[OSList] What does neutrality of a facilitator mean in Open Space?

[Kári Gunnarsson]

Hi Carmela

I am perhaps not the best on neutrality, I am easily swept off my feet in
passion for this or that, and usually I like to marvel in the novelty for a
short while.

I don't think there is any one truth that we can speak here. There is some
big notion of neutrality in the academia, somehow born from the abstract
thinking of the scientific methought. There is this belief that if I am to
close too or worse - one of the locals, then I must be to bias to speak any
truth.

But what I have found is that if I am the owner or manager of the item in
question, then I might have some previews thoughts and dreams that I may
try to enforce it in the process with no regards to the underlying reality
of the matter, if given the possibility.

Also if this person is someone I am trying to please, I may be to
co-dependent towards any power play that he might use for the same reasons.

There is always the spiritual work of begin willing to be present and
holding the space open by keeping a check on my charisma while the
discussions take place.

As soon as I try to force the outcome by closing the space, then the space
is no longer open. I sacrifice the productivity by forcing my own will of
outcome upon the group. The only way for me to not do this is simply to not
have a way about how the outcome should be. If I am not willing to not have
a way, then I have some personal work to do by cheeking my motives and
fears and let go of them.

If this is not possible, then I would suggest a twinning, where you find
someone not in our department to do your open space and then do same for
them.

But I think that I am allowed to care deeply and have an opinion as long as
my personal homework is done and I am spiritually fit to not have a way,
and to let them have their own experience.

I also have an experience where a small group where half of the group was
familiar with Open Space, we decided to hold the space as a group and
participate in our own open space. There was no external sponsor or
external facilitator, but we managed to hold the space open because we
cared.

I like to end with an Amsterdam Musical lecture on Open Space:
http://youtu.be/BgcomPDIUHY

On 18 April 2013 22:40, Carmela Ariza <carmela_ariza at yahoo.com> wrote:

> Dear OST friends,
>
> I would like to hear your thoughts on neutrality of facilitators in OST.
> Below are some specific questions...
>
> What does it mean in practice?
> If you are an interested party or have a stake in the outcomes, how must
> you facilitate?
> What are the ways to maintain neutrality (towards participants and
> topic/outcomes) even if the facilitator is also interested in the quality
> of the participation and also the outcomes?
>
> Your inputs/insights will be highly appreciated - especially sharing of
> experiences.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Carms
>
> *If there is to be any peace it will come through being, not having. --
> Henry Miller*
>   ------------------------------
>
>
>
>
>
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-- 
Kári Gunnarsson
kari.gunnarsson at simnet.is
gsm: +354 8645189
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