[OSList] Space invaders and using your two feet
Steve Holyer
coach at steveholyer.com
Mon Feb 21 13:45:50 PST 2022
Thanks all. I will think on these examples often in the future, I also
always think on the User’s Guide from Harrison (and often review the
bit on Space Invaders because I think it captures something essential
about Open Space facilitation).
A few additional thoughts I find there:
* I try to remember a Space Invader often tries to control the space
(and close it for others) because of their own great passion and sense
of responsibility. A space invader’s passion usually manifests in
something that works against the law of mobility/2 feet in some way. The
examples Micheal and others gave of someone announcing the Open Space
can stop now while everyone considers/accepts their priorities is a a
pretty obvious Space Invader attempting to suspend the law of mobility
out of passion for the topic and their "answer". When I have encountered
"space invaders" it helps me think openly(compassionately?) about them
when I remember that most Space Invaders aren’t trying to destroy.
They are trying to "build". We invited, welcomed and celebrated their
passion, but it’s manifesting right now in a way that closes the
space.
(And now, I also find space invaders when I’m "riding the wave"
outside of an open space event. If everything is open space, then I’m
not surprised to sometimes meet space invaders anywhere. This thinking
on Space Invaders helps me. When I’m responding as my better self, I
am able to realise "this is a space invader" and then I can ask
myself—and them—about the passion, responsibility and caring driving
their actions. I also believe that most mean well, but also I strongly
believe some space invaders actually operate—voluntarily or
involuntarily—out of passion for spite and malice or mental
illness…so I consider best intentions, but I don’t make a blanket
statement that I can assume everyone is operating with best
intentions—because I have bad experiences with people who simply
aren’t for some reason.)
* As a facilitator holding space, while you remind everyone of the
principles of open space, many space invaders will realise their
passionate (well meaning) actions are closing space and the Space
Invader melts away (like in Michael’s example). When that doesn’t
happen (after a few reminders) the facilitator calmly walks away. (I
find the hard part here is to do this without any hint of
passion—aggression — which can unfortunately be my goto stance when
I’m not holding space.) That way you use your mobility and demonstrate
that the natural law of mobility applies everyone even myself
facilitating. As the book says that’s almost always enough to remind
everyone else they can use their mobility too.
(I usually use the washroom or take a new refreshing Diet Coke. The
fact that I take so many refreshing Diet Cokes usually means I need the
washroom anyway. And as I recall, every time I’ve returned to the main
space 10 or 15 minutes later the space invasion is over and everyone is
working in full-on open space. Online might be trickier but last week I
referred to the law of mobility, invited the group to carry on, and
asked the co-facilitator who was working with me if she wanted to join
me in a break out to work on something we needed to do (she did)—I
felt I needed to be explicit that we were leaving so that we could add
value elsewhere because as you know when we’re online it may not be
noticeable otherwise. And just as I find *in situ*, we returned 10
minutes later to find the space invasion was over and open space had
returned. A tool like QiqoChat makes this easier since movement is kinda
visible AND simple enough for people to navigate without any facilitator
intervention once they know how it works— and I promise Lucas
doesn’t give me kickbacks for promoting his tool all the time. ;) )
* The key thing in the User’s Guide for me (and something that taught
me a lot about what it means to hold space) is if the participants are
still giving space to the invasion at this point, then they *have* in
fact followed the pervasive law of mobility and chosen to participate in
the invasion. **If the facilitator intervenes at this point, the
*facilitator* becomes the *Space Invader*.**
After adding that to the general discussion, because it was very
important to me, I have to also think about the current context of this
discussion on the OSList.
Having said all that, I want to point out that the discussion of Space
Invaders in the User’s Guide comes right after (or is it just before)
Harrison’s thoughts on complete disruptions apparently prompted by
mental illness or other big external factors. I also have to ask what is
the proper response to an outbreak of violence or predatory behaviour?
In general, there are some situations where I don’t think the general
advice for responding to space invasion would specifically apply.
And then, how can we interpret this in the context of a mailing list
which operates publicly on the Internet? (I generally defer to the folks
who were here longer than I on that point.) But I still ask: What is the
same? And, what are the differences between this list and a
"traditional" open space event? What differences actually matter to the
way we respond?
I think open space works better when people are open about their
positions and beliefs and own them. So I will say that I often find Mark
Carmel’s posts to be extremely disruptive. I am often disturbed by
them because—whether he means it intentionally or not—I read them as
traps inviting, even demanding, interaction but also constructed
(whether intentional or not) to be violently provocative in ways that
any response triggers more disruption. I don’t feel that these
messages are working towards something, they feelthey are intended to
tear something a part.
I have considered using my mobility to filter Mark’s mails so I never
see them. Or use my will power to just never read them. I’ve
considered using my mobility to publicly—or quietly—unsubscribe from
this list.
But I have also considered asking Mark if he would set up his own
mailing list or forum for these discussions—people can participate in
more than one forum and use mobility to choose those discussions. For
now, that is not how I understand this list operates and suspect that
such a move would be a loss for the list. I do think that’s one
potential way to open more space and something I would consider (and not
lightly).
I don’t know.
For now I find value in this discussion of open space principles and
holding space. I find value in many the other posts. And I feel a
responsibility to be here for "open space".
Openly,
Steve
On 21 Feb 2022, at 7:28, paul levy via OSList wrote:
> That's beautiful, Michael, and I can go with it
>
> Yet, mysteriously for me, in my deeper experience of my life, even the
> law
> of gravity feels like a kind of invitation, one which I occasionally
> refuse.
>
> Paul
>
> On Mon, 21 Feb 2022, 04:11 Michael Herman via OSList, <
> oslist at lists.openspacetech.org> wrote:
>
>> for me, it actually is a kind of law: "you and only you know when
>> you are
>> learning and contributing as much as you can."
>>
>> a law, as chris corrigan taught me to say, "...that's not like a
>> speed
>> limit, but more like the law of gravity. defy it at your own risk!"
>>
>> having pointed this out in an opening circle, i then suggest that
>> everyone
>> in circle has the same job, the right AND the responsibility, to use
>> their
>> two feet and/or whatever else they use to get around, to go wherever
>> they
>> need to, to maximize their own learning and contribution.
>>
>> in the end we don't care if they move... what we want is highest
>> learning
>> and highest contribution.
>>
>> for me, in open space, personal passion/freedom is always
>> bounded/informed
>> by responsibility/contribution to the whole.
>>
>> i think our pulsation between these apparent opposites, passion and
>> responsibility, learning and contributing, me and us, past and
>> future, and
>> so on... is what drives it all. we can't get stuck. we have to keep
>> moving. each of us, for all of us.
>>
>> learning and practicing this kind of pulsation, between apparent
>> opposites, is for me the most important thing we invite in open
>> space.
>> it's in the going back and forth that strengthens us.
>>
>> michael
>>
>>
>> --
>>
>> Michael Herman
>> Michael Herman Associates
>> 312-280-7838 (mobile)
>>
>> MichaelHerman.com
>> OpenSpaceWorld.org
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On Sun, Feb 20, 2022 at 12:49 PM paul levy via OSList <
>> oslist at lists.openspacetech.org> wrote:
>>
>>> I haven't called it a law in years.
>>>
>>> That is because it isn't a law. It is an eternal invitation.
>>>
>>> Paul
>>>
>>> On Sun, 20 Feb 2022, 16:08 Bhavesh Patel via OSList, <
>>> oslist at lists.openspacetech.org> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Thanks Michael, always appreciate the time you take to write longer
>>>> emails and share stories.
>>>>
>>>> The way you intro the Law is pretty much exactly how I do it as
>>>> well,
>>>> using almost the same language. That for me still involves using my
>>>> freedom
>>>> to take responsibility for my learning, contribution, productivity,
>>>> and
>>>> where that is going to happen or not going to happen, at the same
>>>> time
>>>> never fully knowing and always responding to all that is happening
>>>> within,
>>>> between, and among... self-organisation, or as Morin says
>>>> eco-self-organsation!
>>>>
>>>> I also have a very similar approach to space invaders, and have
>>>> rarely
>>>> encountered one. There was one time when a person twice the size of
>>>> me, a
>>>> former head of a big brand, took the mic for me and told everyone
>>>> to stop
>>>> putting up topics on the second morning, because he had done a full
>>>> analysis of day 01 and could now tell us what we needed to do. I
>>>> told him
>>>> that was great and kindly asked him to write it up and stick it up,
>>>> but he
>>>> held on to the mic and repeated that this was not necessary and now
>>>> we all
>>>> needed to listen to him and... there was a stand-off with both of
>>>> us
>>>> holding the mic, until one of his peers asked him to let the
>>>> facilitator do
>>>> his job, he backed off, and guess what, not many came to his
>>>> session, and...
>>>>
>>>> I have also used the walk out approach when nothing was happening,
>>>> on
>>>> reflection I think I needed to leave the room for that group to
>>>> truly
>>>> believe the power is in their hands to post topics!
>>>>
>>>> I guess what I was trying to think about was what to do when
>>>> someone is
>>>> clearly speaking in a way that is offensive to others... people can
>>>> use
>>>> their two feet, the facilitator can also walk out of the room, what
>>>> else is
>>>> there... I don't think OST = anything and everything is ok... so I
>>>> was
>>>> reflecting on that... not sure if I am making sense to anyone???
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Sun, 20 Feb 2022 at 12:41, Michael M Pannwitz via OSList <
>>>> 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
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Am 20.02.2022 um 08:18 schrieb Bhavesh Patel via OSList:
>>>>>> It's an interesting one because:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> * The Law of Two Feet - is about us choosing to take
>>>>>> responsibility
>>>>>> for where we want to be.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> * Space Invaders - is the idea that NOT everything is allowed,
>>>>>> and
>>>>> if
>>>>>> it feels like someone is controlling the space for another,
>>>>>> then
>>>>> the
>>>>>> facilitator does something about it.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> So it's an interesting grey area between when it is more about
>>>>>> the
>>>>> Law
>>>>>> and when it is more about Space Invaders and stepping in... and
>>>>>> who
>>>>> is
>>>>>> the facilitator when it comes to this loop anyway?
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On Sun, 20 Feb 2022 at 03:58, Harold Shinsato via OSList
>>>>>> <oslist at lists.openspacetech.org <mailto:
>>>>> oslist at lists.openspacetech.org>>
>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> The OSList is intended to truly be "whoever comes is the
>>>>>> right
>>>>> people".
>>>>>>
>>>>>> The "Law of Two Feet" is hopefully something we take
>>>>>> seriously
>>>>> here.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I wish there was a feature in the OSList where you could
>>>>>> "walk
>>>>> away"
>>>>>> from a conversation without having to leave the OSList. Well,
>>>>>> you
>>>>> could
>>>>>> just ignore the conversations where you are neither learning
>>>>>> nor
>>>>>> contributing.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Another option most email systems have ways are message
>>>>>> filters
>>>>> that
>>>>>> could automatically delete what you don't want. That is an
>>>>> option. With
>>>>>> a little effort that would be a way to employ "The Law of Two
>>>>> Feet" or
>>>>>> the "Law of Mobility".
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Best wishes to all!
>>>>>> Harold
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>> OSList mailing list
>>>>>> To post send emails to OSList at lists.openspacetech.org
>>>>>> <mailto:OSList at lists.openspacetech.org>
>>>>>> To unsubscribe send an email to
>>>>> OSList-leave at lists.openspacetech.org
>>>>>> <mailto:OSList-leave at lists.openspacetech.org>
>>>>>> To subscribe or manage your subscription click below:
>>>>>>
>>>>> http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org
>>>>>> <
>>>>> http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org>
>>>>>> Past archives can be viewed here:
>>>>>> http://www.mail-archive.com/oslist@lists.openspacetech.org
>>>>>> <http://www.mail-archive.com/oslist@lists.openspacetech.org>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>> OSList mailing list
>>>>>> To post send emails to OSList at lists.openspacetech.org
>>>>>> To unsubscribe send an email to
>>>>>> OSList-leave at lists.openspacetech.org
>>>>>> To subscribe or manage your subscription click below:
>>>>>> http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org
>>>>>> Past archives can be viewed here:
>>>>> http://www.mail-archive.com/oslist@lists.openspacetech.org
>>>>> --
>>>>> Michael M Pannwitz
>>>>> Draisweg 1, 12209 Berlin
>>>>> +49 30 7728000 mmpannwitz at gmail.com
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> OSList mailing list
>>>>> To post send emails to OSList at lists.openspacetech.org
>>>>> To unsubscribe send an email to
>>>>> OSList-leave at lists.openspacetech.org
>>>>> To subscribe or manage your subscription click below:
>>>>> http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org
>>>>> Past archives can be viewed here:
>>>>> http://www.mail-archive.com/oslist@lists.openspacetech.org
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> OSList mailing list
>>>> To post send emails to OSList at lists.openspacetech.org
>>>> To unsubscribe send an email to
>>>> OSList-leave at lists.openspacetech.org
>>>> To subscribe or manage your subscription click below:
>>>> http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org
>>>> Past archives can be viewed here:
>>>> http://www.mail-archive.com/oslist@lists.openspacetech.org
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> OSList mailing list
>>> To post send emails to OSList at lists.openspacetech.org
>>> To unsubscribe send an email to OSList-leave at lists.openspacetech.org
>>> To subscribe or manage your subscription click below:
>>> http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org
>>> Past archives can be viewed here:
>>> http://www.mail-archive.com/oslist@lists.openspacetech.org
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> OSList mailing list
>> To post send emails to OSList at lists.openspacetech.org
>> To unsubscribe send an email to OSList-leave at lists.openspacetech.org
>> To subscribe or manage your subscription click below:
>> http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org
>> Past archives can be viewed here:
>> http://www.mail-archive.com/oslist@lists.openspacetech.org
> _______________________________________________
> OSList mailing list
> To post send emails to OSList at lists.openspacetech.org
> To unsubscribe send an email to OSList-leave at lists.openspacetech.org
> To subscribe or manage your subscription click below:
> http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org
> Past archives can be viewed here:
> http://www.mail-archive.com/oslist@lists.openspacetech.org
Open Space Leadership
Agile Product Ownership
Agile Abundance
Certified Strategic Play™ Facilitator using the
LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® Method and Materials
Steve Holyer and Associates
coach at steveholyer.com
+41-79-606-7105
Zurich, Switzerland
https://steveholyer.com
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.openspacetech.org/pipermail/oslist-openspacetech.org/attachments/20220221/a4637ae8/attachment.html>
More information about the OSList
mailing list