"Being totally present and absolutely invisible," is I admit a rather strange suggestion, to say nothing of being (apparently) contradictory if not paradoxical. And when I wrote it years ago, it seemed just as strange -- but that had been my experience. So don't feel like the Lone Ranger (as we say here in the Colonies). It is an odd one.
I think you will find that the whole thing is easier with large groups. After all, when you have 500 people there is not a lot you can "do" that is likely to have all that much impact on the surrounding chaos. The only option is just to be there -- present. My learning over the years is that "presence" has depths and layers of meaning, and you never quite get to the end. Physical presence is obviously the first level, but hardly the last. To this I would add, "Intellectual Presence" -- really paying attention to what is happening and seeking to understand how and why it is taking place. This is not so much about specific details of discussion, but rather the total flow of the affair. Then there is what I might call "emotional presence." I guess I mean being open to and sensing the ambient feelings and moods -- good and bad. I am sure there are a couple of other levels, but at least with these two it is clear that you don't have to "do" anything to be present. But there is also a problem with these two -- they tend to "hook you." And almost inevitably you can become attached to a particular out come. When the mood is sad you look for joy. And perhaps you will feel a sense of failure if the joy does not appear. But the truth of the matter is (I think) that the situation is what it is -- and more to the point it is not your situation in which to either "succeed" or "fail." There is yet another level which I might call "Silent Presence." Somehow this goes beyond, beneath Intellect and/or emotions. The power of this level of presence in terms of grounding/supporting a group is profound, I have found. Don't ask me how it works, but it does. Harrison Harrison Owen 7808 River Falls Drive Potomac, Maryland 20854 Phone 301-365-2093 Skype hhowen Open Space Training www.openspaceworld.com Open Space Institute www.openspaceworld.org Personal website www.ho-image.com OSLIST: To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives Visit: www.listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html -----Original Message----- From: OSLIST [mailto:osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu] On Behalf Of Martin Truelove Sent: Friday, October 06, 2006 4:04 AM To: osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu Subject: Re: Showing up & being present Hi Michael, Tree, everybody, I think I sometimes show up, but I'm not really 'present', & this thread has set me thinking about what the difference might be, especially if, in open space, I can't demonstrate that presence by appearing to do a great deal! I'm early on in my OS practice, & it's just this concoction of mind, intellect & soul that tantalises me so much. I've just led an OS in London with leaders in the creative sector here in the UK, & I really felt that my presence made a difference, but I'm not entirely sure how! So these conversations really help. All I can say about this list & all the contributors is that it sustains my faith in OS, keeping my sprits up, helping me to 'hold the intention'(thanks to you, Christine Whitney Sanchez for that durable phrase!)& to continue to develop my practice. With best wishes from the fells (hills!) of northern England. Martin Truelove -----Original Message----- From: OSLIST [mailto:osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu] On Behalf Of Michael M Pannwitz Sent: 28 September 2006 10:15 To: osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu Subject: Re: Appreciative Inquiry Course - Teachers College, Columbia U, Nov. 9/10 Dear Tree, as usual, your note started me thinking. Why do I show up on the list? Showing up is, as I have experienced, the very first prerequisite for anything to happen. When nobody shows up not much will happen. Now, showing up (which Loretta has certainly demonstrated)does not mean that much will happen either (although she has gotten you and me showing up and more). Being present is the next stage (more than just my body being in a particular place now my mind, intellect and perhaps even soul are there), interaction starts unfolding, truth might be told, followed by the spirit dimension, letting go. Ok, so why do I show up? To learn, to contribute, to .... and to market myself and my ideas. So its me, my passion and the stuff I'm interested in spreading. I wouldn't be surprised if some others do that in this manner or similarily, too. The way it is intermingled, embedded, part of a whole...it might be part of our way of being or perhaps even be part of the open space mentality. So, how are approaches, products, etc. (such as AI) perceived that show up on the list "naked" (my assumption is that many of us have no idea of what AI is, I havent been close to it myself and would not see much of it other than that it shows up on this list every now and then and that some of those actively participating in the list are enthusiastic about it). So, if Loretta is trying to promote something on this list it might not be good marketing to do it by only showning up. Greetings from Berlin mmp Tree Fitzpatrick wrote: > Loretta, it is not the custom of the oslist for people to only show up > when they want to promote a workshop. If you and Bernard participate in > this list as regulars, then I would be happy to learn of your workshop > but I resist seeing notices lilke this when it feels like you are just > using the list to market yoursel without meaningfully participating in > the community. > > On 9/27/06, *Loretta Donovan* <loretta.dono...@gmail.com > <mailto:loretta.dono...@gmail.com>> wrote: > > Innovations in Business through a Positive Lens: > Concepts and Practices in > Appreciative Inquiry > > Taught by Renowned Instructors: > > Loretta Donovan and Bernard Mohr > > > November 9 & 10, 2006, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm > > Available for 1.5 CEUs/ non-credit or 1 credit > > Register by Phone at 1.800.209.1245 or Online for Course Code CEOI&ORL > 2010.001 at http://continuingeducation.tc.columbia.edu/default.aspx? > pageid=134&PK=771 > > > What if . . . > > . . . the quality and speed of organizational transformation is > determined by the very questions that we ask? Instead of grinding > resistance to change? > > . . . companies use inspired action and innovation that combined > best practices employees already knew along with their hopes and > ideas for the future? > > Applying David Cooperrider?s framework of Appreciative Inquiry (AI), an > exciting and proven approach to transforming business from his > intensive > two-day seminar will explore generative approaches to increasing > business capacity, fostering creativity and strategically positioning > the work of the corporation. > > AI builds a constructive union between stakeholders and the > organization > based on inquiry into past and present capacities: achievements, assets, > strengths, elevated thoughts, opportunities, high point moments, core > values, traditions, strategic competencies, insights into the deeper > corporate spirit, and visions of valued and possible futures. This > ?discovery? is then translated into descriptions of a desired future for > the organization and its stakeholders ? which in turn serves as the > basis for the development of the innovations which will most rapidly > move the organization in the direction it seeks to attain. > > This introductory course will focus on the five phases of the > appreciative process: definition of the strategic need, discovery of > the > organization?s positive core, dreaming of the environment in which > excellence will be fostered in the future, design of the structures, > processes and procedures that embody the principles and strategic > outcomes, and delivery of the initiatives that will move the business > forward to its new vision. It will highlight examples from the > manufacturing, services, consumer goods and healthcare industries. > Attention will be given to factors essential for effective use of AI and > preparing for implementation. > > * > * > ========================================================== > osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu <mailto:osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu> > ------------------------------ > To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, > view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu > <mailto:osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu>: > http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html > <http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html> > > To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: > http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist > > > > > -- > Love rays, > Tree Fitzpatrick > > . . . the great and incalculable grace of love, which says, with > Augustine, "I want you to be," without being able to give any particular > reason for such supreme and unsurpassable affirmation. -- Hannah Arendt > * * ========================================================== > osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu ------------------------------ To > subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of > osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu: > http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html To learn about > OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist -- Michael M Pannwitz, boscop eg Draisweg 1, 12209 Berlin, Germany ++49-30-772 8000 www.boscop.de www.michaelmpannwitz.de Check out the Open Space World Map presently showing 418 resident Open Space Workers in 68 countries (working in a total of 126 countries worldwide) www.openspaceworldmap.org * * ========================================================== osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist * * ========================================================== osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist * * ========================================================== osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist