Carms--
I think the way you describe the facilitator in each of those instances
makes that person a space invader, and the disgruntled comment was right
on. I could have said it!
It makes a difference how and when these things are done. The second
instance: the facilitator could hold open the space for posting topics a
little while longer, demonstrating waiting for those who are more
pensive and less forward. And if anyone asked, could say why in a mild
mannered, this is just how I see it sort of way.
And the comment about waiting people could more properly fit in a
breakout session, but again without being commanding.
The first instance, which sounds like it actually happened, strikes me
as the facilitator's own hang-ups showing. The chairs have to be in a
circle for me to feel like I am doing OST right. Bull puckey! We have
had OS in fixed bleachers, in semi-circles, in oblongs, with people
seated or standing or being their own bulletin boards. It works. Let it
work. Let go of your own stuff. And Carms, since you noticed, you
probably wanted to go up to the person and say something. Let go of that
too!
Tough to do? Tough to know what to do? Yes to both.
:- Doug.
On 04/26/2013 07:52 PM, Carmela Ariza wrote:
Dear Kerry, Chris, Michael, Doug, Kari
Thanks for all your wonderful insights.
I just quickly viewed the Tao book and will read that one of these days.
I already watched the musical on OST which was lovely. Would be great to
have the text also so we could understand all the lines sung
spontaneously...
If anyone has more thoughts on these I am still interested to hear what
other have to say.
Here is a more specific situation, that you may want to reflect with me on:
If an OST facilitator directs how the seating arrangement of the
participants in one of the OS sessions so that everyone sits in the
circle (and no one is outside the circle) in somewhat a commanding voice
- does this constitute violating open space principles? In this
instance, when the facilitator did this in a strong voice, one
participant commented "I thought this is Open Space?"
Or in another situation, in a very direct manner, the facilitator tells
the group to give a chance for some people to share their thoughts and
encouraged the more dominant players to be to listen to the less
dominant participants, is this also an indicator of lack of neutrality
in facilitation?
Of course, the purpose of directing how people are to arrange the
chairs, how they should be seated, who should listen to whom and when -
was to ensure that the less dominant players are heard. As we all know
it is possible that one group from a culture that is more forward,
assertive, more frank - could easily dominate the discussion. While
those coming from cultures that are more meek, submissive, less
assertive, etc. would not have so much voice in a very important
gathering that has an impact on the lives of the less dominant participants.
Is the OST facilitator in these instances mentioned above, becoming less
neutral with respect to participants, and does this constitute a
departure (to some extent) from the very essence of OST?
Would love to hear your thoughts....
Carms
/*If there is to be any peace it will come through being, not having. --
Henry Miller*/
------------------------------------------------------------------------
*From:* Kerry Napuk <kna...@gmail.com>
*To:* oslist@lists.openspacetech.org
*Sent:* Saturday, 27 April 2013, 7:17
*Subject:* [OSList] facilitator neutrality
Hi Listers
Neutrality of the facilitator is tied to "holding the space." You
cannot hold space if you participate in the event. Simple as that.
If you want to participate, become a participant. The facilitators
holds the space, IMHO, by sublimating his or her ego to the group's
integrity.
Here is one example: I did an event with an organiser who was so adept
at PR that he got four newspapers and a TV station to over the event
which was in a rural setting. The TV crew wanted to come into the hall
and film part of the process.
As the theme involved suicide and self harm, I asked the group what they
wanted to do with the TV crew's request. The did not want it and so,
probably for the first time in their life, they were banned from
shooting live footage. The organiser had to simulate a breakout group
with his staff in a side room.
Cheers
Kerry
Edinburgh
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