[OSList] (was) Open Space in schools - now: OST boundaries? constraints?

Mon Sep 30 10:31:09 PDT 2013

I request help and guidance. Will you help me understand the rule of the 
Open Space meeting format?

If the 1 law & the 4/5 principles are natural and self-evident, I am 
confused about the need to mention them whatsoever.

If the 1 law and the 4/5 principles are not natural and not 
self-evident, I am confused about how mentioning them is optional.

The 1 "law" (quotes) and "4/5 principles" (quotes again) are either 
self-evident, or they are not. I wonder which is the reality.

See also:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_law
http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_rights

On 9/30/13 8:05 AM, Harrison Owen wrote:
>
> Dan -- I have to agree with Lisa. As said multiple times before, the 5 
> principles and the Law are descriptive and not prescriptive. Or at 
> least that is the way they popped into my head: simple observations of 
> what was transpiring, as opposed to directions concerning what should 
> be taking place. I have always said "Principles" and "Law" with a 
> smile, because if you really think about it, they are neither 
> (principle or law). More like, "funny things that happen on the way to 
> the future." There is an essential humor, sense of fun in Open Space 
> -- and if we ever lose it, we begin to take things much too seriously 
> LI call it High Play.
>
> Harrison
>
> Harrison Owen
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> *From:*oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org 
> [mailto:oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org] *On Behalf Of *Lisa Heft
> *Sent:* Monday, September 30, 2013 3:22 AM
> *To:* World wide Open Space Technology email list
> *Subject:* [OSList] (was) Open Space in schools - now: OST boundaries? 
> constraints?
>
> Dan - I have taken the liberty of adjusting the title of this topic to 
> more closely fit the changed content.
>
> And: I look forward to hearing how others respond...
>
> 1/ I see the Law and Principles and *invitations* not as constraints.
>
> 2/ And not 'required' as in - some of us do not use the 5th Principle 
> at all. However, the saying, inviting and simple explanation of these 
> invitations help to create the structure (as there is a structure, 
> just not the structure that a lot of people have experienced in 
> meetings) / to create the container. What I mean by that is that I 
> have observed that to not offer the invitation of the principles and 
> law (even in a group of people who completely know and do Open Space) 
> is not inviting presence and possibility in the same way. So different 
> dynamics then occur.
>
> And in saying that offering these invitations and explaining this 
> process help to create the container, I mean a living, breathing, 
> nutrient-rich container, perhaps similar to some containers like 
> cellular walls, a bird's nest, a lake, a poem, or a wisp of vapor... 
> which have some form within which there is flow.
>
> 3/ I notice that some super-good OST facilitators can use more words 
> to explain things, and some use less. And the experience can be 
> amazing. In my observation, it is not the amount of words, it is the 
> complete true understanding of inviting Opening Circle and agenda 
> co-creation (which include a brief explanation of principles and law 
> and process), and getting / staying out of the way so the participants 
> can do their own work, see their own patterns, feel their own 
> co-leadership, and so on.
>
> What do others think?
>
>
> Lisa
>
> On Sep 29, 2013, at 10:53 PM, Daniel Mezick <dan at newtechusa.net 
> <mailto:dan at newtechusa.net>> wrote:
>
>
>
> Lisa says:
> "...
>
> The other thing is that for any kind of facilitation, I would not name 
> boundaries or constraints. It sets peoples' minds in the framework of 
> boundaries and constraints - rather than opportunities and possibilities.
>
> Like 'think outside the box' - you are still thinking...of the box! 
> when / because someone says that. "
>
> Dan says:
> I notice that:
> 1/  the 1 Law and 5 Principles of OST are constraints-in-fact. Are 
> they not?
> 2/ we are required to describe these as OST Facilitators; at least, 
> according to the OST Guide. Right?
> 3/ the general idea for the Facilitator is, "the less said the 
> better".  No?
>
> I think OST is a most wonderful game. 
> http://newtechusa.net/agile/how-games-deliver-happiness-learning/
>
> Dan
>
>
>
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