Birgitt, Although I don't use the term empowerment in the same way that you do, I appreciate the insight that OST may not help participants detach from outcome. Interesting that this important value we apply to ourselves we rarely consider for participants.
I suppose if we were Buddhist, this observation would be reason to question the validity of the process. Now there's a new slant on things. Julie -----Original Message----- From: OSLIST [mailto:osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu] On Behalf Of Birgitt Williams Sent: Thursday, February 20, 2003 12:24 PM To: osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu Subject: Re: Empowerment and other matters (Short!!)Update on the 2.5 day Open Space with the Katzie First Nation Dear friends who are following this thread on empowerment, I have learned that there are three modes of empowerment. The first mode of empowerment is to achieve detachment from outcome. The second is to embody personal force and power, knowing that each of us within us holds the key to create change and each of us within us has the resources that we need to do so. In this second mode of empowerment, it is critical to create the personal world in the image of your choosing (will is required) and to engage in focused action. The third mode of empowerment is retaining memory. This retention of memory is what we each draw on for knowledge and wisdom I have explored these modes of empowerment for the individual and for the collective of individuals (otherwise known as an organization). Sometimes choices are to use empowerment to nurture life. And sometimes to destroy life. Does OST assist the individual or collective in detaching from outcome? I say no. By working with passion, it does the opposite, often. Does OST assist the individual or collective to embody personal force and power and knowledge that the resources lie within. I say yes. Does OST assist in the retaining of memory. I think it has more potential for this than is commonly worked with. I offer this to think about. Birgitt -----Original Message----- From: OSLIST [mailto:osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu]On Behalf Of Fr Brian S Bainbridge Sent: Tuesday, February 18, 2003 7:40 PM To: osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu Subject: Re: Empowerment and other matters (Short!!)Update on the 2.5 day Open Space with the Katzie First Nation For Chris Corrigan and other friends: I have two - or so - insights to add, perhaps. 1. Warren Bennis once talked to me about empowerment as "a licence to kill" - which I found shattering a couple of years ago. But I don't find it so now, because I have seen that very impact sometimes, especially when it is translated as action without responsibility. At an Open Space yesterday evening, the view of a person (trained in South Africa) holding others responsible, holding that they are empowered and thus act without responsibility was very different from what the Australians in the group saw, coupled with a seeming inability to go beyond that to see that people can and do act with passion AND responsibility. His learning and reading and MBA training have done him a huge disservice, on the face of things. But he was interested to engage and has been reading Harrison's "The Spirit of Leadership". It will be interesting to see how he changes when he reads "The Practice of Peace". 2. I love the notion "decolonization". A major Open Space in New Zealand seemed to result in not a lot of outcomes, but it did permit the Maori participants to confess privately that the program process (Open Space) was marvellous in that it allowed them to work in the way their tradition always used to before the imposition and intimidation and controlling foisted on them by the Pakeha (whites). The only other significant comment they made was to ask us not to convey this comment to the whites who (they believed) would be utterly incensed by such heresy. I know the very same responses are present here in Australia among our indigenous people. An extra two-penny-worth, maybe. Cheers and blessings, BRIAN. * * ========================================================== osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu, Visit: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html --- Incoming mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.449 / Virus Database: 251 - Release Date: 1/27/2003 --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.449 / Virus Database: 251 - Release Date: 1/27/2003 * * ========================================================== osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu, Visit: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html * * ========================================================== osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu, Visit: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html