[OSList] facilitator neutrality

[Michael M Pannwitz]

Dear Paul,
from where I stand there are no rules in the Open Space Technology process.

The principles neither qualify as rules nor even as principles. The way 
I see them they are valuable observations, I call them "Facts of Life".
Of course, there is an admonition (the possible punishment is not 
mentioned) and there is the "Law" which turns out to be a mild 
suggestion of what might be productive behaviour if someone winds up in 
a situation where she/he can neither contribute nor learn anything.

Regarding "opening space" I keep reminding myself that it is not me who 
"opens space"...it might be part of the job of the sponsor...mine as 
facilitator is to introduce the participants to the OST process...I can 
and have been doing that for quite a while without even mentioning the 
words "open space". The process, once the participants enter into it, 
effects the expansion of time and space for selforganisation to do its 
thing. And it is true that thats where my passion is, not neutrality, of 
course.

But my passion can easily also close down the space a little bit or 
quite a bit. So before I intervene, I take a deep breath and start 
counting slowly... if I remember correctly, I have never reached 10, 
actually its mostly 5 or 6, and then the "system" manages by intervening 
in itself... I love it, experiencing selforganisation manifesting itself.
Once I was asked by a participant to take on the role of space invader 
asking me to suggest an energizer since the system sitting in a circle 
had not done anything for about a minute. I started counting, well 
pretty soon someone said "why do you want to interrupt us in our phase 
of enjoying doing nothing?" The system smiled and shortly thereafter 
they continued...

For me, this is intensive work, exhilarating and at the same time 
binding all my energy... just enough left to take a walk, a nap.

So, take me out of the "We" that open space for possibility or for humanity.

Have a great weekend
mmp


On 27.04.2013 07:58, paul levy wrote:
> Well, well, well.
>
> I'm facilitating an open space later this morning and I may also
> participate.
>
> You see, whoever comes are the right people.
>
> Or is there are new rule? Whoever comes are the right people (except for
> the facilitator.)
>
> When we open space it isn't for a rules to limit that space. Nor do we
> open it for a select group.
>
> We open space for possibility. We open space for humanity.
>
> Whoever comes...
>
> Now clearly some facilitators are space invaders. But hey, speak for
> yourself please.
>
> Stop putting open space into a Nightingale's cage.
>
> And now to breakfast...
>
> Paul Levy
>
> On Saturday, 27 April 2013, Kerry Napuk wrote:
>
>     Hi Listers
>
>     Neutrality of the facilitator is tied to "holding the space."  You
>     cannot hold space if you participate in the event.  Simple as that.
>
>     If you want to participate, become a participant.  The facilitators
>     holds the space, IMHO, by sublimating his or her ego to the group's
>     integrity.
>
>     Here is one example:  I did an event with an organiser who was so
>     adept at PR that he got four newspapers and a TV station to over the
>     event which was in a rural setting.  The TV crew wanted to come into
>     the hall and film part of the process.
>
>     As the theme involved suicide and self harm, I asked the group what
>     they wanted to do with the TV crew's request.  The did not want it
>     and so, probably for the first time in their life, they were banned
>     from shooting live footage. The organiser had to simulate a breakout
>     group with his staff in a side room.
>
>     Cheers
>
>     Kerry
>     Edinburgh
>
>
>
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-- 
Michael M Pannwitz
Draisweg 1, 12209 Berlin, Germany
++49 - 30-772 8000



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