[OSList] OST encourages avoidance of conflict

[Michael M Pannwitz]

Dear Chris,

in your note from 31.01.2018 at 00:44 you wrote, referring to something 
a Guru said:
"He believes that it’s useful for certain things in certain contexts and 
not in others. On that we all agree, I would think."
Well, I neither agree or disagree. So its one person less than "we all".

Very simply put, I have seen all kinds of stuff that comes out of Open 
Space gatherings. Some stuff comes actually before the event (getting 
ready and planning for the event) some during the event, some closely 
following the event, some from other places, some years later, etc. When 
that is noticed, it can be understood as useful for "certain things".

It gets even more simple if one works under the assumption that in Open 
Space events time and space expand for the unfolding of the Force of 
Selforganization. Looking at it that way, it does not matter what stuff 
is at issue or what outcomes or impacts folks have in mind.
All that is needed is to check whether the known prerequisites for the 
unfolding of the Forces of Selfforganisation are in place. Checking on 
them will not tell you whether it is suitable for this or that purpose, 
simply only if it will... see above.

For instance, as facilitator I have often been involved in schools. In 
one situation the teachers invited me to  help them with an effort to 
improve "Living and Learning in Our School". They felt that having all 
the teachers get together for a couple of days (in this school teachers 
can gather for projects for two days per year) would be a grand way of 
moving this topic. Ok, teachers are a part of schools. Having just 
teachers would not address the prerquisite of "diversity".
Another prerequisite they found difficult was "voluntay participation" 
since all teachers had to participate. And so on. We never talked about 
their main topic, just the prerquisites. Ways were found to expand 
diversity (they actually found it exhilariting to invite everyone that 
was in any way involved with their school: students, parents, 
ex-prinicipals, neighbors, people from schools they cooperated with, 
business-folks from places where students did their internships, the 
school secretary, the folks from the cafeteria, counsellors, janitors, 
volunteers... it was vast).
And they found a solution for the teachers that insited that they had to 
attend regardless of whether they wanted to or not (they were offered 
activities/tasks in the school while the event took place... and, 
surprise, they all participated in the OST event).
Ok, paying close attention to the PREREQUISITES being in place -  NOT 
for creativity, play, efficiency, innovation, conflict resolution, 
peace, fun, extraorinary performance, chaos, problem solving, heaven on 
earth, order... etc (all stuff that are typical for OST events) - so 
that the Force of Selforganisation could show up and do its thing is the 
task.

Approaching it that way I never had to wonder about how this or that or 
something else can be achieved with the Open Space approach.

I wonder why this secret is not out in the light of day. What keeps us 
from focusing on the prerequisites? Everyone of us can do it in their 
daily work as facilitator of the way we have tested a zillion times. It 
can be done without ever mentioning the Force (it will not be insulted, 
in fact I feel it does not give a ...) or mentioning OST (HO will not be 
insulted, either... he is probably wondering "Why do you guys work so 
hard?)

Greetings from Berlin
mmp

Am 31.01.2018 um 00:44 schrieb Chris Corrigan via OSList:
> He believes that it’s useful for certain things in certain contexts and 
> not in others. On that we all agree, I would think.
> 

-- 
Michael M Pannwitz
Draisweg 1, 12209 Berlin, Germany
++49 - 30-772 8000
mmpannwitz at gmail.com


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