Sound like a plan!
ho Harrison Owen 7808 River Falls Dr. Potomac, MD 20854 USA 189 Beaucaire Ave. (summer) Camden, Maine 04843 Phone 301-365-2093 (summer) 207-763-3261 www.openspaceworld.com www.ho-image.com (Personal Website) To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of OSLIST Go to: <http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org> http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org From: oslist-boun...@lists.openspacetech.org [mailto:oslist-boun...@lists.openspacetech.org] On Behalf Of Eleder_BuM Sent: Thursday, May 30, 2013 10:56 AM To: World wide Open Space Technology email list Subject: Re: [OSList] What to do when a conflicted and important part is missing? 2013/5/29 Harrison Owen <hho...@verizon.net> Eleder A painful pickle for sure! This may be one of those cases where that old favorite medicine of experienced physicians is the only cure: Tincture of Time. But I think there may be some alternatives, as well as a few thoughts about why your efforts to date have been less than productive. Taking these in reverse order Why didnt things work out as you hoped? Or more immediately, why didnt the people come? The obvious and simple answer is that they didnt care to. We have learned, I think, that good things happen when people share a common concern. There may be a large diversity of opinions relative to that concern, but they never-the-less care (hopefully with some passion) about a shared concern. That shared concern is the natural focal point for any Open Space and represents the core of the theme. Hi Harrison, if I pay attention to the person of the (more or less organised) group that didn´t come and spoke with me long, the issue (the way to make decissions in the town,...) was really interesting for them. It is, in fact, the origin of the big trouble. But there is now strong pain, and they would no way like to gather in such a space. During last years meetings have been hotter and hotter. Disrespect, loud voices, even curses appeared, seemingly. Of course, there must be other subjects that are now more important and may attract a more diverse representation of the town. This would, sure, help the cure. So your sage words inspire me some kind of strategy... * Take time to listen deeply to several people of the town, the more diverse the group, the better. * Find out which their really hot subjects are, the ones that everybody would like to spend a day speaking and acting about. * Get many people involved in the invitation process. Invite them to "invite personally this one that otherwise would sure not come,...". The closing circle of the last Open Space session showed some people that are really feeling upset for the ausents beeing not there,... * Open space on those "real business issues", for the issue and specially for the cure and the reinforcement of trust,... Michael, you say,... "if they in fact meet and follow the simple design I have described on this list." could you tell us more about this design? Thanks so much for your attention, Eleder I think this may be the nub of your problem, because if I read you right, the theme of your Open Space was one thing that a majority of the people, particularly those you really wanted to come, simply had no interest in discussing. (Open Space on the ways to include everybody´s opinions in the decisions of the small town.). You are doubtless correct in thinking that this issue is worthy of discussion but that makes it YOUR issue, and not necessarily theirs. And if it aint theirs they wont care and absent caring, they wont come. Which turned out to be the case. What about alternatives? If I heard you correctly, there is a large amount of pain and distrust amongst the people which may be justified or not but it is there and destructive. Some people may call it a communication problem which is rather a mild way of talking about a very difficult situation which definitely requires a fix. But one of the things I have learned (painfully) over the years is that fixing a communication problem is rarely if ever (never. in my experience) accomplished by talking about it. The discussions tend to be puerile and abstract except for people interested in communications (process people like us). Most people, I find dont want to talk about communications but they do want and need to communicate. So it is more about doing and not so much about process and techniques. I know this statement will not sit well with those invested in all those tools but it is my constant experience that when people truly care about a common issue and need to communicate to get something done they do it with excellence. That of course is the lesson of every significant Open Space I have ever seen. Happens every time PROVIDED the focal issue is a matter of serious, common concern what I often call a real business issue. I think there may be some strategy here for your situation. First off Give up trying to invite people to talk about communication. A friend of mine used to say that such efforts were pretty much like trying to teach a pig to sing: It sounds terrible and annoys the pig! Instead look for an issue, or multiple issues, where there is genuine, existential, practical, common concern. Potholes in the roads, sewage treatment, education for the kids, help with the old folks, -- and then invite those who care to come. And they will. Chances are good that they will make some positive steps on the issues of their concern but more important for your concern THEY WILL COMMUNICATE. They will build mutual trust and respect if they care to do that. It is also possible, of course, that the people involved really are miserable, hateful creatures, unworthy of any trust or respect. I think that is quite unlikely, but it could be true. And if so, the only sane approach is to leave town and go and do something useful (Law of two Feet). But I seriously doubt you are there yet Much more likely the people involved are fundamentally good hearts needing only an invitation to engage issues they really care about. Harrison Harrison Owen 7808 River Falls Dr. Potomac, MD 20854 USA 189 Beaucaire Ave. (summer) Camden, Maine 04843 Phone 301-365-2093 (summer) 207-763-3261 www.openspaceworld.com <http://www.openspaceworld.com%20> www.ho-image.com <http://www.ho-image.com%20> (Personal Website) To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of OSLIST Go to:http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org From: oslist-boun...@lists.openspacetech.org [mailto:oslist-boun...@lists.openspacetech.org] On Behalf Of Eleder_BuM Sent: Wednesday, May 29, 2013 7:39 AM To: World wide Open Space Technology email list Subject: [OSList] What to do when a conflicted and important part is missing? After the second Open Space (this one 4 hours one) in the small self-managed village (some messages before on this list, under " How do we invite key and high conflicted people?" subject), a main question remains inside me. What would you do if a conflicted and important part of the community is missing and has no intention to join & the promotors seem unable to invite properly? #InvitationProcess <https://twitter.com/#%21/search?q=%23InvitationProcess> #Conflict <https://twitter.com/#%21/search?q=%23Conflict> #OpenSpace <https://twitter.com/#%21/search?q=%23OpenSpace> Some weeks ago we had an Open Space on the ways to include everybody´s opinions in the decissions of the small town. A big part of the villagers said in advance that they would no way come. They feel very hurted about some quarrels last years in the council commitees,... The "other side" (the own in power, the majority and the promotors of these events) is also very hurted. The invitation process should be in this case, I think, very long, patient, cautious, loving,... and they don´t seem to be able to do the job now. Does it make any sense to do another OS with this feeling of impotence? Should we try some conflict resolution before inviting for another OS? Or maybe such an invitation process (very long, patient, cautious, loving,...) and a long 1´5 or 2´5 day OS would be the good "cure"? Should the facilitator lead the invitation process, in an additional mediator role? I´m quite lost in the process, letting go, and present all the time, with this duty on the back of my mind,... Enjoy life! <http://twitter.com/Eleder_BuM> @Eleder_BuM <http://www.burumapak.blogspot.com/> www.burumapak.blogspot.com (Basque) <http://www.in-fluyendo.blogspot.com/> www.in-fluyendo.blogspot.com (Sp.) <http://www.flowandshow.blogspot.com/> www.flowandshow.blogspot.com (En) <http://www.bilbohiria.com/gaika/berbaz> http://www.bilbohiria.com/gaika/berbaz (radio interviews) _______________________________________________ OSList mailing list To post send emails to OSList@lists.openspacetech.org To unsubscribe send an email to oslist-le...@lists.openspacetech.org To subscribe or manage your subscription click below: http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org
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