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<P><FONT face=Arial size=2>The question of the law of the 2 feet is often a key
one for the planning group to capture the power of the OS approach<SPAN
class=156323220-16022007> and to loose its fear of using
it</SPAN>. </FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=156323220-16022007>T</SPAN><SPAN class=156323220-16022007>hey </SPAN>fear
the method won't work because of the possiblity of dominance in self-managed
groups (read <SPAN class=156323220-16022007>"</SPAN><SPAN
class=156323220-16022007>self-managed groups" as "</SPAN>no one to take care of
things<SPAN class=156323220-16022007>"</SPAN>) or <SPAN
class=156323220-16022007>they </SPAN>fear it is <SPAN
class=156323220-16022007>s</SPAN><SPAN class=156323220-16022007>o
</SPAN>powerful<SPAN class=156323220-16022007> that people will hesitate to use
it</SPAN>. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial size=2>Whe<SPAN class=156323220-16022007>ther </SPAN>the
planning group expresses concern about their organization's culture i.e.,
intimidation, dominance, authority, hierarchy<SPAN class=156323220-16022007> or
not</SPAN>, <SPAN class=156323220-16022007>h</SPAN>ere are a few things I
share <SPAN class=156323220-16022007>around the law of the two feet as
</SPAN>they are <SPAN class=156323220-16022007>considering and
</SPAN>explor<SPAN class=156323220-16022007>ing</SPAN><SPAN
class=156323220-16022007> OST, </SPAN>this "<SPAN class=156323220-16022007>so
</SPAN>different " way of meeting.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2><FONT face=Arial><STRONG><SPAN
class=156323220-16022007>T</SPAN>he word "law" </STRONG>helps to
communicate the importance of that powerful tool available to <SPAN
class=156323220-16022007>absolutely </SPAN>every participant.<SPAN
class=156323220-16022007> T<SPAN class=156323220-16022007>here being only one
law gives it even more weight.</SPAN></SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=2><SPAN class=156323220-16022007><STRONG>Making
it safe </STRONG>for everyone is one of t</SPAN></FONT><FONT size=2><SPAN
class=156323220-16022007>he intents or at least the effects of the OS law.
Laws for safety is a commonly understood concept in civil
society.</SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2><FONT face=Arial><STRONG><SPAN
class=156323220-16022007>S</SPAN>ubconsciously <SPAN
class=156323220-16022007>we </SPAN>try harder to be at <SPAN
class=156323220-16022007>our
</SPAN>best</STRONG><SPAN><STRONG> </STRONG><SPAN
class=156323220-16022007>as OS participants</SPAN>.<STRONG> </STRONG>The law of
the 2 feet <SPAN class=156323220-16022007>joined with </SPAN>the principles
predispose<SPAN class=156323220-16022007>s</SPAN> people
differently. </SPAN> <SPAN class=156323220-16022007>We</SPAN> all
know<SPAN class=156323220-16022007>, including those who may usually <SPAN
class=156323220-16022007>show</SPAN> dominant behaviours,</SPAN> that the
audience is not captive. <SPAN class=156323220-16022007>T</SPAN>hose who
like attention do not want to loose it, as Michael Heman said so well, and he
added: "In open space, nothing is imposed so nobody needs to resist, question
or<SPAN class=156323220-16022007> </SPAN>otherwise be difficult. When the system
stops pushing people, people stop pushing back." So true.<SPAN
class=156323220-16022007> It's part of the safe environment created by
OS.</SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2><FONT face=Arial><SPAN class=156323220-16022007>T</SPAN>he<SPAN
class=156323220-16022007> </SPAN><STRONG>triangle dynamic</STRONG> where people
would speak to each other, not directly but via a third person<SPAN
class=156323220-16022007> tends to happen less often</SPAN>. There is no
professional, officially recognized person for such a role in OS. People tend to
play fewer of those <SPAN class=156323220-16022007>psychological
</SPAN>games knowing that others don't have to put up with it, nor their
potential victim. </FONT></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=2><SPAN
class=156323220-16022007>A</SPAN> <STRONG>shared
responsibility</STRONG><SPAN class=156323220-16022007><STRONG>:"Standing on your
2 feet </STRONG>and saying something to help the group <STRONG>or taking your 2
feet to go </STRONG>somewhere else to be more productive" (as explained in the
facilitator's OS opening). </SPAN> <SPAN class=156323220-16022007>Both
actions reflect a shared responsibility </SPAN>of the group's outcome<SPAN
class=156323220-16022007>. They </SPAN><SPAN class=156323220-16022007>replace
t</SPAN>he dependant behaviours towards an authority figure in the
group. <SPAN class=156323220-16022007>A</SPAN> message can de facto be sent
to the <SPAN class=156323220-16022007>discussion </SPAN>group if there is
cause <SPAN class=156323220-16022007>for them </SPAN>to find that the 2
feet which just left were sending such a message.</FONT></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial size=2>The<SPAN
class=156323220-16022007> <STRONG>bumble bee
helper</STRONG>: </SPAN> <SPAN class=156323220-16022007>F</SPAN>or
those who may be still hesitant to demonstrate openly such a move with
the<SPAN class=156323220-16022007>ir</SPAN> 2 feet<SPAN
class=156323220-16022007>,</SPAN> the bumblebee <SPAN
class=156323220-16022007>can </SPAN>become a safe way to <SPAN
class=156323220-16022007>try out their </SPAN>2 feet in a less explicit manner,
a gradual transition<SPAN class=156323220-16022007> one might call
it</SPAN>. <SPAN class=156323220-16022007>O</SPAN>ften I hear participants
say with a smile or in a humorous tone to the group they are leaving: "Well, I'm
a bumble bee this time. See you later." No one really checks whether they had
signed up their names on different topic sheets at that <SPAN
class=156323220-16022007>given discussion round</SPAN>. In any event, that
doesn't matter because everyone knows that you can sign up mentally to different
topics or not sign up and just show up. The humour associated with the bumble
bee helps some people make that hard first step to leave. You can see and hear
them later, often exhilarated by the feeling of liberation. Gradually, as they
become more confident, they don't say anything about why they're leaving a group
and they understand clearly they are using their 2 feet, with a greater feeling
of empowerment.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=2><STRONG><SPAN
class=156323220-16022007>P</SPAN>osters<SPAN class=156323220-16022007>
of</SPAN>: <SPAN class=156323220-16022007>"</SPAN>Everyone takes space and
makes space for others</STRONG><SPAN><STRONG>" </STRONG>h<SPAN
class=156323220-16022007>ave been </SPAN><SPAN class=156323220-16022007>put up
</SPAN>in <SPAN class=156323220-16022007>meeting </SPAN>rooms <SPAN
class=156323220-16022007>by groups who felt this </SPAN>reinforce<SPAN
class=156323220-16022007>ment would be helpful for both intimidated or
intimidating participants</SPAN></SPAN>. That quote <SPAN
class=156323220-16022007>can </SPAN>appear as a reminder at the bottom of the
form that <SPAN class=156323220-16022007>I give </SPAN>every<SPAN
class=156323220-16022007> OS participant at the event, a one-pager </SPAN>that
summarises the convener's responsibilities and includes <SPAN
class=156323220-16022007>a </SPAN>blank space so it can be circulated in
discussion groups to create the participants' list.</FONT></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2><FONT face=Arial><SPAN
class=156323220-16022007><STRONG>Permission from the leaders</STRONG>: </SPAN>I
tell the planning group that in the opening of the event, as facilitator I will
specify that the leaders of the organization have chosen for th<SPAN
class=156323220-16022007>e</SPAN> <SPAN
class=156323220-16022007>event</SPAN>, this <SPAN
class=156323220-16022007>different </SPAN>way of being that is Open Space<SPAN
class=156323220-16022007>. Where reinforcement is needed, I add </SPAN>that
leaders are giving participants the permission to exercise that freedom of the 2
feet...and that it is not only a freedom but a responsibility to <SPAN
class=156323220-16022007>the organization to </SPAN>do so. They are encouraged
to <SPAN class=156323220-16022007>take responsibility of </SPAN>us<SPAN
class=156323220-16022007>ing</SPAN> their 2 feet because they and the group
will be more productive, which <SPAN class=156323220-16022007>in turn
</SPAN>will benefit the <SPAN class=156323220-16022007>outcome of the event
and the </SPAN>organization<SPAN class=156323220-16022007> itself</SPAN>.
I <SPAN class=156323220-16022007>always </SPAN>make sure the
sponsors-leaders understand this clearly before they confirm the use of OS for
the event.</FONT></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2><FONT face=Arial><STRONG><SPAN
class=156323220-16022007>S</SPAN>tories </STRONG>of talking heads thanking the
group during Evening News for a most helpful learning about leaving space for
others<SPAN class=156323220-16022007> are helpful in understanding that this
really happens</SPAN>. </FONT></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2><FONT face=Arial><SPAN class=156323220-16022007><STRONG>An
overnight OS </STRONG>makes people more comfortable in </SPAN>us<SPAN
class=156323220-16022007>ing</SPAN> the<SPAN class=156323220-16022007>ir</SPAN>
2 feet<SPAN class=156323220-16022007>. W</SPAN>hen the OS discussions go on for
a second day or even for half of the second day<SPAN
class=156323220-16022007>,</SPAN> <SPAN
class=156323220-16022007>i</SPAN>ncubation of the idea and of the experience
seem to help <SPAN class=156323220-16022007>the </SPAN>exercis<SPAN
class=156323220-16022007>e of</SPAN> that great democratic power that all
participants have, as translated by the law of the 2 feet. </FONT></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=156323220-16022007>In my experience, with
even a few of these explanations, groups usually feel, not only safe to
risk using OST, but also excited about trying it.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial size=2>Diane</FONT></P></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial color=#000080 size=2></FONT></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial color=#000080 size=2>Diane Gibeault &
Associé.es-Associates</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#000080 size=2>Ottawa, Canada Tel. (613)
744-2638</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#000080 size=2><A
href="http://www.dianegibeault.com/">www.dianegibeault.com</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV></BODY></HTML>
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