[OSList] Space invaders and using your two feet

[Marc C. Trudeau]

Thanks for this, mmp. Great, real world examples and guidance.

On Feb 20, 2022, at 5:41 AM, Michael M Pannwitz via OSList <oslist at lists.openspacetech.org<mailto:oslist at lists.openspacetech.org>> wrote:

Dear Bhavesh,

The Law of Two Feet (this is, of course, no Law but tongue of cheeck speak of the Man with the Hat) has not felt to me as a reminder to be responsible for where I want to be.
In my intro to the process I say in the role of facilitator: "And here", pointing to the large poster on the wall of the space or on a large pinboard on the edge of the outer circle or floating above the crowd of 2108 supported by large balloons, have a look here
https://openspaceworldscape.org/events/165-jetzt-meine-leidenschaft-meine-verantwortung-ueber-die-tagung-hinaus-now-my-passion-my-responsibility-beyond-the-conference

"is the Law of Two Feet which has to be utterly adhered to as it is a LAW:
I honor a group with my absence if I neither learn nor contribute something. If I am learning something I stay, if I am contributindg something I also stay.
But if neither, then I'll do the group and especially myself the favor of taking my feet... ", and here I imitate the Man by looking at my feet for 3 seconds lift them and run a short distance in front of the assembled crowd... continuing:"... and move to a space which is more productive for me... or to take a nap." (At this point folks usually laugh out loud, incited by my awkward running style)

Now all this has nothing to do with taking responsibility for where I want to be. I am focusing on this because I as facilitator am not in any way responsible for what anyone does, under the assumption that everyone is naturally "responsible"... and I adress it in the systemic context we are in when in an os event, and that it is selforganisation all the time.

Regarding space invaders -  which I rarely have encountered probably because I am such an awsome event myself, especially when totally present and at the same time invisible - I do intervene.

My first intervention is to do nothing and wait (at this point I understand why I am being paid for this job). If the crowd is kind of struck and silent, also waiting, I still wait. Usually, this intervention does get addressed by a participant, which causes another participant to react... and results in a short exchange in which usually someone then gets the space invader to see that the group does not oust him.

If no participant intervenes and I have counted to 10, I ask: "Who else feels like Charlie?" This always works, one or several other participants will say something. The main advantage of participants participating in this is that the space invader immidiately sees that he/she is still part of the group, not an outsider.

Another observation I have made is that some space invasions are aggressive while others are certainly productive but not executed completely.

At one event, one participant got up to introduce his issue (others had posted issues before him) and said: "I have the most important 5 issues that need to be worked on!" and deposited his 5 issue sheets in the center.
Here I intervened right away and reminded him that the issues have to be announced and posted on the Bulletin Board and that he shoulc say his name. Somewhat nervous he picke up his 5 issues, spoke to them and then posted them on the Bulletin Board.
Later in the day he approached me and said: "Michael, nobody signed in for my issues! This was an important lesson for me."

So, its not about what is allowed or not. Its about how space and time for selforganisation are expanded right then and here. Thats what I recommend facilitators to focus on.

The utmost the facilitator can do in case stuff gets out of control and nothing works is to leave the space.
I have experienced this twice in os events.
First event was the gathering of 300 Imams and Rabbis in Sevilla where HO facilitated and I was his assistant. The participants kept posting isssues without end and even after allocating 15 minutes more they kept going. When the time was over, HO turned to me and spoke into the mikrophone "Michael, please take over!" and left the room. It took only minutes that the participants stopped posting issues and moved into the phase to walk up to the Bulletin Board to sign up for issues they wanted to work on.

The second example was an os with facilitators from different approaches in which I was participant.
In the closing circle of the first day, one participant insisted on a discussion of a particularly critical aspect. He ignored the facilitators suggestion to post his issue for a session after dinner or the next day. No, he wanted to continue. The facilitator pointed to the schedule and the amount of time left. At the end of the agreed upon time he stood up and left the room.
Two minutes later, the entire group left, too.

What about other stories on The Law and Space Invadors?

Right now I am returning to the breakfast table where we are talking about the urgent recommendation of the German Government to all German citizens presently in the Ukraine to leave the Ukraine and return home immediately.

War?

Greetings from Berlin
mmp

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