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I would like to add that as a male I have worked with some all
female groups. And it has worked quite well. Granted the events were
not not strictly OST. But the sponsor to one of the groups told me
that she thought it often worked better to have a male facilitator
for a female group. Something about creating more distance to the
issues. Of course, it could be different if the issues is sexual
assault. Ultimately, I believe, it matter more how the facilitator
relates to the participants and what kind trust can be built. But
something to think about.<br>
<br>
An alternative to getting everyone together, it could be a good idea
to start out with some micro diplomacy. Try to get a few individuals
on each "side" to start talking to each other. Allow them to have
disagreements on the issue, but stress that for the sake of the
community and for the sake of the issues you have to deal with, it
is critical that you work on repairing and building the
relationships. If you can get people started that way, then maybe
you will end up with people on both sides to support something like
an OS event. If you try to sell it too hard, you'll likely just get
resistance. It has been said that the break-throughs in the Northern
Ireland peace negotiations started to happen after the parties began
to sleep and eat breakfast at the same hotel.<br>
<br>
Just some thoughts. Good luck with it.<br>
<br>
Bui Petersen<br>
<br>
<br>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 26/07/2012 9:36 AM, Harrison Owen
wrote:<br>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Anisha
– True I did say that there was no pre-work, which was true
for that particular situation for several reasons. I was in
the US and the sponsors were in the Middle East, and also
the whole thing came together pretty fast. It is also true
that the sponsors were very experienced with OS. So I guess
I was stretching it a bit. But it is also true that my
prework is fairly minimal, often not much more that asking
them to read the book and ask whatever questions. Probably
says more about me??<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Anyhow
it would seem that you do have a fine kettle of fish! Of one
thing I am very sure. Given your history with the group as
well as the group’s history – don’t try to facilitate it
yourself. Get someone else, preferably a female. Speaking
just for myself I must say that being a solo male in the
middle of a circle of angry females is more than a little
daunting! I did it once for 500 women in a strongly feminist
organization. We made it, but there were moments… <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">On
the subject of a theme, I would go for something like, “What
are the issues and opportunities for building an
organization we would all like to be a part of?” Short,
positive, with lots of space to talk about anything that
people have on their minds. It could also be a nice sorting
device – it might be that some of your membership just want
to complain?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">And
of course, don’t try to sell Open Space. Never really works.
Just tell them what it is and what it does, and they will
choose. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Harrison
Owen<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">7808
River Falls Dr.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Potomac,
MD 20854<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">USA<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">189
Beaucaire Ave. (summer)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Camden,
Maine 20854<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Phone
301-365-2093<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">(summer)
207-763-3261<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><a
moz-do-not-send="true" href="www.openspaceworld.com%20"><span
style="color:blue">www.openspaceworld.com</span></a> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><a
moz-do-not-send="true" href="www.ho-image.com%20"><span
style="color:blue">www.ho-image.com</span></a> (Personal
Website)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Consolas;color:#1F497D">To
subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the
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<div style="border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF
1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"">From:</span></b><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"">
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:oslist-bounces@lists.openspacetech.org">oslist-bounces@lists.openspacetech.org</a>
[<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="mailto:oslist-bounces@lists.openspacetech.org">mailto:oslist-bounces@lists.openspacetech.org</a>] <b>On
Behalf Of </b>anisha susanna<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, July 25, 2012 9:28 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:oslist@lists.openspacetech.org">oslist@lists.openspacetech.org</a><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [OSList] Dealing with Conflicts<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt">Dear Marie
Ann, Brendan, Christine, Craig, Harrison, Michael, Peggy, and
all,<br>
<br>
Marie Ann, I'm really grateful that you started this thread of
conversation! I've been wondering for a while whether OS can
be used in situations of high conflict between people who all
consider themselves social/feminist activists but are in a
seemingly intractable polar dynamic around a particularly
sensitive issue - what one side has deemed "sexual assault"
and the other has named "a one-off inappropriate behaviour"
between friends. It began some three years ago, but things
have gotten quite ugly as one side in particular has done
quite a bit of mud slinging on the social media networks in
recent months. <br>
<br>
My questions are as follows:<br>
<br>
i) Might I myself, together with a small group of individuals,
be the sponsor of the event? I am really keen to get everyone
in the room so we can actually have face to face
conversations, but I am not sure that the women's organisation
(of which I am an nominal member) that is currently being
attacked, would be convinced of an OS process. Or should I
speak to the management of this women's organisation and try
and convince them of the value of getting everyone in the same
space without necessarily needed a heavily facilitated
process? Initially, I had suggested Dynamic Facilitation,
which has some excellent processes for facilitating a group
through high-conflict - but I can't think of anyone in
Malaysia who might be able to do DF in this context. I think
that many hold a fear that things will explode and get out of
hand, and so the desire for a facilitator to maintain a well
controlled "safe space."<br>
<br>
ii) Brendan, you'd mentioned the importance of pre-work, and
Harrison, you said, none was needed...I respect you both
immensely, and perhaps both are true in different settings.
In this case, previous offers for mediation have been
rejected, on grounds that they did not have anything to do
with the selection of the facilitator. What suggestions do
you have for the wording of the invitation such that the
fiercely angry side will also show up? I'd agree with HO that
there are no need for additional guidelines on behaviour such
as "deep listening" and so forth, because I think that the Law
of Two Feet works well when its completely established as
norm. Are there are any samples of invitations that have been
sent out for OS style conflict resolution that someone in this
list might be able to share? I'd be really happy to see them.<br>
<br>
iii) I have been seen as associated with one side of this
divide, and thus may not make the best person to Open Space in
this context. We do have a small community of OS
practitioners in Malaysia, and perhaps I could approach
someone else to see if they might be willing to run the OS.
However, I wondered if there were situations where someone in
my position (who is seen as alligned and "friendly" to one
side of the divide) has opened space in a situation of
conflict? I seem to be one of the keenest to create space for
engaging in direct conversations - I have faith that a
solution can be found if we just were in touch with each
others' humanity, and have those enemy images dissolve. But
perhaps, that's too much personal investment involved to hold
the space effectively, you reckon?<br>
<br>
Thank you. Any insights and suggestions would be much
appreciated.<br>
<br>
Warm salaams,<br>
<br>
Susanna<br>
<br clear="all">
Susanna George<br>
API Fellow 2011-12<br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://tinyurl.com/APIFellow2011-12" target="_blank">http://tinyurl.com/APIFellow2011-12</a><br>
<br>
Consultant<br>
Strengthening Team Processes Through Critical Conversations<br>
+60 12 3723234 (Please send SMS on this number only)<br>
+81 70 54522691 (To receive phone calls until 31 July 2012)<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></p>
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