[OSList] Open Space in dictatorship

[Michael M Pannwitz]

Dear Peggy,
why did you ask the participants to introduce themselves?

Greetings from Berlin
cheers
mmp

On 11.02.2014 23:57, Peggy Holman wrote:
> I had the privilege of working with Marina in 2001 with a group of women
> leaders in Siberia.
>
> To this day, I remember the opening circle. We — the team of 4 women
> from the US doing this workshop — had asked the women to introduce
> themselves. One by one, they stood and spoke as if they were making a
> speech to a crowd. In my minds eye, their words were all in capital
> letters with exclamation points (!).  The moment the introductions
> started, the other women started talking to each other rather than
> listening to the person speaking. We stepped in and asked that they
> listen to each other. Such a simple idea that was apparently not a
> cultural norm.
>
> By the end of the next day, as they worked together in small groups, the
> conversations all seemed engaged and authentic, with real listening
> going on.
>
> One thing I learned on that trip was to never assume that I could
> accurately interpret what was going on. So I wonder...Marina — how do
> you remember it?
>
> appreciatively,
> Peggy
>
>
>
>
> _________________________________
> Peggy Holman
> peggy at peggyholman.com <mailto:peggy at peggyholman.com>
> Twitter: @peggyholman
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> burnt, is to become
> the fire".
>    -- Drew Dellinger
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>
> On Feb 11, 2014, at 9:51 AM, Тясто Марина В. <tyasto at sapa.nsk.su
> <mailto:tyasto at sapa.nsk.su>> wrote:
>
>> 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
>> <mailto:oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org>
>> [oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org
>> <mailto:oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org>] от имени Elwin and
>> Joan [elwinandjoan at yahoo.com <mailto: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 <mailto: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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Michael M Pannwitz
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