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<blockquote type="cite" cite><font color="#000080">Well done, Peggy!
Definitely deserving of a profound "Atta-Girl!!" Every time I find
myself in a conversation such as this a simple (minded?) question
comes to the fore. If everybody knew precisely where they were going,
why would they bother to come in the first place?</font></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><font
color="#000080"> </font></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><font color="#000080">Somewhere along the
line you say something to the effect that orderly precision is to be
applauded in the manufacture of autos, planes, etcŠ True, I guess -
but in those situations we know, or at least think we know, what we
are doing. So it makes sense just to get it done. However, at a deeper
level, the manufacturing process of those critters is just as chaotic
as all the rest of life (LOTS OF MYSTERY) at least for those who are
actively engaged in the process. And if you don't believe that just
listen to the engineers and technicians as they do their job. Lots of
chaos, confusion and conflict, although people try real hard to keep
the knowledge of those realities from the
customer.</font></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><font
color="#000080"> </font></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><font color="#000080">It is also true
that innovation and improvement come precisely at the points of chaos
(at the edge of mystery). And when a system gets (or thinks it has
gotten) all the answers, innovation is dead - and it won't be too
long before the system itself is moribund. Your friend seemingly feels
that we actually have a choice - to engage/not to engage the
question. To avoid or not to avoid the fundamental churning of life
(chaos). Seen in this light, what happens in Open Space (what happened
in your Open Space) is not some un-natural aberration. It is just what
is. (Whatever happens is the only thing that could have.) When things
get really wild, I can certainly understand the desire to hide under a
rock and get out of the way. And every so often you just have to do
that, but I fail to see that this withdrawal changes the essential
nature of this wonderful chaordic stuff we call life and living.
We didn't create it, and we can't really change it - but
we can certainly learn how to live it better.</font></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><font
color="#000080"> </font></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><font
color="#000080">Harrison</font></blockquote>
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<div>Peggy...thank you for sharing this learning and clear thinking
for us. The work of "fieldworking" cannot be a linear
process. I have often thought of it as a similar process to what
happens when an atmosphere loads up with humidity which eventually
precipitates into rain. It takes time for conditions to arise, and
when things precipitate, it is always the right time. To be sure,
there is still some moisture that remains in the atmosphere, but the
gift of this is that it seeds the next cycle.<br>
<br>
My hope for your correspondent - if indeed he is truly invested in the
invitation you and Tom and others issued - is for him to remain
suspended in the field of inquiry and not knowing and by doing so to
keep dropping questions and learning into the field so that something
powerful may yet precipitate for him and others who respond to his
invitation. It's about passion bounded by responsibility. There is
clearly passion here, and I hope that he can see the benefit of taking
the responsibility to stay in the crunchy zone of confusion and
not-knowing, as an act of leadership and invitation to the world he
wants to see birthed. We men don't do too well with labour pains. (
:-) )<br>
<br>
Congrats on a great conference.<br>
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<div>Chris</div>
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<div><font color="#000080">Kaliya wrote: "</font>At the same time
when I ran a 'datasharing summit' for techies and opened the morning
circle with please share your name and one word about how you are
feeling this morning. One of the guys who works for a large
internet company on the east coast shared with me at the end of the
day that that was slightly unconfortable for him (he was not saying we
should not have done it just that it had nudged on his edge a bit). I
think you underestimate where people's edges are for this kind of
stuff."</div>
<div><font color="#000080"> </font></div>
<div><font color="#000080">For whatever it is worth, I share the
gentleman's sentiments. Perhaps it is our common East Coast
Heritage, or possibly something deeper and darker? J But truth to tell
every time I find myself in one of those "community building, people
comforting, getting to know you sorts of things at the start of a
gathering I find myself looking wistfully at the coffee pot and
wishing that I had extended my stay out in the hall way.</font></div>
<div><font color="#000080"> </font></div>
<div><font color="#000080">As you might gather, I never "do"
something like that at the commencement of an Open Space. In addition
to whatever personal preferences I might have, there are quite
practical reasons. The first is that my attention span is so
ridiculously short that by the time the 3rd person has uttered the
magic formula (name and feeling) I have already forgotten the 1st two
people. And truth to tell I don't really care how everybody is
feeling at that moment (they know and that is sufficient), I just want
to get to work. Well, I guess that is personal too, and doubtless part
of that up-tight, buttoned down, East Coast Syndrome. But there really
is a practical reason here (I hope!)</font></div>
<div><font color="#000080"> </font></div>
<div><font color="#000080">The real thrust and focus of an Open Space
is (so far as I am concerned) Doing the Business - whatever that
might be. And the quicker you get to that "business" the better.
So when it comes to the "opening" keep it short, and simple. This
is not about doing a process, having "face time" - or anything
else. It is all about opening some space so folks can go to work. And
when that has happened, get out of the way.</font></div>
<div><font color="#000080"> </font></div>
<div><font color="#000080">It really isn't about YOU! It is all
about the people and their "business." And anything that
stands in the way of doing business is questionable. I
think.</font></div>
<div><font color="#000080"> </font></div>
<div><font color="#000080">And now about the "Circle."
("</font>Yes AND it doesn't mean that circles are the
answer to 'everything'.")<font color="#000080"> Well, maybe not
everything! But for a lot of things! The simple fact of people
sitting (coming together) in a circle randomizes everything. People
sit where they have the space - and not according to some
predetermined view of how thing ought to be. Strangers meet strangers,
out of which grows strange new conversations - which never would
have happened with the old crowd sitting in a bunch. No assigned
seating -- something new. And in the newness comes innovation. Not
pre-designed, programmed - all emergent. Works just about every
time.</font></div>
<div><font color="#000080"> </font></div>
<div><font color="#000080"> </font></div>
<div><font color="#000080">Harrison</font><br>
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<x-sigsep><pre>--
</pre></x-sigsep>
<div>Gail West, ICA<br>
3F, No. 12, Lane 5, Tien Mou West Road<br>
Taipei, Taiwan 111<br>
8862) 2871-3150<br>
icataiw@ms69.hinet.net<br>
skype: gwestica</div>
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