[OSList] facilitator neutrality
Harold Shinsato
harold at shinsato.com
Sat Apr 27 07:07:47 PDT 2013
I've always participated in my open space events. Lightly though. I
don't think I've been a space invader in re-arranging chairs during
sessions - but I usually try to set up chairs in a circle before people
arrive and let people do their own chair re-arranging after that.
A good deal of the Open Space events I've attended there were a few
sessions held by the facilitator and I've never seen it harm the open
space event so far. I hosted a session for the first time at my open
space event and it didn't seem to detract from the event. I'm not sure
I'd recommend to new facilitators to host sessions though. It can be a
big job to hold the space - at least until one can develop the faith
that it will just work.
Harold
On 4/27/13 5:52 AM, paul levy wrote:
> Yeah, take me out of the WE too - sometimes.
>
> Are you getting this, Kerry ?
>
> On Saturday, 27 April 2013, Michael M Pannwitz wrote:
>
> 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
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> OSList mailing list
> To post send emails to OSList at lists.openspacetech.org
> To unsubscribe send an email to
> OSList-leave at lists.openspacetech.org
> To subscribe or manage your subscription click below:
> http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org
>
>
> --
> Michael M Pannwitz
> Draisweg 1, 12209 Berlin, Germany
> ++49 - 30-772 8000
>
>
>
> Check out the Open Space World Map presently showing 409 resident
> Open Space Workers in 72 countries working in a total of 143
> countries worldwide: www.openspaceworldmap.org
> <http://www.openspaceworldmap.org>
> _______________________________________________
> OSList mailing list
> To post send emails to OSList at lists.openspacetech.org
> To unsubscribe send an email to OSList-leave at lists.openspacetech.org
> To subscribe or manage your subscription click below:
> http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> OSList mailing list
> To post send emails to OSList at lists.openspacetech.org
> To unsubscribe send an email to OSList-leave at lists.openspacetech.org
> To subscribe or manage your subscription click below:
> http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org
--
Harold Shinsato
harold at shinsato.com <mailto:harold at shinsato.com>
http://shinsato.com
twitter: @hajush <http://twitter.com/hajush>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.openspacetech.org/pipermail/oslist-openspacetech.org/attachments/20130427/d75d74f7/attachment-0008.htm>
More information about the OSList
mailing list