If the experience is one of desiring a simpler execution of the basic practice, then the solution is to offer to host an wosonos for yourself. If, however, you're from the UK, for instance, and the UK has just hosted, that means you don't really have a shot at it for at least a few years. Further, if the process of choosing a host/location looks like it's been pre-determined (which it often does, based on past comments by various participants), then even if somebody like Paul was willing to host and the community was willing to stay in the UK for another year, he wouldn't feel like he had access to the process anyway. Finally, if the pre-determined processing of the decision, or pre-conversations, about the next invitation happen someplace other than in the event, newcomers like Paul are right to say they are excluded. <div>
<br></div><div>With all these conditions present, it's quite possible that Thomas' three ways of using Two Feet only make the situation worse. When someone comes to the conclusion that they are stuck on the outside of the group and the best we can say is "Leave if you like," that would seem a recipe for a bad feeling -- especially once someone has made some investment to get to this event and might feel stuck there for the two days, trying to figure it out.</div>
<div><br></div><div>I'm not trying to put words in Paul's mouth or speak for him... I'm just saying that it's possible that the way we invite and welcome and include people in wosonos conversations, including the ones about where the next event(s) might be held, might be ripe for review. As we go along, and get deeper in our own community practice and accumulate artifacts and habits, we start to look a lot like a traditional organization -- in the sense that we have an interest in stability, continuation, dependability, and such -- even as we are supposedly all about emergence and making it up as we go. </div>
<div><br></div><div>Like look at our watch midway through briefing the principle that says "whenever it happens is the right time," the more habituated we become in our gathering practice, the more we depend on and add to how we do wosonos -- (even the W that got added a few years ago, for instance, creates scarcity by giving one event some "specialness" above all others that year) -- the more we add to our wosonos convening manual, beyond what's in the user's guide, the more we are potentially perceived as welcomers who aren't being very welcoming. </div>
<div><br></div><div>What if we didn't have any more Wosonos events, for instance, what if we just counted ALL osonos events as equal. We wouldn't necessarily celebrate the "20th anniversary" but could celebrate the 20th osonos and the 30th and 100th... without giving the one somehow decended from Harrison's original 4 events at dulles airport any more importance than what lisa does in san francisco, john does in haiti, or we've done here in chicago in the past? If all osonos events were allowed to be held as equal, then anyone could put one on the map and the only side conversations would be among old friends deciding where they might be able to meet up. And note, too, that there's nothing that says that if someone is hosting in australia, i can't host an full and equal peer gathering at the very same time, in chicago. neither event needs special W-ing, and anyone can choose between either gathering, and be surprised by who shows up, from how far or near. </div>
<div><div><br></div><div>These are things I've thought about for many years, and found few ripe openings to discuss, in part cuz I've not been able to attend osonos anywhere for some years. So I can appreciate how somebody newer to the mix might feel frustrated having made an investment to join and then come to the conclusion that we're as deep in our habits and rituals as any other exclusive organization. More frustrating because we always seem to say otherwise. Having tried at times from "within" to have these conversations, I can appreciate how hard it would feel from apparently "the outside." </div>
<div><br></div><div>All of which makes me wonder how many "osonos" events we've really had. What if we did count them up and start numbering the as we go forward, as ALL having been descended from the HHO-convened "originals." And what if we agreed that, in the main, the clearly visible and open heart of any osonos was a chunk of space and time where it ran "by the book" and if you don't see it in the user's guide, then you don't see it in the room, either? Wouldn't have to be the whole event, but there could be a distinction between "this is what we do because we're excited, creative people and this is what we do because it's the heart of open space practice." </div>
<div><br></div><div>What if....?</div><div><br></div><div>Michael<br><div><br></div><div> <br>--<br><br>Michael Herman<br>Michael Herman Associates<br>312-280-7838 (mobile)<br><br><a href="http://MichaelHerman.com" target="_blank">http://MichaelHerman.com</a><br>
<a href="http://OpenSpaceWorld.org" target="_blank">http://OpenSpaceWorld.org</a><br><br><br>
<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Tue, Oct 23, 2012 at 3:11 AM, Thomas Herrmann <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:thomas@openspaceconsulting.com" target="_blank">thomas@openspaceconsulting.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div bgcolor="white" lang="SV" link="blue" vlink="purple"><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">I think the Law is about action too. You can act in three ways<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p><u></u><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"><span>1.<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><u></u><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">Mental movement (try to change yourself, focus and be fully present, maybe you are missing something important here) – thanks Jan-Erik for this perspective during NOSonOS in august!<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p><u></u><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"><span>2.<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><u></u><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">“Intervention” into what you don’t enjoy, for example if you find the break out group too large – say it!<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p><u></u><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"><span>3.<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><u></u><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">Leave and go somewhere else.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">Cheers<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">Thomas Herrmann<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<div><div style="border:none;border-top:solid #b5c4df 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0cm 0cm 0cm"><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"">Från:</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif""> <a href="mailto:oslist-bounces@lists.openspacetech.org" target="_blank">oslist-bounces@lists.openspacetech.org</a> [mailto:<a href="mailto:oslist-bounces@lists.openspacetech.org" target="_blank">oslist-bounces@lists.openspacetech.org</a>] <b>För </b>Chris Corrigan<br>
<b>Skickat:</b> den 23 oktober 2012 07:13<br><b>Till:</b> World wide Open Space Technology email list<br><b>Kopia:</b> World wide Open Space Technology email list<br><b>Ämne:</b> Re: [OSList] Peggy plus OST Linkedin Comment<u></u><u></u></span></p>
</div></div><div><div class="h5"><p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p><div><p class="MsoNormal">Koos...for me the law of two feet is about passion and responsibility. If you care about something, take care of it. <u></u><u></u></p>
</div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal">Paul may have felt that he was "taking care of it" when he produced his critiques of the event in London. Possibly. But my experience is that many people are comfortable just being in their passion about something - sometimes just ranting - and fail to join in, support, improve, help out or otherwise make a responsibility based offering to the situation at hand. While i appreciate criticism and am perfectly capable of wrestling with ideas - and in this case I even pointed out that there is much merit in Paul's observations - I nevertheless would invite consideration of the fact that if someone is sitting through an open space event and not offering responsibility, that the criticism has the feeling of being sniping from the sidelines while failing to take up the invitation at hand and it's hard to work with that. That is all.<u></u><u></u></p>
</div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal">A some level, love it or leave is also always an option, but that isn't what I'm talking about here. I'm looking for a more nuanced response from a practitioner that is clearly very familiar with the dynamics of Open Space and self organization and wondering what he did at the event to use his own power to create the experience he was looking for.<u></u><u></u></p>
</div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal">He may have done something, but as I read it, he stayed for whole thing and then wrote a fairly detailed critique of the whole experience. <u></u><u></u></p>
</div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal">So. Hmmmmm.<u></u><u></u></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal">Chris<br><br>---<u></u><u></u></p>
<div><p class="MsoNormal">CHRIS CORRIGAN<u></u><u></u></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.chriscorrigan.com" target="_blank">http://www.chriscorrigan.com</a><u></u><u></u></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal">
<a href="tel:%2B1%20604%20947%209236" value="+16049479236" target="_blank">+1 604 947 9236</a><u></u><u></u></p></div></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><br>On 2012-10-21, at 3:22 AM, Koos de Heer <<a href="mailto:koos@auryn.nl" target="_blank">koos@auryn.nl</a>> wrote:<u></u><u></u></p>
</div><blockquote style="margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt"><div><div><p class="MsoNormal">Hi Chris, <u></u><u></u></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal">I am not sure I understand what you mean when you say that the law of two feet applies. If it means as much as "This is Open Space, love it or leave it," I feel compelled to say that I don't support that. <u></u><u></u></p>
</div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal">Of course I can walk out of a session if I am feeling that I am neither learning nor contributing. But if I have the idea that the Open Space gathering as a whole could use improvements in the way it is run, referring to the law of two feet can become a way to evade a discussion that needs to take place. It can take place at a later date, which is what is happening now and that is fine. <u></u><u></u></p>
</div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal">Koos<u></u><u></u></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><br><br>Op 20 okt. 2012 om 21:23 heeft Chris Corrigan <<a href="mailto:chris.corrigan@gmail.com" target="_blank">chris.corrigan@gmail.com</a>> het volgende geschreven:<u></u><u></u></p>
</div><blockquote style="margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt"><div><div><p class="MsoNormal">The critique in the article is fine. And the subsequent link Phelim sent along is fine too. Paul's tone is a bit jarring and his argument isn't helped by making a lot of generalized statements. Also he critiques WOSonOS in a way that makes it hard to separate his critique if the event from a critique of the team, even though he later clarifies that he wasn't critiquing the facilitator. It's tricky to make a forceful and powerful critique without it seeming personal. <u></u><u></u></p>
</div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal">My response to these posts is that Paul is right in substance. In general my take in things is that the Law of Two Feet applies. If you are not learning or contributing find some way or some where that you can. That's what makes things better. Obviously expecting others to change the way the way a process seems too dependant on them is rational madness. <u></u><u></u></p>
</div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><br>Chris<br>-- <u></u><u></u></p><div><p class="MsoNormal">CHRIS CORRIGAN<u></u><u></u></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal">Harvest Moon Consultants<u></u><u></u></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.chriscorrigan.com" target="_blank">www.chriscorrigan.com</a><u></u><u></u></p><div><p class="MsoNormal"><br><br><u></u><u></u></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><br><a href="http://aohrivendell.withtank.com/" target="_blank"><b>Art of Hosting - Participatory Leadership and Social Collaboration</b>, Bowen Island, BC</a><u></u><u></u></p>
<div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style><a>November 12-15 2012</a> </span><u></u><u></u></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><br><br><u></u><u></u></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://aoh-fbc.withtank.com/what-we-study/" target="_blank"><b><span style>Art of Hosting in Faith Based Communities</span></b><span style>, Salt Lake City, Utah</span></a><u></u><u></u></p>
</div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><a>November 28th - December 1, 2012</a><u></u><u></u></p></div></div></div></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><br>On 2012-10-20, at 5:09 AM, "<a href="mailto:alan@alanhalford.com.au" target="_blank">alan@alanhalford.com.au</a>" <<a href="mailto:alan@alanhalford.com.au" target="_blank">alan@alanhalford.com.au</a>> wrote:<u></u><u></u></p>
</div><blockquote style="margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt"><div><div><p class="MsoNormal">Just spent a delicious three days co-learning with Peggy Holman here in Perth then I read this - <u></u><u></u></p></div><div>
<p class="MsoNormal">So, what's possible now?<u></u><u></u></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://rationalmadness.wordpress.com/2012/10/18/the-tragic-re-imprisonment-of-open-space/" target="_blank">http://rationalmadness.wordpress.com/2012/10/18/the-tragic-re-imprisonment-of-open-space/</a><u></u><u></u></p>
</div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p><div><p class="MsoNormal">take care out there<u></u><u></u></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal">alan <u></u><u></u></p><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div>
<div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif""><u></u> <u></u></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#fe0000"><br>
</span></b><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#fd0000"><a href="http://www.alanhalford.com.au/" target="_blank">www.alanhalford.com.au</a><br>0421 475 252<br>skype: alanhalford</span></b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif""><u></u><u></u></span></p>
</div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif""><u></u> <u></u></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> </span></b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif""><u></u><u></u></span></p>
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