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<DIV>During a recent gathering, I found myself looking at the dynamics of
emergence from an entirely new angle: the roles that are present.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Harrison provided us a great gift when he named the four principles and law
of being in Open Space. I wonder if it might be useful to know
something about the roles that seem to be present when emergence happens. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Below is my sense of those roles. Some are no doubt more critical
than others; the list hasn't yet benefitted from the "one less thing
to do" treatment. I have missed some that are critical? Which
are truly vital and which are just interesting?</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I'd love to know your thoughts.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>appreciatively,</DIV>
<DIV>Peggy</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>***********************</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">A Relational View of the Dynamics
in Emergent Systems</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">When emergence in social systems
occurs, it results from a variety of roles.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Should any of them be missing, the
chance of coherence converging into novelty – of finding the simplicity on the
other side of complexity – is unlikely.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">The roles may be played by one or
a variety of people.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Sometimes they
are even aspects of the environment.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>The ones we already know:</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Attractor</B> – Someone(s) who ask a
calling question, inviting the system to come present.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>We typically call this person the
sponsor.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Guide</B> – Someone(s) provide hospitable
space for the work.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Sometimes this
includes a process that channels energy, other times, it is simply ensuring the
gentle structures for a nutrient environment are present.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>In group process work, this is the
person identified as the facilitator.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">The People of the System</B> – these are
the people who bring the varied voices of the system.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The broader the definition of the
system, the more variety in the room.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Disturber</B> – This is something from
outside the system (a person on act of nature) that interrupts existing
assumptions or patterns.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>It can
also be someone/something from inside the system that is differentiating itself
in a way that interrupts the given assumptions and patterns.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Bridge/translator</B> – someone who can
provide a sufficient hook for others in the system to connect with the
disturbance/disturber.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Without this
role, rather than creative use of the disturbance, it will likely be resisted or
rejected by the system’s immune system.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>These folks are active in the conversation, helping the rest of the group
connect with what the disturber is attempting to express.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Edge worker </B>– a easy to overlook and
critical role!<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Edge workers are
generally butterflies who hang at the margins.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>When someone uses their two feet to move
because they’re disturbed, an edge worker listens, sees, and honors that
participant.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Edge workers are
gifted at staying present to what is happening for the other person, artfully
reflecting back what they experience and in so doing, support that participant
to discover the nugget hidden in their dissonance.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Organizer</B> – once new insights start to
emerge, someone(s) grasps the threads and starts to weave them into a new story,
one from which action flows.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><o:p> </o:p></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">“Artists” bringing multiple modes of
interaction</B> – bringing different forms of expression – words, music, art,
movement – matters.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>It helps move
beyond stuck places, engaging people on different channels, which seems to
amplify the effectiveness of the interactions.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>________________________________<BR>Peggy Holman<BR>The Open Circle
Company<BR>15347 SE 49th Place<BR>Bellevue, WA 98006<BR>(425) 746-6274
</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><A
href="http://www.opencirclecompany.com">www.opencirclecompany.com</A></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><BR>For the new edition of The Change Handbook, go to: <BR><A
href="http://www.bkconnection.com/ChangeHandbook">www.bkconnection.com/ChangeHandbook</A>
</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>"An angel told me that the only way to step into the fire and not get
burnt, is to become <BR>the fire".<BR> -- Drew
Dellinger</DIV></BODY></HTML>
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