Hi Harrison! I was hoping you would answer. I actually listened to your awesome CD set, "Understanding Open Space Technology" where you did those 2 things. And that's also what I generally do. I think more meditation and sleep would have also helped, but with those 2 pieces I've never gotten complaints before.
I'm sensing a need for something more... or probably more likely... something less. And I did leave and take a nap. I didn't get this complaint direct, but second hand by email the morning after. Harold On Jun 15, 2015 3:07 PM, "Harrison" <hho...@verizon.net> wrote: > Harold ... Two suggestions. First at the very beginning, I always stand at > the edge of the circle in silence. Then, and only then, when the group has > become quiet I say “Good morning. Welcome to Open Space.” I pause another > moment (how long is a moment?) and I invite everybody to take a deep breath > before the excitement of the day... and let their eyes slowly wander around > the circle of those assembled, noticing the people they know, the ones they > don’t know, and maybe even those they never want to know. I remind people > that this is a unique moment in history, for never before has this group > been assembled, and never again will it meet. Further, that this is a > totally remarkable group, for it contains precisely the resources needed > for the work of the day... which segue ways quite naturally into “our” > theme. > > > > Second suggestion. When it seems that most of the issues have been > announced... wait some more time in silence. Wait until it almost seems > embarrassing...inviting any late comers. And just before your wait is “too > long,” invite everybody to go to the wall and make their selections. Time > for your nap! > > > > I guarantee you will get no complaints, and if there were any, you would > not be around to hear them. > > > > Harrison > > > > Winter Address > > 7808 River Falls Drive > > Potomac, MD 20854 > > 301-365-2093 > > > > Summer Address > > 189 Beaucaire Ave. > > Camden, ME 04843 > > 207-763-3261 > > > > Websites > > www.openspaceworld.com <http://%20www.openspaceworld.com> > > www.ho-image.com > > OSLIST To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives > of OSLIST Go to: > http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org > > > > *From:* OSList [mailto:oslist-boun...@lists.openspacetech.org] *On Behalf > Of *Harold Shinsato via OSList > *Sent:* Monday, June 15, 2015 1:15 PM > *To:* OSLIST > *Subject:* [OSList] No silence in opening > > > > The Open Space for the Jeannette Rankin Peace Center ( > http://civicrm.jrpc.org/rising-from-the-ashes) I facilitated this > Saturday went extremely well. We had a full day of sessions and high levels > of engagement, and the center's Executive Director said it way exceeded her > expectations. > > After sitting in the glow of so many thank you's, gratitude, and "good > job" the day of the event and afterwards - I was surprised and quite > annoyed by a bit of feed back second hand through email... > > "there should have been a 5-minute or so thinking time." > > "Some people needed more quiet time to gather there thoughts." > > As people become more familiar with Open Space, my personal experience is > that rather than a long awkward and anxiety filled pause as facilitators > worry if anyone will post a session - instead, especially in public OST > events, people launch and line up to populate the agenda. This has bothered > me, but this is the first time I've heard the complaint of a *lack* of > silence in the opening. > > After my initial annoyance, and speaking with an Open Space colleague, my > wife, and another space holding professional, I wondered if this weren't > actually something that can help there be authentic open space, and not > just a cargo cult going through the motions. > > I'm pondering a way to help there be space before people come to the > center to announce their sessions - but without doing some heavy > facilitated silence or meditation process. > > Any thoughts, suggestions? > > Thank you! > Harold > > -- > Harold Shinsato > har...@shinsato.com > http://shinsato.com > twitter: @hajush <http://twitter.com/hajush> >
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