[OSList] Open Space and boundaries

[Harrison Owen]

It has been common for us to speak of Containers and Boundaries as somehow
essential to Open Space. I can't quite find the place, but I do remember
saying something like that myself, as in, "The role of the facilitator is to
create the container..." It certainly made sense at the time, but I always
felt a little uncomfortable with the image. Too mechanical, coercive... too
something. And Michael has brought the subject up again. "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." You might call it "messy boundaries" -- and he raises the
question whether one should press ahead with Open Space, or wait until the
"mess" is settled down. On the one hand, Michael "hunches" that one should
press on -- Open Space. But his hesitation comes, I suspect, from the prior
notion that fixed boundaries/containers are necessary for an effective Open
Space. What to do?

Some thoughts (new ones for me): Containers are great for cooking soup, but
are unneeded and maybe even problematical in Open Space. It is all about
holding things together. In Open Space groups of people come together to
deal with their issues. At the very least that would mean gathering in some
common time/space, be that physical or electronic. It would seem that this
co-location could be facilitated were some suitable "container" provided,
presumably by the sponsor/facilitator. This certainly makes sense, and as a
rough way of speaking, it seems to describe what is going on. But as I think
about it, I think we may be missing a most important point. Coming together
in Open Space happens because people care to come. And they continue their
connection as long as they care to do so. (Law of two feet) 

>From the "outside" it might look as if they were held in place by a
container, but that is illusory. The actual dynamics are centripetal, the
force is mutual attraction... people are "there" because they care to be
there and not because they are contained by some external structure. In a
word, we as facilitators really don't do a thing, and creating a container
is the least of what we DON'T do. The people, from the beginning, do it all.


Of course, there are situations where groups come together under orders,
mandates, whatever. And they are definitely "contained." It is also true
that the tighter that container, the less likely self organization will take
place. If true, providing a container is not only unnecessary but also
destructive. In the name of Opening space, we effectively close it. Or so I
suspect it might be. Just thinking...

Anyhow Michael, should my mental peregrinations lead anywhere useful, it
would seem that your "hunch" was spot on. Forget the boundaries/container.
Just invite the space to open.

Harrison  

 

 






Harrison Owen
7808 River Falls Dr.
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USA

189 Beaucaire Ave. (summer)
Camden, Maine 04843

Phone 301-365-2093
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www.openspaceworld.com 
www.ho-image.com (Personal Website)
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-----Original Message-----
From: oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org
[mailto:oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org] On Behalf Of Michael Wood
Sent: Tuesday, April 01, 2014 9:59 PM
To: 'oslist at lists.openspacetech.org'
Subject: [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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