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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Chris – I love the phrase: “<i><span
style='font-style:italic'>I would say that holding space means helping the
group find its highest potential realized</span></i>.”But I am not quite
sure how you intend it. First of all who is to judge? What are the criteria?
And whose criteria are they anyhow? If the answer to all of the above is: The
Facilitator – that would require a deep understanding of the group, it’s
potential and the context in which everything is happening (major success on a
truly bad day may be just keeping your head above water </span></font><font
size=2 color=navy face=Wingdings><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:
Wingdings;color:navy'>J</span></font><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>). Possible I suppose,
but that is something I have never achieved, and wouldn’t even know how to
start. If the answer is “The Group” – then my fog of
confusion lessens slightly, but only slightly. It feels better, but I don’t
see any special role for myself – except to open more space and let the
Folks figure it out. And then we come to my real point of confusion. Apparently
there are times when you (as facilitator) just have to do the “Drill Sergeant
routine -- “For some groups, in some contexts this might be a very
controlling kind of thing and for other groups not so much.” If so –
what happened to the open space? I confess. I’m confused! Help!!<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Harrison<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:PersonName w:st="on"><font size=2 color=navy
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Harrison
Owen</span></font></st1:PersonName><font color=navy><span style='color:navy'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:Street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on"><font size=2
color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
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color=navy><span style='color:navy'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on"><font size=2
color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:navy'>Camden</span></font></st1:City><font size=2 color=navy
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>, <st1:State
w:st="on">ME</st1:State> <st1:PostalCode w:st="on">04843</st1:PostalCode></span></font></st1:place><font
color=navy><span style='color:navy'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>207-763-3261 (Summer)</span></font><font
color=navy><span style='color:navy'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>301-365-2093 (Winter)</span></font><font
color=navy><span style='color:navy'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Website <a
href="http://www.openspaceworld.com">www.openspaceworld.com</a> </span></font><font
color=navy><span style='color:navy'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Personal Website <a
href="http://www.ho-image.com">www.ho-image.com</a> </span></font><font
color=navy><span style='color:navy'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:PersonName w:st="on"><font size=2 color=navy
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color:navy'> </span></font><font color=navy><span style='color:navy'>To
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</span></font></div>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Tahoma;font-weight:bold'>From:</span></font></b><font size=2
face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'> <st1:PersonName
w:st="on">OSLIST</st1:PersonName> [mailto:<st1:PersonName w:st="on">OSLIST</st1:PersonName>@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU]
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>On Behalf Of </span></b><st1:PersonName
w:st="on">Chris Corrigan</st1:PersonName><br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Tuesday, July 15, 2008 2:59
PM<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> <st1:PersonName w:st="on">OSLIST</st1:PersonName>@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> Re: Going underground as
facilitator - Follow-up</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Great questions Marc!<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>On Tue, Jul 15, 2008 at 11:13 AM, Marc Steinlin (I-P-K)
<marc.steinlin@i-p-k.ch> wrote:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>What means "holding space"? What is the function, if
demonstrably one can do without?<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><br>
The $100,000 question! Several of us over the years have written things
on it (<a href="http://www.chriscorrigan.com/ftp/Tao_of_holding_space.pdf">I
wrote a whole book trying to understand it)</a> but it is an elusive
process. And I think it changes with the scale and size of the group AND
most importantly with the pre-existing depth of their own relationship. <br>
<br>
If I was to generalize I would say that holding space means helping the group
find its highest potential realized. For some groups, in some contexts
this might be a very controlling kind of thing and for other groups not so
much. In my expereince where there is a deep underlying and pre-existing
architecture of relationships and collaboration, there is very little an individual
can do to control the outcome, so getting out of the way seems the best
option. Lately I'm learning a lot about working with fields of learners
or people engaged in large scale and longer term change. What I'm
learning is that it takes a field to hold a field, as my late friend Finn
Voldtofte once said. In other words, at large levels of scale within
organizations or communities, the act of holding space is actually all about
attending to the relationships of the group of people that are holding the
deepest intention for the work. In an organizational development context
this means that the core team spends a great deal of time working on its own
relationships and in so doing, they are able to hold space for the bigger field
of learning.<br>
<br>
And then having said all of that, I think there is an art to intuitively
knowing how much or how little to "hold."<br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 6.0pt;
margin-left:4.8pt;margin-right:0in'>
<div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>Or is it really that the group as a whole can hold space (which seemed
to be the case)? Any group?<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><br>
Yes a group can hold its own space, but not any group. My hunch is that
we can let go into groups like this when there is at least a minimal form of
relationship in place. How much or how little is immeasureable, but you
can sense whether a group has that capacity or potential if you let go of your
expectations for the role of facilitator. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 6.0pt;
margin-left:4.8pt;margin-right:0in'>
<div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>Why do we really need any facilitator throughout the event?<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><br>
I am working a lot these days with the chaordic path, the idea that there is a
way forward if we dance between chaos and order. In that respect I think
the facilitator can play a valuable role in brining minimal elegant structure
to chaos so that the conditions for self-organization might be met. At
it's most basic level, this structure looks like or is an invitation, a calling
question that taps passions and responsibility Once passion and
responsibility are tapped, the group can look after itself.<br>
<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 6.0pt;
margin-left:4.8pt;margin-right:0in'>
<div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>And consequently under which conditions can we dispense with it?<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><br>
Most of our lives are spent without facilitators helping us be around other
people. We can learn a lot from those situations. If you engage in
a little appreciative inquiry project on your own life, you might remember
stories about times in your life when you experienced great strides without a
facilitator.and then harvest the key conditions from those stories.<br>
<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 6.0pt;
margin-left:4.8pt;margin-right:0in'>
<div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>What is the risk? Can this go totally wrong?<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><br>
The risk is always that it won't work, that a group won't discover its highest
potential. And although whatever happens is the only thing that could
have (and that means you need to pay attention to the space to hold at the
outset), if there is much at stake and the group finds itself unable to work
without some form and leadership, the stake will be lost, as will the
opportunity. But in complex living systems, there is no such thing as
totally wrong anyway - everything that happens is food for everything
else. If however you have an expectation that there is a right and a
wrong result, there is always the risk that a group might acheive the wrong
result.<br>
<br>
In my experience, it pays to create the conditions in which the host team and
the group itself understands this approach to complex systems and self
organization. so that you are operating with a learning environment rather than
a right/wrong dichotomy.<br>
<br>
Thanks for the questions Marc. Anyone coming to OSonOS that wants to
convene a session with me on this, to explore these conditions a bit further?<br>
<br>
Chris<br>
-- <br>
CHRIS CORRIGAN<br>
Facilitation - Training - Process Design<br>
Open Space Technology<br>
<br>
Weblog: <a href="http://www.chriscorrigan.com/parkinglot">http://www.chriscorrigan.com/parkinglot</a><br>
Site: <a href="http://www.chriscorrigan.com">http://www.chriscorrigan.com</a><br>
<br>
Principal, Harvest Moon Consultants, Ltd.<br>
<a href="http://www.harvestmoonconsultants.com">http://www.harvestmoonconsultants.com</a>
<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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