, Global Citizen Journey
4425 Baker Ave NW
Seattle, WA 98107
tel. 206-783-8561
fax 206-782-7786
www.globalcitizenjourney.org
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www.susanpartnow.com  Partnow Communications, Organizational
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Susan - About a year ago I got a note from a friend who was also Opening
Space in Monrovia. I thought you might find it interesting - ho



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.



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