Re: [OSList] Space invaders and using your two feet

[Romy Shovelton via OSList]

Thanks Michael… for you eternal wisdom….. and Paul for your eternal addition… 😊

> On 21 Feb 2022, at 06:28, paul levy via OSList 
>  wrote:
> 
> That's beautiful, Michael, and I can go with it 
> 
> Yet, mysteriously for me, in my deeper experience of my life, even the law of 
> gravity feels like a kind of invitation, one which I occasionally refuse.
> 
> Paul 
> 
> On Mon, 21 Feb 2022, 04:11 Michael Herman via OSList, 
> mailto:oslist@lists.openspacetech.org>> 
> wrote:
> for me, it actually is a kind of law:  "you and only you know when you are 
> learning and contributing as much as you can."  
> 
> a law, as chris corrigan taught me to say, "...that's not like a speed limit, 
> but more like the law of gravity.  defy it at your own risk!"  
> 
> having pointed this out in an opening circle, i then suggest that everyone in 
> circle has the same job, the right AND the responsibility, to use their two 
> feet and/or whatever else they use to get around, to go wherever they need 
> to, to maximize their own learning and contribution.
> 
> in the end we don't care if they move... what we want is highest learning and 
> highest contribution.
> 
> for me, in open space, personal passion/freedom is always bounded/informed by 
> responsibility/contribution to the whole.  
> 
> i think our pulsation between these apparent opposites, passion and 
> responsibility, learning and contributing, me and us, past and future, and so 
> on... is what drives it all.  we can't get stuck.  we have to keep moving.  
> each of us, for all of us.
> 
> learning and practicing this kind of pulsation, between apparent opposites, 
> is for me the most important thing we invite in open space.  it's in the 
> going back and forth that strengthens us.
> 
> michael
> 
>  
> --
> 
> Michael Herman
> Michael Herman Associates
> 312-280-7838 (mobile)
> 
> MichaelHerman.com 
> OpenSpaceWorld.org 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On Sun, Feb 20, 2022 at 12:49 PM paul levy via OSList 
> mailto:oslist@lists.openspacetech.org>> 
> wrote:
> I haven't called it a law in years.
> 
> That is because it isn't a law. It is an eternal invitation.
> 
> Paul
> 
> On Sun, 20 Feb 2022, 16:08 Bhavesh Patel via OSList, 
> mailto:oslist@lists.openspacetech.org>> 
> wrote:
> Thanks Michael, always appreciate the time you take to write longer emails 
> and share stories. 
> 
> The way you intro the Law is pretty much exactly how I do it as well, using 
> almost the same language. That for me still involves using my freedom to take 
> responsibility for my learning, contribution, productivity, and where that is 
> going to happen or not going to happen, at the same time never fully knowing 
> and always responding to all that is happening within, between, and among... 
> self-organisation, or as Morin says eco-self-organsation!
> 
> I also have a very similar approach to space invaders, and have rarely 
> encountered one. There was one time when a person twice the size of me, a 
> former head of a big brand, took the mic for me and told everyone to stop 
> putting up topics on the second morning, because he had done a full analysis 
> of day 01 and could now tell us what we needed to do. I told him that was 
> great and kindly asked him to write it up and stick it up, but he held on to 
> the mic and repeated that this was not necessary and now we all needed to 
> listen to him and... there was a stand-off with both of us holding the mic, 
> until one of his peers asked him to let the facilitator do his job, he backed 
> off, and guess what, not many came to his session, and...
> 
> I have also used the walk out approach when nothing was happening, on 
> reflection I think I needed to leave the room for that group to truly believe 
> the power is in their hands to post topics!
> 
> I guess what I was trying to think about was what to do when someone is 
> clearly speaking in a way that is offensive to others... people can use their 
> two feet, the facilitator can also walk out of the room, what else is 
> there... I don't think OST = anything and everything is ok... so I was 
> reflecting on that... not sure if I am making sense to anyone???
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On Sun, 20 Feb 2022 at 12:41, Michael M Pannwitz via OSList 
> mailto:oslist@lists.openspacetech.org>> 
> wrote:
> Dear Bhavesh,
> 
> The Law of Two Feet (this is, of course, no Law but tongue of cheeck 
> speak of the Man with the Hat) has not felt to me as a reminder to be 
> responsible for where I want to be.
> In my intro to the process I say in the role of facilitator: "And here", 
> pointing to the large poster on the wall of the space or on a large 
> pinboard on the edge of the outer circle or floating above the crowd of 
> 2108 supported by large balloons, have a look here
> > https://openspaceworldscape.org/events/165-jetzt-meine-leidenschaft-meine-verantwortung-ueber-die-tagung-hinaus-now-my-passion-my-responsibility-beyond-the-conference
> >  
> > 

Re: [OSList] Space invaders and using your two feet

[Marc C. Trudeau via OSList]

Thanks for this, mmp. Great, real world examples and guidance.

On Feb 20, 2022, at 5:41 AM, Michael M Pannwitz via OSList 
mailto:oslist@lists.openspacetech.org>> wrote:

Dear Bhavesh,

The Law of Two Feet (this is, of course, no Law but tongue of cheeck speak of 
the Man with the Hat) has not felt to me as a reminder to be responsible for 
where I want to be.
In my intro to the process I say in the role of facilitator: "And here", 
pointing to the large poster on the wall of the space or on a large pinboard on 
the edge of the outer circle or floating above the crowd of 2108 supported by 
large balloons, have a look here
https://openspaceworldscape.org/events/165-jetzt-meine-leidenschaft-meine-verantwortung-ueber-die-tagung-hinaus-now-my-passion-my-responsibility-beyond-the-conference

"is the Law of Two Feet which has to be utterly adhered to as it is a LAW:
I honor a group with my absence if I neither learn nor contribute something. If 
I am learning something I stay, if I am contributindg something I also stay.
But if neither, then I'll do the group and especially myself the favor of 
taking my feet... ", and here I imitate the Man by looking at my feet for 3 
seconds lift them and run a short distance in front of the assembled crowd... 
continuing:"... and move to a space which is more productive for me... or to 
take a nap." (At this point folks usually laugh out loud, incited by my awkward 
running style)

Now all this has nothing to do with taking responsibility for where I want to 
be. I am focusing on this because I as facilitator am not in any way 
responsible for what anyone does, under the assumption that everyone is 
naturally "responsible"... and I adress it in the systemic context we are in 
when in an os event, and that it is selforganisation all the time.

Regarding space invaders -  which I rarely have encountered probably because I 
am such an awsome event myself, especially when totally present and at the same 
time invisible - I do intervene.

My first intervention is to do nothing and wait (at this point I understand why 
I am being paid for this job). If the crowd is kind of struck and silent, also 
waiting, I still wait. Usually, this intervention does get addressed by a 
participant, which causes another participant to react... and results in a 
short exchange in which usually someone then gets the space invader to see that 
the group does not oust him.

If no participant intervenes and I have counted to 10, I ask: "Who else feels 
like Charlie?" This always works, one or several other participants will say 
something. The main advantage of participants participating in this is that the 
space invader immidiately sees that he/she is still part of the group, not an 
outsider.

Another observation I have made is that some space invasions are aggressive 
while others are certainly productive but not executed completely.

At one event, one participant got up to introduce his issue (others had posted 
issues before him) and said: "I have the most important 5 issues that need to 
be worked on!" and deposited his 5 issue sheets in the center.
Here I intervened right away and reminded him that the issues have to be 
announced and posted on the Bulletin Board and that he shoulc say his name. 
Somewhat nervous he picke up his 5 issues, spoke to them and then posted them 
on the Bulletin Board.
Later in the day he approached me and said: "Michael, nobody signed in for my 
issues! This was an important lesson for me."

So, its not about what is allowed or not. Its about how space and time for 
selforganisation are expanded right then and here. Thats what I recommend 
facilitators to focus on.

The utmost the facilitator can do in case stuff gets out of control and nothing 
works is to leave the space.
I have experienced this twice in os events.
First event was the gathering of 300 Imams and Rabbis in Sevilla where HO 
facilitated and I was his assistant. The participants kept posting isssues 
without end and even after allocating 15 minutes more they kept going. When the 
time was over, HO turned to me and spoke into the mikrophone "Michael, please 
take over!" and left the room. It took only minutes that the participants 
stopped posting issues and moved into the phase to walk up to the Bulletin 
Board to sign up for issues they wanted to work on.

The second example was an os with facilitators from different approaches in 
which I was participant.
In the closing circle of the first day, one participant insisted on a 
discussion of a particularly critical aspect. He ignored the facilitators 
suggestion to post his issue for a session after dinner or the next day. No, he 
wanted to continue. The facilitator pointed to the schedule and the amount of 
time left. At the end of the agreed upon time he stood up and left the room.
Two minutes later, the entire group left, too.

What about other stories on The Law and Space Invadors?

Right now I am returning to the breakfast table where we are tal

Re: [OSList] Space invaders and using your two feet

[Steve Holyer via OSList]

Thanks all. I will think on these examples often in the future, I also 
always think on the User’s Guide from Harrison (and often review the 
bit on Space Invaders because I think it captures something essential 
about Open Space facilitation).


A few additional thoughts I find there:

* I try to remember a Space Invader often tries to control the space 
(and close it for others) because of their own great passion and sense 
of responsibility. A space invader’s passion usually manifests in 
something that works against the law of mobility/2 feet in some way. The 
examples Micheal and others gave of someone announcing the Open Space 
can stop now while everyone considers/accepts their priorities is a a 
pretty obvious  Space Invader attempting to suspend the law of mobility 
out of passion for the topic and their "answer". When I have encountered 
"space invaders" it helps me think openly(compassionately?) about them 
when I remember that most Space Invaders aren’t trying to destroy. 
They are trying to "build". We invited, welcomed and celebrated their 
passion, but it’s manifesting right now in a way that closes the 
space.


	(And now, I also find space invaders when I’m "riding the wave" 
outside of an open space event. If everything is open space, then I’m 
not surprised to sometimes meet space invaders anywhere. This thinking 
on Space Invaders helps me.  When I’m responding as my better self, I 
am able to realise "this is a space invader" and then I can ask 
myself—and them—about the passion, responsibility and caring driving 
their actions. I also believe that most mean well, but also I strongly 
believe some space invaders actually operate—voluntarily or 
involuntarily—out of passion for spite and malice or mental 
illness…so I consider best intentions, but I don’t make a blanket 
statement that I can assume everyone is operating with best 
intentions—because I have bad experiences with people who simply 
aren’t for some reason.)


* As a facilitator holding space, while you remind everyone of the 
principles of open space, many space invaders will realise their 
passionate (well meaning) actions are closing space and the Space 
Invader melts away (like in Michael’s example). When that doesn’t 
happen (after a few reminders) the facilitator calmly walks away. (I 
find the hard part here is to do this without any hint of 
passion—aggression — which can unfortunately be my goto stance when 
I’m not holding space.) That way you use your mobility and demonstrate 
that the natural law of mobility applies everyone even myself 
facilitating. As the book says that’s almost always enough to remind 
everyone else they can use their mobility too.


	(I usually use the washroom or take a new refreshing Diet Coke. The 
fact that I take so many refreshing Diet Cokes usually means I need the 
washroom anyway. And as I recall, every time I’ve returned to the main 
space 10 or 15 minutes later the space invasion is over and everyone is 
working in full-on open space. Online might be trickier but last week I 
referred to the law of mobility, invited the group to carry on, and 
asked the co-facilitator who was working with me if she wanted to join 
me in a break out to work on something we needed to do (she did)—I 
felt I needed to be explicit that we were leaving so that we could add 
value elsewhere because as you know when we’re online it may not be 
noticeable otherwise. And just as I find *in situ*, we returned 10 
minutes later to find the space invasion was over and open space had 
returned. A tool like QiqoChat makes this easier since movement is kinda 
visible AND simple enough for people to navigate without any facilitator 
intervention once they know how it works— and I promise Lucas 
doesn’t give me kickbacks for promoting his tool all the time. ;) )


* The key thing in the User’s Guide for me (and something that taught 
me a lot about what it means to hold space) is if the participants are 
still giving space to the invasion at this point, then they *have* in 
fact followed the pervasive law of mobility and chosen to participate in 
the invasion. **If the facilitator intervenes at this point, the 
*facilitator* becomes the *Space Invader*.**


After adding that to the general discussion, because it was very 
important to me, I have to also think about the current context of this 
discussion on the OSList.


Having said all that, I want to point out that the discussion of Space 
Invaders in the User’s Guide comes right after (or is it just before) 
Harrison’s thoughts on complete disruptions apparently prompted by 
mental illness or other big external factors. I also have to ask what is 
the proper response to an outbreak of violence or predatory behaviour? 
In general, there are some situations where I don’t think the general 
advice for responding to space invasion would specifically apply.


And then, how can we interpret this in the context of a mailing list 
which operates publicly on the Internet

Re: [OSList] Space invaders and using your two feet

[Michael Herman via OSList]

I think that’s the law of gravitas you’re defying, Paul!

🎿🚡⛷m



On Sun, Feb 20, 2022 at 23:28 paul levy  wrote:

> That's beautiful, Michael, and I can go with it
>
> Yet, mysteriously for me, in my deeper experience of my life, even the law
> of gravity feels like a kind of invitation, one which I occasionally refuse.
>
> Paul
>
> On Mon, 21 Feb 2022, 04:11 Michael Herman via OSList, <
> oslist@lists.openspacetech.org> wrote:
>
>> for me, it actually is a kind of law:  "you and only you know when you
>> are learning and contributing as much as you can."
>>
>> a law, as chris corrigan taught me to say, "...that's not like a speed
>> limit, but more like the law of gravity.  defy it at your own risk!"
>>
>> having pointed this out in an opening circle, i then suggest that
>> everyone in circle has the same job, the right AND the responsibility, to
>> use their two feet and/or whatever else they use to get around, to go
>> wherever they need to, to maximize their own learning and contribution.
>>
>> in the end we don't care if they move... what we want is highest learning
>> and highest contribution.
>>
>> for me, in open space, personal passion/freedom is always
>> bounded/informed by responsibility/contribution to the whole.
>>
>> i think our pulsation between these apparent opposites, passion and
>> responsibility, learning and contributing, me and us, past and future, and
>> so on... is what drives it all.  we can't get stuck.  we have to keep
>> moving.  each of us, for all of us.
>>
>> learning and practicing this kind of pulsation, between apparent
>> opposites, is for me the most important thing we invite in open space.
>> it's in the going back and forth that strengthens us.
>>
>> michael
>>
>>
>> --
>>
>> Michael Herman
>> Michael Herman Associates
>> 312-280-7838 (mobile)
>>
>> MichaelHerman.com
>> OpenSpaceWorld.org
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On Sun, Feb 20, 2022 at 12:49 PM paul levy via OSList <
>> oslist@lists.openspacetech.org> wrote:
>>
>>> I haven't called it a law in years.
>>>
>>> That is because it isn't a law. It is an eternal invitation.
>>>
>>> Paul
>>>
>>> On Sun, 20 Feb 2022, 16:08 Bhavesh Patel via OSList, <
>>> oslist@lists.openspacetech.org> wrote:
>>>
 Thanks Michael, always appreciate the time you take to write longer
 emails and share stories.

 The way you intro the Law is pretty much exactly how I do it as well,
 using almost the same language. That for me still involves using my freedom
 to take responsibility for my learning, contribution, productivity, and
 where that is going to happen or not going to happen, at the same time
 never fully knowing and always responding to all that is happening within,
 between, and among... self-organisation, or as Morin says
 eco-self-organsation!

 I also have a very similar approach to space invaders, and have rarely
 encountered one. There was one time when a person twice the size of me, a
 former head of a big brand, took the mic for me and told everyone to stop
 putting up topics on the second morning, because he had done a full
 analysis of day 01 and could now tell us what we needed to do. I told him
 that was great and kindly asked him to write it up and stick it up, but he
 held on to the mic and repeated that this was not necessary and now we all
 needed to listen to him and... there was a stand-off with both of us
 holding the mic, until one of his peers asked him to let the facilitator do
 his job, he backed off, and guess what, not many came to his session, 
 and...

 I have also used the walk out approach when nothing was happening, on
 reflection I think I needed to leave the room for that group to truly
 believe the power is in their hands to post topics!

 I guess what I was trying to think about was what to do when someone is
 clearly speaking in a way that is offensive to others... people can use
 their two feet, the facilitator can also walk out of the room, what else is
 there... I don't think OST = anything and everything is ok... so I was
 reflecting on that... not sure if I am making sense to anyone???







 On Sun, 20 Feb 2022 at 12:41, Michael M Pannwitz via OSList <
 oslist@lists.openspacetech.org> wrote:

> Dear Bhavesh,
>
> The Law of Two Feet (this is, of course, no Law but tongue of cheeck
> speak of the Man with the Hat) has not felt to me as a reminder to be
> responsible for where I want to be.
> In my intro to the process I say in the role of facilitator: "And
> here",
> pointing to the large poster on the wall of the space or on a large
> pinboard on the edge of the outer circle or floating above the crowd
> of
> 2108 supported by large balloons, have a look here
> >
> https://openspaceworldscape.org/events/165-jetzt-meine-leidenschaft-meine-verantwortung-ueber-die-tagung-hinaus-now-my-passion-