[OSList] Orphaning the Top Table and the Power of the Circle
Harold Shinsato
harold at shinsato.com
Mon May 20 05:54:12 PDT 2013
Paul, awesome! There were several conversations in Florida that rather
than talking about "flattening" our hierarchies in organizations - what
we need is circling. Circle culture. Thanks for such an awesome story.
Looking forward to the notes on Guerilla Action & Stealth Open Space - Jon!
From Florida with Love,
Harold
On 5/20/13 1:07 AM, Jon Harvey wrote:
>
> And thus the #ukosonos begins. Looking forward to seeing everyone at
> Lauderdale House v soon.
>
> Just thought of running a session on guerilla action & stealth open
> space. Will anyone join me?
>
> So, got tea, coffee, milk & food to share. Come Paul, come all to our
> UK reprise of #WOSONOS in North London
>
> Great greetings to all in Florida as you wend your way homewards.
>
> Atb
>
> Jon
>
> On 20 May 2013 07:54, "paul levy" <paul at cats3000.net
> <mailto:paul at cats3000.net>> wrote:
>
> I remember a conference where the audience took over - at least
> for a while. It was a revolution that left the top table (the ones
> who had the bottles of mineral water and the little flowers in
> vases) paralysed with perplexity.
>
> A formal presentation using a lot of bullet-pointed Power Point
> had just stopped for five minutes of questions and answers - the
> fifth presentation in a row without a break.
>
> Garish neon lights blared down from the ceiling in a room with no
> natural light.
>
> Yes, you are correct - I said "revolution". Now, that it an
> interesting word. We talk of a revolution of the people. We also
> talk of a revolution of the planets. Revolution hints at a circle.
>
> Now, everyone was sitting in rows, as in a traditional classroom,
> facing the top table that was in a row facing the classroom style
> audience.
>
> The speaker stood at a lectern facing the audience as well.
>
> The chairperson invited questions.
>
> And then it happened. Someone in the audience raised their hand
> and was invited to pose their question. And pose it she did. But
> not in the direction of the top table. She sort of turned to her
> side and posed it to her row. She was interested, you see, in what
> other people thought of the issue underlying her question. Had
> other people had the same experience? Did they have any solutions.
> She seemed to pose it along her row and then to the rows behind
> her, as her arm swept around her and backwards in a kind of
> inclusive gesture. She finished her question and then someone near
> the back started to answer it. Soon, another person, nearer the
> front added a useful thought and then a small whispering
> conversation began in a corner between three people who were
> resonating with the original question.
>
> It lasted for about four minutes and, at one point, the whole room
> were now looking, not at the top table, but inwards, towards a
> rough central point in the rows.
>
> The circle was forming, even in rows of seats!
>
> And the circle was powerful. Fora while those who were supposed to
> be "at the top" at the top table were flummoxed, silent, mere
> onlookers on the outside of a forming community circle.
>
> It was a vibrant four minutes. Then the chair person raised his
> voice and attempted to restore "order". He never quite got it
> back! For at least a while afterwards, when questions were asked
> they are posed by the questioner into the centre of the room,
> rather than directed to the front.
>
> An in that four minutes a lot of ground was covered. The buzz
> continued into the coffee break and the top table was left,
> orphaned, without a clear role. The people wanted to talk to each
> other, to form a circle, to dialogue, to self-organise their own
> conversation.
>
> And this had happened: Space had opened.
>
> And this was happening: Space was opening.
>
> What I loved about witnessing this was realising the power of the
> circle. The circle wants to form - it is the natural form for
> people in social setting settings. I believe the circle is always
> there, in archetype, whenever human beings come together; it kind
> of hangs there, as potential, above the group. It seizes the
> chance to realise in real, especially when there is a top table
> and a bunch of rows of seats. All it needs is the impulse to
> self-organise; and that occurs with a gesture. It is the gesture
> usually of one person made, not in a way that reinforces the
> linear hierarchy - the top table - but the gesture that addresses
> itself to the central point of the natural circle. Then the
> attention of all turns towards it and a circle is formed - even
> when there are rows of seats.
>
> Space opens in a circle. And circles open space. Of course, it is
> often better to start with a circle of chairs, but even when that
> is not so, just direct your comments into the mess, into the heart
> of the community, and watch that circle form.
>
> Written on the way to our Open Space on Open Space in London, on
> May 20th 2013.
>
>
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--
Harold Shinsato
harold at shinsato.com <mailto:harold at shinsato.com>
http://shinsato.com
twitter: @hajush <http://twitter.com/hajush>
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