[OSList] Open Space and boundaries

[Eiwor Backelund]

Hi Michael, what an interesting situation. I don´t really have any
suggestions but more some thoughts about what might happen. Open Space
creates a different structure than the usual in an organization. It allows
what needs to be discussed to surface and in this case there seems to be
much pain and uncertainty so if you chose to open space in this situation
you have to be aware of all this pain that might emerge in the open air. If
the meeting is long enough and the space is really open to discuss all this,
it might solve some of the misunderstandings and miscommunications that has
occurred in the church. I think in this case the givens or boundaries are
really important so everyone knows what is going to happen after the
meeting, what will the results be used for. Also important that they are
wide enough to handle the amount of grief and conflict that might arise. I
think working with the grief cycle in the planning meeting and in the
debrief meeting is a good way to raise awareness of where they all are in
the cycle so they can help each other work it through. 
Eiwor

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Från: oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org
[mailto:oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org] För Michael Wood
Skickat: den 2 april 2014 03:59
Till: 'oslist at lists.openspacetech.org'
Ämne: [OSList] Open Space and boundaries

A Case Study....
One of the principles that I have generally worked with in Open Space is
helping the client get clear on the 'boundaries' of the space that's being
opened. For example, helping people who come into the space to know 'what up
for grabs here and what isn't? What decisions have already been made?'

So picture this (purely hypothetical of course)....a church community in
which the pastor has (in many peoples' opinion) run off the rails and the
main church body is in the process of trying to dismiss him; the church is
in compete disarray and completely conflict ridden, many people have left;
the pastor who holds all the keys, banking passwords; church telephone
connections etc etc, has taken legal advice and had hunkered down in the
church owned house where he continues to hold the reigns of power (via some
of his 'allies' in the church) despite not formally being the Pastor of the
church anymore....

So...here we have a situation where the 'boundaries' are actually in a state
of complex flux and uncertainty. The financial 'givens' are ambiguous; there
is no 'locum' pastor in place because of legal uncertainties with the
existing pastor...etc etc.

So in terms of 'Opening Space', do we wait a bit longer until some of the
legal boundaries are clarified, OR open space right away in the midst of the
mess....my hunch is the latter, but any thoughts from anyone?

Cheers
Michael
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