<html><head><base href="x-msg://147/"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">Harrison,<div><br></div><div>Having pursued the parallel's between electricity and human dynamics I absolutely love this perspective. Your point about the caring being the positive energy and questions providing the grounding for the energy to flow makes perfect sense.</div><div><br></div><div>As always thanks for your sharing.</div><div><br></div><div>David</div><div><br></div><div><br><div><div>On Aug 4, 2011, at 5:40 PM, Harrison Owen wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type="cite"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-size: medium; "><div lang="EN-US" link="blue" vlink="purple"><div class="WordSection1" style="page: WordSection1; "><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); ">Welcome back Birgitt! And the idea of the facilitator’s role as being integral to the emergent energy field of the Open Space is a good and useful one. Works for me. But I find myself coming out at a rather different place. It may well be age, but I find myself doing less and less (One more thing not to do!) – and when it comes to facilitation (at least in Open Space) less is definitely best. Truth to tell, my hope would be that facilitation and facilitators will soon be put on the “endangered species” list. Nice folks all (my friends and colleagues!) – but we should be in business to go out of business.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); "><o:p> </o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); ">It is a pretty sick organization that requires the services of a “facilitator” – right up there with Life Support in the ICU. Healthy organizations demonstrate their health when they manifest the capacity to hold intelligent conversation productive of useful results. No help needed. Being “adult” as it were – and actually children do very well in this regard – so I guess it is just a “human function?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); "><o:p> </o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); ">And for the “sickies?” Some form of First Aid (Life Support) is definitely in order. But less is still best, I think. Now back to the Energy Field and the facilitator. My experience has been that my most useful role is to be negative – as in the negative pole in an energy field. I become the point of “grounding” – just to keep the power flow going. I am not the only one, but that is my main function. Do Nothing -- !<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); "><o:p> </o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); ">What would that look like? Well, in an early Open Space a most anxious lady approached me with the “vital existential question” – “What should I do, Harrison.” With a malevolent look in my eye, I asked her, “What would you like to do?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); "><o:p> </o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); ">So I see myself as the eternal question mark????? No answers – just openness. If anything, I am the symbol of the Quest(ion) – where do you really want to go???<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); "><o:p> </o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); ">Energy fields only “work” when there is a “negative pole” allowing the energy to flow. The people provide the positive (They CARE) – they will learn the power of the negative. They will learn the power of the Question/Quest. But for the moment, I can be their point of grounding. Not very glorious, and hardly worth the “big bucks” – but useful. I think.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); "><o:p> </o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); ">Harrison<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); "><o:p> </o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); "><o:p> </o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); "><o:p> </o:p></span></div><div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); ">Harrison Owen<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); ">7808 River Falls Dr.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); ">Potomac, MD 20854<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); ">USA<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); "><o:p> </o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); ">189 Beaucaire Ave. (summer)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); ">Camden, Maine 20854<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); "><o:p> </o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); ">Phone 301-365-2093<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); ">(summer) 207-763-3261<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); "><o:p> </o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); "><a href="http://www.openspaceworld.com" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; ">www.openspaceworld.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); "><a href="http://www.ho-image.com" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; ">www.ho-image.com</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>(Personal Website)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Consolas; color: rgb(31, 73, 125); ">To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of OSLIST Go to:<a href="http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; "><span style="color: blue; ">http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); "><o:p> </o:p></span></div><div><div style="border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-width: initial; border-color: initial; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(181, 196, 223); border-top-width: 1pt; padding-top: 3pt; padding-right: 0in; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; "><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; ">From:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; "><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="mailto:oslist-bounces@lists.openspacetech.org" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; ">oslist-bounces@lists.openspacetech.org</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>[mailto:oslist-bounces@lists.openspacetech.org]<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><b>On Behalf Of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b>Birgitt Williams<br><b>Sent:</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Tuesday, August 02, 2011 8:40 PM<br><b>To:</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="mailto:oslist@lists.openspacetech.org" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; ">oslist@lists.openspacetech.org</a><br><b>Subject:</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>[OSList] energy field of the facilitator and its influence on OST outcomes<o:p></o:p></span></div></div></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><o:p> </o:p></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; ">Warm greetings!<o:p></o:p></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; ">I have been absent from this list for some time and am delighted to be connected now, at least for a while, taking advantage of some quiet time over the summer to connect with people and ideas.<o:p></o:p></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><o:p> </o:p></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; ">A topic that I wish to address is about the outcomes of an OST meeting in relation to the energy field of the facilitator. From my perspective and experience, there is a direct relationship. I often ask OST facilitators what they mean when they say that they ‘open space’ and ‘hold space’. My perspective on the facilitator ‘opening space’ is that this is just not so. The facilitator does not ‘open the space’. The sponsor ‘opens space’ in his or her organization so that the facilitator can conduct the form of the Open Space Technology meeting. Viewed from that lens, I make choices when I prepare with the sponsor for the OST meeting, and what I ask of the sponsor and his/her participation during the meeting itself. For example, the sponsor teams I work with are coached about working with their personal energy to support the highly engaging participatory process. I ask them to sit equidistant from each other in the circle and ‘hold the space’ open for the best possible outcomes and the greatest participation. At the end of every day of the meeting, we meet simply to discuss what it felt like to them to have opened the space and held the space. The reflections are amazing.<o:p></o:p></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><o:p> </o:p></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; ">My role as the lead facilitator and the role of my co-facilitators is one of working with the space being held, of going through the form of OST, and more importantly to be in touch with ourselves as resonant energy field generators. Every one of us works at being in genuine contact with ourselves, with our personal energy field, and within that genuine contact experiences love and peace and joy. Our job as resonant energy field generators is to broadcast this frequency from ourselves to give the greatest opportunity for everyone within the gathering to reach their greatest potential in the moment of the meeting. ‘Holding the space’ from my perspective is this very connection and interpretation of self as generating a resonant energy field. Doing little, being much.<o:p></o:p></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><o:p> </o:p></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; ">When a meeting goes well, there are many factors, including how well we created an energy field as facilitators and how well we did this together with our sponsors. We recognize that in both our observer role and in our role as energy field generators, we influence the meeting and the outcomes of the meeting.<o:p></o:p></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><o:p> </o:p></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; ">Blessings to all,<o:p></o:p></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; ">Birgitt<o:p></o:p></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><o:p> </o:p></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><o:p> </o:p></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; ">Birgitt Williams<o:p></o:p></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; ">President and Senior Consultant,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.dalarinternational.com" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; ">Dalar International Consultancy</a><br>Author,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.genuinecontactway.com" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; ">The Genuine Contact Way</a><o:p></o:p></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; ">919-522-7750<o:p></o:p></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><span><image001.jpg></span><o:p></o:p></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><span><image002.jpg></span>Co-Owner of the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.genuinecontact.net" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; ">Genuine Contact™ Program</a><br><span><image003.png></span><a href="http://blog.genuinecontactway.com" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; ">Genuine Contact Way</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>blog<br><a href="http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/pages/Genuine-Contact-Way/241784543761?ref=ts" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; "><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; "><span><image004.jpg></span></span></a> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/genuinecontactway" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; ">Become a fan</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>of the Genuine Contact Way<br><a href="http://twitter.com/genuinecontact" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; "><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; "><span><image005.jpg></span></span></a> <a href="http://twitter.com/genuinecontact" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; ">Follow me</a><o:p></o:p></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><o:p> </o:p></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><o:p> </o:p></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><o:p> </o:p></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><o:p> </o:p></div></div>_______________________________________________<br>OSList mailing list<br>To post send emails to<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="mailto:OSList@lists.openspacetech.org" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; ">OSList@lists.openspacetech.org</a><br>To unsubscribe send an email to<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="mailto:OSList-leave@lists.openspacetech.org" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; ">OSList-leave@lists.openspacetech.org</a><br>To subscribe or manage your subscription click below:<br><a href="http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; ">http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org</a><br></div></span></blockquote></div><br><div apple-content-edited="true">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(101, 101, 101); font-family: Geneva, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: x-small; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-size: medium; "><div><font color="#999999"><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'Monotype Corsiva'" size="7"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 27px; ">David<br></span></font></font><font color="#656565"><font size="1"><font face="Geneva, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><span style="font-size: 9pt; "><a href="dosborne@change-fusion.com">dosborne@change-fusion.com</a><br><a href="http://www.change-fusion.com">www.change-fusion.com</a><br>703.939.1777</span></font></font></font></div><div><font color="#656565"><font size="1"><font face="Geneva, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><span style="font-size: 9pt; "></span><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><span></span><span><img height="65" width="146" id="3b9a5a57-55b3-4ea7-9130-d669bbf1ceeb" apple-width="yes" apple-height="yes" src="cid:8374BBE1-C5E8-4BBD-98AB-7A853B4DF7CF@home"></span>
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