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<div class="moz-cite-prefix">Thanks for adding in Kurt Lewin, Arno.
I'm not sure I fully understand his topological method. Would you
say more about how you see it working?<br>
<br>
The "privacy regulation model" from Altman is quite interesting.<br>
<br>
I've seen some criticize Open Space as not being friendly to
introverts - yet as an introvert myself I found Open Space
incredibly liberating because it empowers me to regulate my
interactions with the group - to move towards privacy when I need
it - including going for a walk alone or taking a nap - and
re-engaging when I feel motivated.<br>
<br>
I also remember being fascinated at an Open Space with Harrison
Owen - the Leadership in a Self-Organizing World conference at the
Sleeping Lady resort in the mountains east of Seattle a few years
ago - watching these circles of very different intensity. As I was
buzzing around, some were inviting or relatively porous in letting
in new participants. Others circles had boundaries that seemed so
intense it felt like I'd be an intruder if I tried to enter.
Different membrane constructions - all self-organized. I also
remember someone at that conference setting up a more formal
membrane that asked participants to come at the beginning and not
to leave. I didn't go, but it seemed to work and not harm the
other circles, even though the convener was in a sense "breaking"
the rules of open space and the Law of Two Feet. There were so
many professional facilitators at that conference - not all of
them were big fans of OST. I was a bit of a newbie back then. I
spent a lot of time being surprised!<br>
<br>
Harold<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
On 4/8/14 2:42 AM, Arno Baltin wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote
cite="mid:CADT+i9cZPrdHN1iSOYovYtv=GRhvgBtYkYCJopctmr+jOAwJ3g@mail.gmail.com"
type="cite">
<div dir="ltr">Dear All!
<div><br>
</div>
<div>I like this discussion. </div>
<div>I wonder if this border topic could be visualized (for
example with something like Kurt Lewins initiated topological
method). How to represent visually the border...no
border...wall...fence ... container ... around individual or
group or both ... What forces drive people to close or open
the border. An example of descriptive approach here is the<a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Privacy_regulation_theory">
privacy regulation model</a> from social psychology (I.
Altman and others) where the social subject is regulating its
border with environment trying to find equilibrium (optimum)
between isolation and crowding. The cell analogy is often used
in this context as the cell is defined by its border
(membrane) and the communications with its environment goes by
and through this border. In privacy regulation model the
border is a means to develop and keep subjects identity and
integrity.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Be well!</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Arno</div>
<div> </div>
<div><br>
</div>
</div>
<div class="gmail_extra"><br clear="all">
<div>
<div><font color="#000099"><b> <img moz-do-not-send="true"
src="https://dl.dropbox.com/u/17559693/allkiri5.jpg"
height="96" width="90"></b></font></div>
</div>
<br>
<br>
<div class="gmail_quote">2014-04-07 4:33 GMT+03:00 Michael Wood
<span dir="ltr"><<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:michael.wood@uwa.edu.au" target="_blank">michael.wood@uwa.edu.au</a>></span>:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0
.8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
Thanks, Harrison, for your response to my question on
'boundaries', particularly your paraphrasing of my question
- which was spot on. One thing I've taken from this brief
conversation is that although considering the boundaries can
be useful, we also need to accept that boundaries are never
entirely clear, always moving on a spectrum from clear to
uncertain/murky and if we, as a sponsor or facilitator, get
overly bound up with boundaries then we might have moved,
once again, into being too controlling.<br>
<br>
Michael Wood<br>
Perth, Western Australia<br>
<br>
<br>
----------------------------------------------------------------------<br>
<br>
Message: 1<br>
Date: Thu, 03 Apr 2014 12:01:40 -0400<br>
From: "Harrison Owen" <<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:hhowen@verizon.net">hhowen@verizon.net</a>><br>
To: "'World wide Open Space Technology email list'"<br>
<<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:oslist@lists.openspacetech.org">oslist@lists.openspacetech.org</a>><br>
Subject: Re: [OSList] Open Space and boundaries<br>
Message-ID: <000301cf4f56$00776480$01662d80$@net><br>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII<br>
<br>
It has been common for us to speak of Containers and
Boundaries as somehow essential to Open Space. I can't quite
find the place, but I do remember saying something like that
myself, as in, "The role of the facilitator is to create the
container..." It certainly made sense at the time, but I
always felt a little uncomfortable with the image. Too
mechanical, coercive... too something. And Michael has
brought the subject up again. "So...here we have a situation
where the 'boundaries' are actually in a state of complex
flux and uncertainty. The financial 'givens' are ambiguous;
there is no 'locum'<br>
pastor in place because of legal uncertainties with the
existing pastor...etc." You might call it "messy boundaries"
-- and he raises the question whether one should press ahead
with Open Space, or wait until the "mess" is settled down.
On the one hand, Michael "hunches" that one should press on
-- Open Space. But his hesitation comes, I suspect, from the
prior notion that fixed boundaries/containers are necessary
for an effective Open Space. What to do?<br>
<br>
Some thoughts (new ones for me): Containers are great for
cooking soup, but are unneeded and maybe even problematical
in Open Space. It is all about holding things together. In
Open Space groups of people come together to deal with their
issues. At the very least that would mean gathering in some
common time/space, be that physical or electronic. It would
seem that this co-location could be facilitated were some
suitable "container" provided, presumably by the
sponsor/facilitator. This certainly makes sense, and as a
rough way of speaking, it seems to describe what is going
on. But as I think about it, I think we may be missing a
most important point. Coming together in Open Space happens
because people care to come. And they continue their
connection as long as they care to do so. (Law of two feet)<br>
<br>
>From the "outside" it might look as if they were held in
place by a<br>
container, but that is illusory. The actual dynamics are
centripetal, the force is mutual attraction... people are
"there" because they care to be there and not because they
are contained by some external structure. In a word, we as
facilitators really don't do a thing, and creating a
container is the least of what we DON'T do. The people, from
the beginning, do it all.<br>
<br>
<br>
Of course, there are situations where groups come together
under orders, mandates, whatever. And they are definitely
"contained." It is also true that the tighter that
container, the less likely self organization will take
place. If true, providing a container is not only
unnecessary but also destructive. In the name of Opening
space, we effectively close it. Or so I suspect it might be.
Just thinking...<br>
<br>
Anyhow Michael, should my mental peregrinations lead
anywhere useful, it would seem that your "hunch" was spot
on. Forget the boundaries/container.<br>
Just invite the space to open.<br>
<br>
Harrison<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Harrison Owen<br>
7808 River Falls Dr.<br>
Potomac, MD 20854<br>
USA<br>
<br>
189 Beaucaire Ave. (summer)<br>
Camden, Maine 04843<br>
<br>
Phone 301-365-2093<br>
(summer) 207-763-3261<br>
<br>
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href="http://www.openspaceworld.com" target="_blank">www.openspaceworld.com</a><br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true" href="http://www.ho-image.com"
target="_blank">www.ho-image.com</a> (Personal Website)<br>
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<br>
-----Original Message-----<br>
From: <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:oslist-bounces@lists.openspacetech.org">oslist-bounces@lists.openspacetech.org</a><br>
[mailto:<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:oslist-bounces@lists.openspacetech.org">oslist-bounces@lists.openspacetech.org</a>]
On Behalf Of Michael Wood<br>
Sent: Tuesday, April 01, 2014 9:59 PM<br>
To: '<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:oslist@lists.openspacetech.org">oslist@lists.openspacetech.org</a>'<br>
Subject: [OSList] Open Space and boundaries<br>
<br>
A Case Study....<br>
One of the principles that I have generally worked with in
Open Space is helping the client get clear on the
'boundaries' of the space that's being opened. For example,
helping people who come into the space to know 'what up for
grabs here and what isn't? What decisions have already been
made?'<br>
<br>
So picture this (purely hypothetical of course)....a church
community in which the pastor has (in many peoples' opinion)
run off the rails and the main church body is in the process
of trying to dismiss him; the church is in compete disarray
and completely conflict ridden, many people have left; the
pastor who holds all the keys, banking passwords; church
telephone connections etc etc, has taken legal advice and
had hunkered down in the church owned house where he
continues to hold the reigns of power (via some of his
'allies' in the church) despite not formally being the
Pastor of the church anymore....<br>
<br>
So...here we have a situation where the 'boundaries' are
actually in a state of complex flux and uncertainty. The
financial 'givens' are ambiguous; there is no 'locum' pastor
in place because of legal uncertainties with the existing
pastor...etc etc.<br>
<br>
So in terms of 'Opening Space', do we wait a bit longer
until some of the legal boundaries are clarified, OR open
space right away in the midst of the mess....my hunch is the
latter, but any thoughts from anyone?<br>
<br>
Cheers<br>
Michael<br>
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<div class="moz-signature">-- <br>
Harold Shinsato<br>
<a href="mailto:harold@shinsato.com">harold@shinsato.com</a><br>
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