Yay, Anna Caroline.... you speak my heart!
thank you. *Rosa Zubizarreta* *Developing Participatory and Co-intelligent LeadershipAuthor of From Conflict to Creative Collaboration <http://www.conflict2creativity.com>* *For more resources and learning opportunities, visit**www.DiaPraxis.com <http://www.DiaPraxis.com>* On Sun, Oct 4, 2015 at 10:27 AM, via OSList <oslist@lists.openspacetech.org> wrote: > Dear Daniel, thank you for sharing the synopsis of the essay. Sounds very > valuable to me! > > Rosa, yes I am also a 'green' lover - but living with the assumption that > I am pretty aware of the shadows... > > For me sitting in a circle is a structure. Starting with a break is > another element of structure. Allowing participants to co-create the agenda > is a structure. Etc. > > Harrison, I don't understand why you say structure is only a figment of > our imagination. > > I believe structure is something very real - even if it's not always as > tangible as the structure of a house - how we structure time, decision > making, dialogue, sharing, connecting ... Coffee breaks, all pretty real > stuff to me. > > I believe nobody is obliged to follow a given structure. But structure - > if it's purposefully designed can enable people to enter into a state of > flow with ease and joy. > > Of course structure is not the only reason why we experience flow, joy and > ease in a meeting. > > Let's take the example of a tomato. The wooden structure that holds the > tomato is not determining how the tomato grows, but if purposefully placed > it can supports the tomato to grow. > > The tomato's purpose is not to follow the wooden structure, the tomato is > growing, and the structure is an invitation to support the growth and > development. The structure itself is not the flow. The structure can enable > flow and healthy growth. > > I think there are several structural factors that can increase joy, ease > and creativity to emerge. I'll name those that come to mind - inspired by > the 'Deep Essence Tool' of the Genuine Contact program. Let me list those > factors as questions that help me when I design meeting structures/ > processes I facilitate: > > - is the purpose of the meeting/process clear? > - what are our values? Is the design of the meeting aligned with these > values? > - what assumptions do I and my clients have? (Watch out - assumptions have > a uber impact on the structure) I, you, a group, a leader have to be super > clear and honest about our assumptions - huge shadow trap - not being clear > honest about our assumptions when we create structure. > Now let's find and create a structure for our meeting, for our > organization, our movement... > The more purpose, values, assumptions and structures are aligned, in order > to create a life nurturing environment, the more the people have the > opportunity to take leadership for inspired action. > Step by step a story unfolds that is characterized by people > experimenting, sharing, trying, daring, learning ... Taking responsibility > and leadership. > > Depending on my abilities, resources and assumptions, and > consciousness/awareness I create structures as a facilitator. My wish is > to design and facilitate meetings where people connect with their passion > and take leadership. My aim is to be very clear why I create which > structures and I do my best to stay open to learn from the group and adopt > the structure to their needs if needed. > > I believe the purpose of the structure is to serve people, life and flow. > Structure shall never be created in order to be obeyed by the people. But > it may enable and empower people to step into their full potential and life > force. > > We as OST community create a structure that continues to allow flow, > learning, sharing, seeping our understanding: an international email list, > language specific lists, wosonos, Stammtisch, Facebook group, online > calls... > > I am grateful that this structure exists otherwise I could not learn from > all your perspectives, insights, questions and sharing. > > much Love > Anna Caroline > > > > On 03 Oct 2015, at 20:40, Harrison Owen via OSList < > oslist@lists.openspacetech.org> wrote: > > And just to churn the pot a bit.... open some space??? An off thought > which has pestered me recently. Goes like this. “Structure is only a > figment of our imagination. It is our “take” of reality, a flash frame of > the passing scene. In our minds it looks solid, even unchanging. But > actually it is just a momentary view of the ongoing flow.” Or something. > > > > Harrison > > > > *From:* OSList [mailto:oslist-boun...@lists.openspacetech.org > <oslist-boun...@lists.openspacetech.org>] *On Behalf Of *Daniel Mezick > via OSList > *Sent:* Saturday, October 03, 2015 9:26 AM > *To:* oslist@lists.openspacetech.org > *Subject:* [OSList] The Tyranny of Structurelessness > > > > THE TYRANNY of STRUCTURELESSNESS > by Jo Freeman aka Joreen > > I find this essay extremely interesting. I hope you do, too. > > > > Here is a pertinent quote, from the essay: > "... > > *the idea of "structurelessness" does not prevent the formation of > informal structures, only formal ones."* > Circa 1970. Context: the women's movement. Quick summary of the main > points: from the essay... > > - *During the years in which the women's liberation movement has been > taking shape, a great emphasis has been placed on what are called > leaderless, structureless groups as the main -- if not sole -- > organizational form of the movement. * > > > - *The idea of "structurelessness," however, has moved from a healthy > counter to those tendencies, to becoming a goddess in its own right.* > > > - *Contrary to what we would like to believe, there is no such thing > as a structureless group. * > > > - *This means that to strive for a structureless group is as useful, > and as deceptive, as to aim at an "objective" news story, "value-free" > social science, or a "free" economy. A "laissez faire" group is about as > realistic as a "laissez faire" society; the idea becomes a smokescreen for > the strong or the lucky to establish unquestioned hegemony over others. * > > > - *This hegemony can be so easily established because the idea of > "structurelessness" does not prevent the formation of informal structures, > only formal ones. * > > > - *For everyone to have the opportunity to be involved in a given > group and to participate in its activities, the structure must be explicit, > not implicit. * > > > - *It is this informal structure, particularly in Unstructured groups, > which forms the basis for elites.* > > > > Just in case you have not yet encountered the full text of this essay, > here it is: > > THE TYRANNY of STRUCTURELESSNESS > by Jo Freeman aka Joreen > http://www.jofreeman.com/joreen/tyranny.htm > > > > Regards, > Daniel > http://www.OpenSpaceAgility.com/about > http://www.DanielMezick.com > 203 915 7248 > > _______________________________________________ > 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 > Past archives can be viewed here: > http://www.mail-archive.com/oslist@lists.openspacetech.org > > > _______________________________________________ > 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 > Past archives can be viewed here: > http://www.mail-archive.com/oslist@lists.openspacetech.org >
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