[OSList] Exploring the principles: Whatever happens is the only thing that could have

[paul levy]

Dear all.

Here we go. Comments and insights most welcome...

warm wishes

Paul Levy



This is another one of those principles that is useful and true in the
practice of open space though, of all the open space principles, it reveals
a certain “take” on how the universe operates. Personally I find it works
more on a creative and practical level, than as an absolute statement of
truth about how our world operates. Indeed, there are alternative view
points, currently located in philosophy and the new physics that plausibly
contradict it.

Why didn’t Sheila show up?

The session started out as a discussion about our product performance but
ended up as an argument about what kind of a team we are.

Dan stormed out half way through the session, leaving everyone else very
downhearted and worried.

Are these things the only things that could have happened? One thing is for
sure: they happened. Time proceeded, as it always does, and we moved on
with it. Behaving as if the above principle is true can be remarkably
freeing. We do not get paralysed by regret, nor do we go into a kind of
negative post-mortem state, picking over the corpse of what happened and
wondering how things might have gone differently. Accepting what happened
as the only thing that could have makes that event into a clear place of
starting afresh or as a foundation stone to build upon.

It is also a statement of belief in how the world operates. And this
statement is not agreed with by everyone in the world. If it is true that
whatever happens is the only thing that could have – because it DID – then
whatever happens in the present then gains an authority in our reflection
and our action in the now and the future. We take whatever happened as a
firm given.

Yet we know from learning theory that there is much to be gained from
different kinds of reflection. This happened – yes. But what would have
happened if…? This is a powerful and often useful question.  Paradoxically,
if we ask it at an open space, then the very asking of it is, according to
the principle, the only thing that could have happened! So, it’s okay to
ask it!

There are also there views that whatever happens is one of MANY things that
could have happened, and some people even speculate that all those other
possibilities exist in parallel universes, all happening at the same time,
part of a “multiverse”. This is relevant to us if these other possibilities
play into our current reality when we include them in our creative
thinking. Certainly awareness of them can fire that creativity and lead to
innovation and experiments in our future action. Whatever happened, for
many people, is certainly NOT the only thing that could haven happened.

Now, coming back to the principle. Something happened.  If we focus with
regret on what didn’t happen, if we get distracted by that regret and it
takes us away from what we’d really like to be focusing on, and if that
focus depresses us, then accepting what happened as a “given” can actually
help us to remain focused, and can even energise us. Acceptance of what
happened and the giving it an authority as the only thing that could have
(because it DID), de-clutters the space.

In my own experience, I tend to edit this principle and offer this instead:
Whatever happens, happens. I encourage people to accept the things that
happen, reflect on them as they need, but to let those happenings serve the
flow of their conversations and work, and not block or distract them. If we
decide to explore alternative scenarios, we should do this because it feels
right to do so, not because we are refusing to accept what clearly just
happened.

Here’s what happened: Sheila didn’t show up. She would have been able to
contribute and would have enjoyed it. We reflect that we didn’t brief her
well enough on the reason for the open space. We resolve to include her in
more and better next time. We move on. Now we have a new “whatever
happened”: Sheila didn’t show up and we drew some useful lessons from it
and set an action for the future. Then we moved on.

As you can see, accepting happenings as if they were the only thing that
could have, because they did, actually opens up the space for creative
reflection. The fact that they did, and even if they were the only thing
that could have because they did, doesn’t mean we can’t creatively reflect
and learn from alternative scenarios.

Some open space facilitators tend to use this principle (for good motives)
to stifle any attempts to reflect on what might have happened. They even
present it as a bit of a waste of time and effort. It isn’t. Reflection,
during an open space, is also one of the only things that could have
happened!

Enjoy this paradox, embrace it!
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