<html>
<head></head>
<body>
<div dir="ltr">
Michael,
<div>
<br />
</div>
<div>
I am of the belief that there is a "container" in open space. I ask the following questions in a spirit of curiosity. If there isn't a container.....what holds the people together? What is the facilitator holding when they're holding space? Why would you need a facilitator in the first place. I would suggest there are three important elements present in any open space. A container, differences and exchanges. Glenda Eoyang's work and for me a brilliant theory.
</div>
<div>
<br />
</div>
<div>
David
</div>
<div>
<br />
</div>
<div>
<br />
</div>
</div>
<div class="gmail_extra">
<br />
<br />
<div class="gmail_quote">
On Fri, Feb 28, 2014 at 8:58 AM, Michael M Pannwitz
<span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:mmpannwitz@gmail.com" target="_blank">mmpannwitz@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:
<br />
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
Smiling back at you, Bhav!
<br /> After reading page 15 I felt that open space the way I practice and understand it goes way beyond "light structure". In addition, I keep trying to stay in the practice of "doing one less thing" after each os event I am involved in. Furthermore, I feel that 99% of structure in os events is selforganized by the assembled system.
<br />
<br /> Thinking back 18 years, thats 1996 when I began to work with os, I remember how I quickly abolished my original habit of having small posters in the break-out sessions with notes on the various roles that could/should be filled for the group work... and how I gradually got rid of all references on how to interact (in page 15 a number of guidelines are mentioned that seem to come out of the "in the know" stance).
<br />
<br /> Perhaps I am missing something here when I keep thinking that OST needs neither "light structuring" nor is a "container". I do pay attention to the space in reference to fresh air, daylight, luscious food, professional PAS, etc but not to the style of communication... in fact, I can easily imagine and have experience the value of interruption, persuasion, disrespectful language, questions of all kinds, etc. In my experience, the system/participants appear to quickly establish the kind of communication they need to work on their issues. No training required.
<br />
<br /> I am very curious what the things are that you and the others listening in have cancelled/dropped/removed from your repertoire... or added... in facilitating os events.
<br />
<br /> Have a great weekend
<br /> mmp
<br />
<br /> On 28.02.2014 14:08, Bhavesh Patel wrote:
<br />
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
Hi Friends,
<br />
<br /> I was reading the attached article and loved the way they articulated
<br /> 'open space' and wanted to share it with you below. The whole article is
<br /> attached.
<br />
<br />
<br /> Smiles Bhav...
<br />
<br /> ------------------------------
<u></u>---------
<br /> *Page 15*
<br /> I want to use the term ‘light structuring’ to make a contrast with forms
<br /> and practices that could be described as already knowing and already
<br /> fixed. What I am calling light structuring gives more space for
<br /> emergence and improvisation (see, for example, Barrett, 2006; Clegg,
<br /> Kornberger and Rhodes, 2005; Weick, 1998) or unfolding. One might say
<br /> that light structuring makes space for 'being in the now' rather than
<br /> ‘in the know’. I see light structuring, in this sense, as an important
<br /> aspect of dialoging and participatory ways of knowing. Light structuring
<br /> might mean that participants are invited to try to follow certain
<br /> guidelines that help them to learn whilst practicing what Isaacs called
<br /> the ‘collective discipline’ (Isaacs, 1993) of dialogue. These usually
<br /> include guidelines such as: do not interrupt, do not attempt to persuade
<br /> others, use respectful language, ask questions only for clarification,
<br /> listen to your listening and so on (e.g., Chasin, Herzig, Roth, Chasin,
<br /> Becker and Stains, 1996).
<br />
<br /> Such ‘minimal’ or ‘light’ structures help to block or interrupt already
<br /> solidified patterns and, in this way, can help to open up new
<br /> possibilities and what I have called ‘soft’ self-other relations. The
<br /> idea is to provide enough but not too much structure: to provide a
<br /> container, so to speak, that invites and supports the gradual emergence
<br /> of slow, open, coherent, in-the-present-moment performances. In this way
<br /> it becomes possible to be ‘relationally responsive’ (McNamee, Gergen and
<br /> associates, 1999) to whatever comes up in any particular moment and
<br /> possible to make space and be open for multiple, ongoing, local realities.
<br />
<br />
<br /> ______________________________
<u></u>_________________
<br /> OSList mailing list
<br /> To post send emails to
<a href="mailto:OSList@lists.openspacetech.org" target="_blank">OSList@lists.openspacetech.org</a>
<br /> To unsubscribe send an email to
<a href="mailto:OSList-leave@lists.openspacetech.org" target="_blank">OSList-leave@lists.<u></u>openspacetech.org</a>
<br /> To subscribe or manage your subscription click below:
<br />
<a href="http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org" target="_blank">http://lists.openspacetech.<u></u>org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-<u></u>openspacetech.org</a>
<br />
<br />
</blockquote>
<br /> --
<br /> Michael M Pannwitz
<br /> Draisweg 1, 12209 Berlin, Germany
<br />
<a href="tel:%2B%2B49%20-%2030-772%208000" value="+49307728000" target="_blank">++49 - 30-772 8000</a>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /> Check out the Open Space World Map presently showing 428 resident Open Space Workers in 71 countries working in a total of 143 countries worldwide:
<a href="http://www.openspaceworldmap.org" target="_blank">www.openspaceworldmap.org</a>
<br /> ______________________________
<u></u>_________________
<br /> OSList mailing list
<br /> To post send emails to
<a href="mailto:OSList@lists.openspacetech.org" target="_blank">OSList@lists.openspacetech.org</a>
<br /> To unsubscribe send an email to
<a href="mailto:OSList-leave@lists.openspacetech.org" target="_blank">OSList-leave@lists.<u></u>openspacetech.org</a>
<br /> To subscribe or manage your subscription click below:
<br />
<a href="http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org" target="_blank">http://lists.openspacetech.<u></u>org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-<u></u>openspacetech.org</a>
<br />
</blockquote>
</div>
<br />
</div>
<br />
<p>--</p>
<p>David Osborne</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://www.change-fusion.com/ChangeFusionLogo.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="58" /></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">www.change-fusion.com | dosborne@change-fusion.com | 703.939.1777</p>
</body>
</html>