Lisa-- Welcome to the pool! Dive on in, the water is warm, embracing, friendly.
You've already sent the invitations, now enjoy the party. And yes, it is OK to be a host and take part in your own quasi-OST. You'll do fine--you have a good head and a good heart, don't you? Oh! Be sure to report back how it went, Lisa. We're all ears.... :- Doug. On Mon, 2009-02-09 at 20:05 -0800, Lisa Floyd wrote: > Hello, everyone, > > I'm a new swimmer in this pool -- 1st time in the pool, actually. > I've had the pleasure of two OS Facilitator trainings with Lisa Heft > this year. > I'm not a facilitator by trade, occupation, habit, or > experience....but: > > I have a community of friends with a common goal and some guidelines > and action plans on how best to pursue that goal. > As always there are some in the vanguard of the process and some (of > us) that are lingering back not feeling much attraction to the tasks > at hand, not participating much, but want to participate actively in > some other (not yet explored or offered) ways. > Those in the vanguard are on 'tilt' over-time, and are scheduled to > burn-out soon, so they don't have the time -- nor the pace -- to keep > holding our hands...we need to get ourselves motivated and active. > > I've invited some of the laggers to get together to see what we can do > to support the collective effort -- for about 4 hours this Thursday > (State holiday) or this weekend depending on most convenient date -- > for 3 purely selfish reasons: > > 1) I want to dialoge with the other laggers to get myself motivated > in some direction or activity -- not just a social-whine time. > 2) I want to introdue O.S. to the community. > 3) I want to practice some O.S. to the extent that I might be able > to, as a raw beginner. > > Last week -- before consulting you -- I sent out a personal invitation > with motive and purpose to about 12 people, and offered a choice of 3 > dates within this week to see which day would be best. I'm hoping to > get maybe 4-12 participants. > I cast it as an informal O.S. experiment and a fun, productive use of > our time. > Most know that I'd like to try this (OS) method as they've heard me > advocate it as a change from the common facilitator-centered, > agenda-driven, arm-twisting mtg.) > So, so far, I'm the "client" and the self-designated > "facilitator".... > > So, my questions are: > Obviously, I'd like to participate in the converstions, dialogues. > Must I remain faithful to a facilitator roll? > Or can I open the space then put on my "participant" hat until the > closing circle, making it clear in the intro that I'm doing that > and it is not "orthodox" OS? > > I'm conflicted that I did not reach out to the whole community, i.e. > the enthusiasts & the people I don't really know, for this mtg. > I basically invited those who seem to have similar needs as me. > Is that okay this time? ("It's my party and I'll invite who I want > to", mentality.) > > [Background & rationale: > The enthusiasts are already overwhelmed with their work; that's why > they need us, too. I only invited those 'silent' folks with whom I > sense common feelings and reasons for not enthusiastically following > the lead of those who are already off & running with an action plan. > We stragglers don't necessarily have common action ideas or abilities, > so there is still a wee bit of diversity in the group of invitees. > It's certain that we don't want to create an alternative initiative, > either. We are very familiar with the goals and plans of action now > in process and the stretched resources and sacrifices of those doing > the work, and we would like to be useful in our own ways.] > > So my invitation left out the vanguard folks. (They've led the > agenda-driven meetings with much enthusiasm which hasn't lit some of > us up so far -- yawn.) > > By leaving them out, I thought we stragglers could get some confidence > in our own thoughts -- in an open space -- to practice our own voices > for the next community reflection/planning mtg, or to invite the > enthusiasts to a future mtg. of us stragglers. Afterall, we need the > enthusiasts' input at some point in order to support them > successfully. Or, one could hope, that seeing the stragglers step up > with renewed enthusiasm, good ideas, and participation might provide > motive to use O.S. as the format for the next reflection/planning > meeting. > > Pitfalls, counter-arguments, or encouragement, anyone? > (I should confirm a date by tomorrow and maybe know my role by then, > eh?) > > Thanks ahead of time, > lisafloyd > Santa Rosa, CA, USA > > -*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*-- > > =*==*==*==*==*==*==*==*==*==*==*==*==*==*==*==*==*==*==*==*==*==*==*==* > > > > > > ______________________________________________________________________ > See how Windows connects the people, information, and fun that are > part of your life. See Now* * > ========================================================== > 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