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<DIV><FONT size=2>Hi Chris.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>I'm with you on this one
--<BR>
Sometimes OST<SPAN class=101523819-20032006> ("Transformation" -- transformative
inquiry)</SPAN><BR>
Sometimes Not OST<SPAN class=101523819-20032006> ("Translation" -- translative
positioning)</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>In my work with large-system change and cultural
transformation --<BR>research, training, and experience <SPAN
class=101523819-20032006>has </SPAN>led me to the following gentle
pattern:<BR> * From the total set of Stakeholders in the system
--<BR> Identify the
“Opinion Leaders and Social Connectors” <BR> * Discern
from <SPAN class=101523819-20032006>among </SPAN>them who the most willing
and compelling "Inviters" were<BR> * Establish a Cross-Functional
(X-F) Team to develop the "Invitation" and
<BR> to serve as the collective sponsor of
"Event"<BR> * Use minimal OS ("Law of Two Feet") to conduct XF-Team
meetings <BR> * Determine preferred "Event" format<SPAN
class=101523819-20032006>(s)</SPAN>
-----<BR> + I tend to default to
OST if I <SPAN class=101523819-20032006>can </SPAN>get a 1:8 ratio of
OS-trained
<BR> community
members to explicitly hold time/space during the
event.<BR> My
experiments indicated that POP Seattle worked because it
was<BR>
convened within the Spirited Work Community -- an OS-trained
collective<BR> + If 1:8
ratio of OS-trained community members <SPAN class=101523819-20032006>are
</SPAN>not available,<SPAN class=101523819-20032006> then I
use</SPAN><BR>
other meeting formats as seem appropriate -- <SPAN
class=101523819-20032006>but always </SPAN>modified
with:<BR>
-- The practice of Collective "Attunement" from
"Silence"<BR>
-- A collective
"Opening"<BR>
-- A core practice of minimal OS ("Law of Two Feet")
<BR>
-- A collective "Closing"<BR> * Invite "<SPAN
class=101523819-20032006>ONLY</SPAN>" Opinion Leaders and Social Connectors to
initial gathering(s)<BR> * At
"Event":<BR> -- Take time to have
XF-Team representative(s) clearly frame intentions
<BR>
(<SPAN class=101523819-20032006>specifically </SPAN>focused on highest
collective aspirations)<BR> --
Describe core practice of minimal OS ("Law of Two
Feet") <BR> -- Invite “Opinion
Leaders and Social Connectors” into Follow-on planning <BR> *
Analyze & Publish Results: X-F Team would generate a “Findings” Report
<BR> (proceedings and/or article) including
recommendations<BR> * Plan & Initiate Follow-on Events:
X-F Team would possibly reconfigure from<BR>
broader participant base and identify next steps and processes</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>In the somewhat contentious <SPAN
class=101523819-20032006>domains </SPAN>of <SPAN
class=101523819-20032006>military, homeland security, and
</SPAN>healthcare <SPAN class=101523819-20032006>--</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>this gentle pattern <SPAN class=101523819-20032006>has
</SPAN>continue<SPAN class=101523819-20032006>d</SPAN> to work for me as a<SPAN
class=101523819-20032006>n effective </SPAN>practice of peace <SPAN
class=101523819-20032006>in</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=101523819-20032006></SPAN><FONT size=2>the transformation
of<SPAN class=101523819-20032006> </SPAN>despair into hope<SPAN
class=101523819-20032006> and positive generative action. It is all
about</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2><SPAN class=101523819-20032006>the transformation of
consciousness.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>For myself<SPAN class=101523819-20032006>, </SPAN> I use
a<SPAN class=101523819-20032006> (</SPAN>probably unpopular) metaphor of a
nuclear reactor.<BR> A "Convening" <SPAN
class=101523819-20032006>(Fusion and/or Fission) </SPAN>occurs within a
containment vessel.<BR> Highly-charged or frissionable elements<SPAN
class=101523819-20032006> <</SPAN>"participants"<SPAN
class=101523819-20032006>></SPAN> <SPAN class=101523819-20032006>
:-) </SPAN> can be brought into <BR> <SPAN
class=101523819-20032006>the </SPAN>containment vessel for transformation<SPAN
class=101523819-20032006> and action.</SPAN><BR> By proximity and
pressure, high-energy interactions and fields emerge.<BR> "Control Rods"
-- OS-trained community members who explicitly hold time/space
--<BR> structure the distribution of energy and stabilize the
energy field by absorbing <BR> and slowly re-releasing energy
spikes ---- spikes which would otherwise consume <BR> the
participants, destroy the integrity ("safety") of the containment vessel,
and<BR> collapse the field<SPAN class=101523819-20032006> ---
a.k.a., a "runaway reaction" or "meltdown".</SPAN><BR> When the integrity
("safety") of the container has been compromised, and the field
<BR> has collapsed -- then I deem the "Convening" as having
failed to meet its objectives --<BR> the Practice
of Peace in Transforming Despair into Hope<SPAN class=101523819-20032006> and
Action</SPAN>.<SPAN class=101523819-20032006> (But I also
deem</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2><SPAN class=101523819-20032006>
it to be a "Great Learning")</SPAN><BR> <SPAN
class=101523819-20032006>IN my experience, a </SPAN>1:8 ratio of "control rods"
to "participants" seems optimal<SPAN
class=101523819-20032006>.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><BR><FONT size=2>Well that is my two hay-pennies<SPAN
class=101523819-20032006> worth</SPAN> . . .</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Please keep me briefed on your experiments and experiences
around this.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=1>
<DIV align=left><FONT face="Monotype Corsiva" color=#808080
size=5><STRONG><EM>Mark R. Jones</EM></STRONG></FONT></DIV><STRONG>
<DIV><FONT color=#800080 size=3><STRONG>Chief Executive
Officer</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Connecticut color=#800000 size=5>The Sunyata Group</FONT></DIV>
<DIV></STRONG><STRONG><FONT
size=2>----------------------------------------------------------------------</FONT></STRONG></DIV></FONT></DIV><FONT
size=1>
<DIV align=left><STRONG>
<DIV><FONT size=2>PO Box 58788</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Renton, Washington</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>USA 98058-1788</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Phone: 425-413-6000</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>e-Mail: </FONT><A
href="mailto:sunyata@att.net"><FONT
size=2>sunyata@att.net</FONT></A></DIV></STRONG><STRONG><FONT
size=2>----------------------------------------------------------------------</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV><FONT size=2>
<DIV>
<HR>
</DIV>
<DIV>
<HR>
</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV></FONT>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV></FONT><FONT face=Tahoma size=2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B>
OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] <B>On Behalf Of </B>Chris
Corrigan<BR><B>Sent:</B> Monday, March 20, 2006 8:17 AM<BR><B>To:</B>
OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU<BR><B>Subject:</B> Conflict in
community<BR><BR></DIV></FONT>
<BLOCKQUOTE style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">Hi Folks:<BR><BR>An inquiry for
you.<BR><BR>I've had a couple of conversations this week with people involved
with local school boards in the United States. The common themes in
these conversations include high degrees of local conflict, positional
politics, an extreme lack of resources over which no one locally has any
control and labour relations that are best described as toxic. <BR><BR>IN a
conversation today, one man said that he wanted to try Open Space simply as a
way to have all the parts of the system understand each other. I
suggested that this might not bring the peace he was looking for, as people
who would come to that kind of meeting hoping to convince others of their
righteousness would feel at the end of the day that they were either winners
or losers. I thought that result wouldn't necessarily be
transformational. When I asked him if instead we couldn't issue an
invitation to invite people essentially to answer the question "how can we BE
together differently in this system" he balked a little at the notion of a
smaller group of "like minded" individuals. Of course I don;t see this
as starkly black and white, but nevertheless, he thought an "airing of the
issues and a shared understanding" were most important. <BR><BR>So my question
goes to people who have worked in this situation, with groups that are highly
wedded to positions. What are the kinds of invitations that allow for
"airing," generated shared understanding, and perhaps lead to transformative
relationships? <BR><BR>By the way, I told him I would do this for less than
1.5 days.<BR><BR>Thoughts and reflections welcome.<BR><BR>Chris<BR
clear=all><BR>-- <BR>CHRIS CORRIGAN<BR>Consultation - Facilitation<BR>Open
Space Technology <BR><BR>Weblog: <A
href="http://www.chriscorrigan.com/parkinglot">http://www.chriscorrigan.com/parkinglot</A><BR>Site:
<A
href="http://www.chriscorrigan.com">http://www.chriscorrigan.com</A><BR>Open
Space Resources: <A href="http://tinyurl.com/r94tj">
http://tinyurl.com/r94tj</A> * *
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