[OSList] Orphaning the Top Table and the Power of the Circle

[paul levy]

Thanks, Harold!

You can see and hear more here...

http://rationalmadness.wordpress.com/2013/05/20/insights-from-an-open-space-on-open-space-in-london-2013/

Paul


On 20 May 2013 13:54, Harold Shinsato <harold at shinsato.com> wrote:

>  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> 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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>
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>
> --
> Harold Shinsato
> harold at shinsato.com
> http://shinsato.com
> twitter: @hajush <http://twitter.com/hajush>
>
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