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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>A great wee story! </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I find when trying to communicate to people
learning about OST facilitation that it's those kinds of stories that really get
the message across about how OS facilitation is different, rich and powerfull
and what letting go actually means. They can then not only imagine it more
clearly but also feel it in their gut and their heart which are the places where
it has to be anchored to be of real assistance.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Thanks Brendan and hi to Brian. You continue
to be your humble but great self.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV>Diane </DIV>
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style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=mckeague@iprimus.com.au href="mailto:mckeague@iprimus.com.au">Brendan
McKeague</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A
title=OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
href="mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU">OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU</A>
</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, December 05, 2007 10:22
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Heard the one about the Irishman
and the Catholic Priest....?</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>G'day folks - a wee story....<BR><BR>Last week I had the
privilege and deep pleasure of sharing a presentation with the very reverend
and esteemed Brian Bainbridge.<BR>In a moment of magical madness (or
inspiration) we had concocted the title of a workshop for the annual
Australasian Facilitators Network (AFN) / International Association of
Facilitiators (IAF) conference, held in Adelaide. The conference theme
was <FONT face=Verdana size=4>The Next Chapter: Showcasing the purpose of
Facilitation <BR></FONT><FONT face=Verdana>and the title of our workshop was:
'Letting Go - heretical or heroic?'<BR><BR>We were expecting a relaxing, easy
1.5 hour session with a few colleagues (there was 130 at the conference so we
anticipated about 20 at our workshop) and had prepared our session rather
loosely over a coffee the day before - or something like that. <BR>I suggested
that we perhaps tell some stories about our experiences of Open Space that
illustrated these tensions around 'letting go'....and in his own inimitable
style, Brian responded with - whatever happens....!<BR><BR>On the day, over
forty folks crowded into our circle and were poised waiting for the
'delivery'....Brian and I looked at each other and I could tell by the
mischevious glint in his eye that he was saying, 'another fine mess you've got
us into McKeague'... in his other eye, I could clearly see the affirmation:
'let's walk our talk now...time to let go...' <BR><BR>And so we did.
<BR><BR>We had the SIGNS on the wall behind us and I told the first story
about my very first 'paid' Open Space event when the sponsors began to pull
individuals out of the conversation groups and form a rather exclusive group
right in the middle of the space - what should I do? They were ruining
the process. How dare they do this to the process (to me!). Why aren't people
rebelling? How disrespectful....<BR>And so I did the only thing I
possibly could have done - I went outside for a walk!<BR>(it turned out that
the sponsors were responding to a 'directive' from their Government Minister
and needed to compile a reply quick-smart....everyone in that room 'knew' that
this was what was going on - except me - and it was accepted as a normal part
of the culture of that department - no worries!)<BR><BR>Well that raised a lot
of curiosity among the mob of professional facilitators - and the questions
flowed effortlessly from the discussion that followed...<BR><BR>Brian followed
with the story of an Open Space sponsored by a multinational mining company
and members of the local community - the angst and anxieties embedded in the
adversarial energies that gathered to work out the best way forward when the
local mine was ordered by Head Honchos overseas to expand or close down - and
the need for Brian to 'let go' when the emotions were escalating and the
conflict was running hot.....<BR><BR>Another round of conversations and
questions and before we knew it, the 90 mins were gone and we'd only told one
story each - we had prepared for about three each....<BR><BR>The feedback was
positive and affirming - with some longer-term facilitator colleagues
remarking that, at last, they now understood what the essence of Open Space
was about....<BR><BR>And so, the Catholic priest and the Irishman went off on
their separate ways, enriched and emboldened by their magical adventure into
yet another 'mysterious space' where letting go, with positive intention and
willingness to flow with the energies that emerge, once again provided the
stuff of life....<BR><BR>I just love this 'work'....<BR>and the people who do
it - thanks Brian!<BR><BR>Cheers<BR>Brendan<BR><BR><BR></FONT>* *
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