It could be that as our practice of Open Space improves, and the process fades more into the background we see less shock in general. When I was a newer facilitator enamoured with the process, I talked a lot more about it than I do now. I think in retrospect it is possible that people were suffering from "process shock" or "the facilitator who is too in love with his tools shock" Nowadays I just talk about the work before us - that is the important thing - and that seems to speak why people have gathered.
<br><br>I still encounter people who are uncomfortable with what they perceive as a lack of structure in Open Space, but that is usually a control issue, and in most cases it's simply a matter of not having experienced the power of self-organization in action. There is the odd incident where there is outright hostility to the degrees of freedom, and tyhat is probably freedom shock at work, but in my experience it manifests more as "freedom anixiety." Thinking abou it this way is generative for me...where someone is anxious, there is the possibility to join them in being curious about what might happen, which is the spot I always live in.
<br><br>Chris<br><br><div><span class="gmail_quote">On 11/14/06, <b class="gmail_sendername">Jack Ricchiuto</b> <<a href="mailto:jack@designinglife.com">jack@designinglife.com</a>> wrote:</span><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
Harrison, thanks for the generous thoughts and travel blog from Asia. And yes, It's always interesting to not be surprised at people's surprise with open space in new contexts. In every open space I do, there are folks who live the ironic double-bind of "wanting something new as long as it can be anticipated, predicted, and (possibly) controlled." When I suggest that new means precisely the opposite they sometimes turn their head the way small dogs do when they hear a disturbing or unfamilar sound. All we can do is invite and let the power do what it does and has done for the past, let's say, only biliions of years.
<br><br><div><span class="q"><span class="gmail_quote">On 11/14/06, <b class="gmail_sendername">Harrison Owen</b> <<a href="mailto:hhowen@verizon.net" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">
hhowen@verizon.net</a>> wrote:</span></span><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;"><span class="q">
Frankly I have seen fewer and fewer examples of Freedom Shock in Open Space<br>over the years. I am not sure why this is true. Perhaps it has something to<br>do with my failing eyesight or possibly my own increasing comfort and ease
<br>in Open Space which somehow communicates to the participants. As you note,<br>it is surprising just how easily people whose culture and tradition is quite<br>rigid and constrictive take very naturally to Open Space -- almost as if it
<br>were something that they have been doing all their lives. Which I suspect is<br>true. Having said all of that, the rare case of Freedom Shock does show up.<br>And when it does, I think we have an opportunity to learn from it and also
<br>to be of service to those so afflicted. I don't think this has anything to<br>do with defending Open Space -- but rather helping people deal effectively<br>with the open space of their lives. Or something.<br><br>Harrison
<br><br>Harrison Owen<br>7808 River Falls Drive<br>Potomac, Maryland 20854<br>Phone 301-365-2093<br>Skype hhowen<br>Open Space Training <a href="http://www.openspaceworld.com" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">
www.openspaceworld.com</a><br>Open Space Institute
<a href="http://www.openspaceworld.org" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">www.openspaceworld.org</a><br>Personal website <a href="http://www.ho-image.com" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">
www.ho-image.com</a><br>OSLIST: To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the<br></span>archivesVisit:
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<br><br><br>-----Original Message-----<br>From: OSLIST [mailto:<a href="mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">
OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU</a>] On Behalf Of Catherine<br>Pfaehler<br>Sent: Tuesday, November 14, 2006 5:08 AM<br>To: <a href="mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">
OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU</a><br>Subject: AW: Freedom Shock
<br><br>Now, Harrison - why do you write this? Would you say freedom shock is<br>happening within OS on a regular basis? Or would you that say through the<br>specific framework for OS which we offer as facilitators, it is softened and
<br>happens only rarely? (the second is rather my experience) Or do you point at<br>it in another context I have missed?<br><br>I occasionally witness people not so comfortable within OS - often, they are<br>probably people who need a lot of structure to feel safe. They usually ask a
<br>question and somebody answers it, or they complain to me after it's over<br>that an important issue wasn't posted and they don't understand why (even<br>though I had said in the introduction to the marketplace that if they notice
<br>something missing on the agenda, it's probably them who needs to post it -<br>but this might just not have gotten through to them).<br><br>This is why I have come to like repetitions of OS within the same<br>communities - there seems to be a learning curve, people do get more
<br>comfortable and more efficient over time, which leads to greater<br>satisfaction, more miracles, more humility and gratitude towards the wonders<br>of life.<br><br>Let's learn about your intentions... Love, Catherine
<br>
<br>Catherine Pfaehler Senn<br>Open Space Begleitung & Coaching<br>Kellersriedweg 8<br>CH - 2503 Biel<br>+41-(0)32 - 365 68 41<br><a href="mailto:c.pfaehler@bluewin.ch" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">
c.pfaehler@bluewin.ch</a><br><br><br>-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
<br>Von: Harrison Owen [mailto:<a href="mailto:hhowen@verizon.net" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">hhowen@verizon.net</a>]<br>Gesendet: Montag, 13. November 2006 19:52<br>Betreff: Freedom Shock
<br><br>I think I might be blamed for the phrase Freedom Shock. At least I used it
<br>in an early book to describe the reaction of a very bright, experienced<br>group of professionals who had suddenly been granted everything they wanted<br>with no strings attached, and it seemed to terrify them. The situation
<br>involved a program I ran in the late 70's for senior level health care<br>executives who were about ready to take the leap to top positions, such as<br>the head of Blue Cross or Surgeon General. Such people had all the academic
<br>degrees anybody might wish for and typically had a large amount of<br>on-the-ground experience. Yet it was quite clear that there was an enormous<br>difference between being part of the team (even head of a large institution)
<br>and the very public and demanding role they were about to assume. And there<br>was precious little margin for error when the need for decision arose in<br>their new situation - and even less time for learning.<br><br>
Under the auspices of the Veterans Administration (which among other things<br>supplies health care for US veterans in some 350 hospitals) I devised a<br>program for a small select group (10) in which they were essentially given a
<br>2 year sabbatical with full pay and "wandering around money" in which to<br>become familiar with the larger aspects of the American Health Care System.<br>The only requirement was that they do "something useful."
<br><br>To give the program a little shape, we recruited a Board of Governors which<br>included virtually all of the then senior health care executives - such<br>people as the Surgeon General, Assistant Secretary for Health, the Chair
<br>persons of the House and Senate Health committees, etc). This was a real<br>"working board" and twice a year we gathered to identify and define "the<br>major issues and opportunities facing the American health care system."
<br>(sound familiar?) We didn't use Open Space as I hadn't had the special<br>martinis as yet -- but we definitely had the flavor. The "Issues and<br>Opportunities List" effectively became the "curriculum" for the program, and
<br>the participants (Scholars as we called them) had only to "do something<br>useful" with any issue, subset or combination of issues. The Scholars would<br>make a proposal, and with Board Approval, they were off to the races. No
<br>strings attached - just do something useful.<br><br>Some three months into the program, the first group of Scholars called for a<br>special meeting with me. The substantive complaint was that I was not doing<br>my job, and more specifically, there was no structure for the program.
<br>Seemed like they were being asked to take responsibility for themselves, and<br>they didn't like it. :-)<br><br>I had heard something of the complaint, and in preparation for the meeting I<br>prepared my resignation. After things got started, I laid the resignation on
<br>the table, and invited anybody to pick it up. It just lay there, and we went<br>on to other subjects. And I sat there scratching my head, wondering at the<br>strange phenomenon I called Freedom Shock. Here were an outstanding group of
<br>individuals, with massive amounts of credentials and experience who<br>seemingly became terrified with absence of limits - or the presence of real<br>freedom for which they and they alone were responsible.<br><br>Subsequently I have noticed the same reaction in multiple places. It always
<br>surprises me, but it probably shouldn't. The appropriate response I have<br>found is to note the presence, talk about it, and move on. Folks inevitably<br>do (or not).<br><br>Harrison<br><br>Harrison Owen<br>7808 River Falls Drive
<br>Potomac, Maryland 20854<br>Phone 301-365-2093<br>Skype hhowen<br>Open Space Training <a href="http://www.openspaceworld.com" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">www.openspaceworld.com
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</div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>Jack Ricchiuto<br>Leadership coach, facilitator, author<br><br>Just Released! "Mountain Paths: A Guide on the Journey toward Discovering our Potential" - available at <a href="http://www.DesigningLife.com" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">
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</blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>CHRIS CORRIGAN<br>Consultation - Facilitation<br>Open Space Technology<br><br><br>Weblog: <a href="http://www.chriscorrigan.com/parkinglot">http://www.chriscorrigan.com/parkinglot
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