Greetings friends and colleagues, Just wanted to share a few stories/thoughts briefly.
I facilitated an Open Space on Friday for a group that I have been working with for nine months that have emerged most beautifully into an ongoing Open Space organization. Along the way there were several joyous moments but in more recent months (I go there one day every three weeks) there have been many complaints about Open Space and more than one impassioned speech by a staff member about change and not wanting to change. They themselves saw the irony in their anger at me and at the process, admitting that I was far more gentle with them than they are with their clients. Their clients are people with serious addictions and the staff expect them to change and become "dry" within an 18 day process or else they labelled them as failures or non-compliant. Yet, when it came to their own change, they fought the change every step of the way. And suddenly, without warning came the moment of their birthing to the new. And they now celebrate change, and Open Space. A huge breakthrough in the way that they are as organization, the way that they are with each other, and the way they work together with their "clients". When I finally get time to write this up, it has all the ingredients of what happens as an organization is making the shift to ongoing Open Space and is a wonderful learning for others who may be so inclined. Anyhow, on Friday, I positioned myself to start the closing circle and went to chime my temple bells. I thought I had missed because the sound didn't really work, so I tried again being most intent on "getting it right". Same result. And as a child, I looked at the bells and then broke into gales of laughter. There on the underside was cotton batton, well taped in to dull the sound. And the whole group was laughing with and at me. A most healing moment and expression of their acceptance of me and all we had done together, despite the pain. The second story focuses on a large Church structure with an unhappy relationship with Open Space. Again, this is one of those stories I wish to take the time to write up in its fullness, but haven't yet. Anyhow, about 1994 Harrison came and led the group of many hundred through a three day Open Space. Went beautifully, except they hated the results because the truth came out so they tried to blame the process and certainly were unkind to Harrison's reputation. Nine months later, having vowed NEVER to use Open Space again, they ended up with me as their facilitator for a day in Open Space, which in turn led to me with them in Open Space a year after that. They grumbled along the way, the leadership hated and continues to hate (or FEAR) Open Space, yet are having to do these Open Spaces as a result of the insistence of THE PEOPLE. Okay, I'm trying to make a long, multi-year story short (I intend to put the full epic version up on the GOSI site soon). The other evening at a party, the senior staff responsible to all these NETWORKS that have resulted from these Open Spaces continued with his commentary about Open Space and the hell it had brought to his own life. I listened quietly (for those of you who know me, yes this is possible) and then he looked me in the eye and said " I do have to share with you one of the success stories. There are some, you know." One of our parishoners who never speaks up and has never participated in the formal structure of the church realized that he was welcome at the networks, understood that they were inclusive. He has a pet project involving the clearing of landmines in Southern Sudan and has wished for a while for the Church to be involved. He brought the idea to one of the networks and although this hadn't been on their agenda, they got passionate about his passion and one thing has led to another and through this particular group, we are now active in Southern Sudan in partnership with another organation, removing landmines. So....maybe, this Open Space stuff works some of the time.If we had our old committee structure, he never would have spoken up, much less made it onto the agenda. I just smiled. And with that, I bid you a good night. Birgitt Bolton