[OSList] HA: Open Space in dictatorship

[Тясто Марина В.]

Dear Ulrika,

I echo Elwin as I also have extensive experience of facilitation OST events in Russia as I live here, especially with different groups of state and municipal servants in the classroom environment. At the beginning most of them looked like having freedom shock being invited to post issues they care for. But after starting discussions they began to change their way of communication and learning freely and fully. Always coming to the room for the reports and closing I've observed totally different people - with much more self-confidence, positive outlook and friendly feelings to each other. OST actually gives people the first experience of free behavior , self-organizing, self-learning and real leadership. I hardly could define Russian case as a real dictatorship, but I don't know about any bad consequences for the OST meeting participants. Even though some of them were saying something like: even though I'd be fired after I will organize something like this in my office - organization I'll do it and  finally tell the truth.
I'm  sure it is important to bring OST to every possible place and share it with as many people as possible.

All the best,

Marina

________________________________________
От: oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org [oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org] от имени Elwin and Joan [elwinandjoan at yahoo.com]
Отправлено: 10 февраля 2014 г. 18:09
Кому: World wide Open Space Technology email list
Тема: Re: [OSList] Open Space in dictatorship

Ulrika,
I have Opened Space countless times in nearly every country of the former Soviet Union, from Eastern Europe to Central Asia.
In most cases I had the opportunity to return for further development work. I have never encountered anyone who suffered any retribution as a result of Open Space participation. To the contrary, I continue to get email thank you notes from many participants of Open Space dating back more than a decade.

It always works!

Elwin Guild
Future Development International



On Monday, February 10, 2014 11:34 AM, Ulrika Eklund <ulrika.eklund at telia.com> wrote:
Dear listmembers and all your experience

I would love to take part of your experience and knowledge about
working with OS in countries operated by dictatorship. A closed space,
where you are used/allowed to think as The party. "Its a lovely country
as long as you follow the rules"

For example I had a training course with a group working in the
authorities and governmental bodies (national and regional level), and
they listed some of the problems in one area. After they were
encouraged to brainstorm ideas and solutions on the problems. After the
task I asked - what was the new ideas and insight you got? New?! We
repeated what the party already have decided"... so it was more a
memory test :) An other exampel: in the university where I met the
students study a Human rights course sponsered by another country. They
said: "its a good course. Why I asked and the answer was: we are
allowed to ask questions when we don't understand, you know sometimes
you read a text in the book and you don't understand and it doesnot
help to read it many times, here we can ask, and we are also allowed to
discuss.

So my question - how is Open Space working in this circumstances? How
you know people that think freely are not punished after?

WIsh you all a lovley week
Ulrika


--
Ulrika Eklund
Bergsgatan 7A
SE-112 23 Stockholm
Sweden
mobile +46-(0)70-699 86 12

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