A great wee story! I find when trying to communicate to people learning about OST facilitation that it's those kinds of stories that really get the message across about how OS facilitation is different, rich and powerfull and what letting go actually means. They can then not only imagine it more clearly but also feel it in their gut and their heart which are the places where it has to be anchored to be of real assistance.
Thanks Brendan and hi to Brian. You continue to be your humble but great self. Diane ----- Original Message ----- From: Brendan McKeague To: osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu Sent: Wednesday, December 05, 2007 10:22 AM Subject: Heard the one about the Irishman and the Catholic Priest....? G'day folks - a wee story.... Last week I had the privilege and deep pleasure of sharing a presentation with the very reverend and esteemed Brian Bainbridge. In a moment of magical madness (or inspiration) we had concocted the title of a workshop for the annual Australasian Facilitators Network (AFN) / International Association of Facilitiators (IAF) conference, held in Adelaide. The conference theme was The Next Chapter: Showcasing the purpose of Facilitation and the title of our workshop was: 'Letting Go - heretical or heroic?' We were expecting a relaxing, easy 1.5 hour session with a few colleagues (there was 130 at the conference so we anticipated about 20 at our workshop) and had prepared our session rather loosely over a coffee the day before - or something like that. I suggested that we perhaps tell some stories about our experiences of Open Space that illustrated these tensions around 'letting go'....and in his own inimitable style, Brian responded with - whatever happens....! On the day, over forty folks crowded into our circle and were poised waiting for the 'delivery'....Brian and I looked at each other and I could tell by the mischevious glint in his eye that he was saying, 'another fine mess you've got us into McKeague'... in his other eye, I could clearly see the affirmation: 'let's walk our talk now...time to let go...' And so we did. We had the SIGNS on the wall behind us and I told the first story about my very first 'paid' Open Space event when the sponsors began to pull individuals out of the conversation groups and form a rather exclusive group right in the middle of the space - what should I do? They were ruining the process. How dare they do this to the process (to me!). Why aren't people rebelling? How disrespectful.... And so I did the only thing I possibly could have done - I went outside for a walk! (it turned out that the sponsors were responding to a 'directive' from their Government Minister and needed to compile a reply quick-smart....everyone in that room 'knew' that this was what was going on - except me - and it was accepted as a normal part of the culture of that department - no worries!) Well that raised a lot of curiosity among the mob of professional facilitators - and the questions flowed effortlessly from the discussion that followed... Brian followed with the story of an Open Space sponsored by a multinational mining company and members of the local community - the angst and anxieties embedded in the adversarial energies that gathered to work out the best way forward when the local mine was ordered by Head Honchos overseas to expand or close down - and the need for Brian to 'let go' when the emotions were escalating and the conflict was running hot..... Another round of conversations and questions and before we knew it, the 90 mins were gone and we'd only told one story each - we had prepared for about three each.... The feedback was positive and affirming - with some longer-term facilitator colleagues remarking that, at last, they now understood what the essence of Open Space was about.... And so, the Catholic priest and the Irishman went off on their separate ways, enriched and emboldened by their magical adventure into yet another 'mysterious space' where letting go, with positive intention and willingness to flow with the energies that emerge, once again provided the stuff of life.... I just love this 'work'.... and the people who do it - thanks Brian! Cheers Brendan * * ========================================================== 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
