Paul, awesome! There were several conversations in Florida that rather
than talking about "flattening" our hierarchies in organizations - what
we need is circling. Circle culture. Thanks for such an awesome story.
Looking forward to the notes on Guerilla Action & Stealth Open Space - Jon!
From Florida with Love,
Harold
On 5/20/13 1:07 AM, Jon Harvey wrote:
And thus the #ukosonos begins. Looking forward to seeing everyone at
Lauderdale House v soon.
Just thought of running a session on guerilla action & stealth open
space. Will anyone join me?
So, got tea, coffee, milk & food to share. Come Paul, come all to our
UK reprise of #WOSONOS in North London
Great greetings to all in Florida as you wend your way homewards.
Atb
Jon
On 20 May 2013 07:54, "paul levy" <[email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote:
I remember a conference where the audience took over - at least
for a while. It was a revolution that left the top table (the ones
who had the bottles of mineral water and the little flowers in
vases) paralysed with perplexity.
A formal presentation using a lot of bullet-pointed Power Point
had just stopped for five minutes of questions and answers - the
fifth presentation in a row without a break.
Garish neon lights blared down from the ceiling in a room with no
natural light.
Yes, you are correct - I said "revolution". Now, that it an
interesting word. We talk of a revolution of the people. We also
talk of a revolution of the planets. Revolution hints at a circle.
Now, everyone was sitting in rows, as in a traditional classroom,
facing the top table that was in a row facing the classroom style
audience.
The speaker stood at a lectern facing the audience as well.
The chairperson invited questions.
And then it happened. Someone in the audience raised their hand
and was invited to pose their question. And pose it she did. But
not in the direction of the top table. She sort of turned to her
side and posed it to her row. She was interested, you see, in what
other people thought of the issue underlying her question. Had
other people had the same experience? Did they have any solutions.
She seemed to pose it along her row and then to the rows behind
her, as her arm swept around her and backwards in a kind of
inclusive gesture. She finished her question and then someone near
the back started to answer it. Soon, another person, nearer the
front added a useful thought and then a small whispering
conversation began in a corner between three people who were
resonating with the original question.
It lasted for about four minutes and, at one point, the whole room
were now looking, not at the top table, but inwards, towards a
rough central point in the rows.
The circle was forming, even in rows of seats!
And the circle was powerful. Fora while those who were supposed to
be "at the top" at the top table were flummoxed, silent, mere
onlookers on the outside of a forming community circle.
It was a vibrant four minutes. Then the chair person raised his
voice and attempted to restore "order". He never quite got it
back! For at least a while afterwards, when questions were asked
they are posed by the questioner into the centre of the room,
rather than directed to the front.
An in that four minutes a lot of ground was covered. The buzz
continued into the coffee break and the top table was left,
orphaned, without a clear role. The people wanted to talk to each
other, to form a circle, to dialogue, to self-organise their own
conversation.
And this had happened: Space had opened.
And this was happening: Space was opening.
What I loved about witnessing this was realising the power of the
circle. The circle wants to form - it is the natural form for
people in social setting settings. I believe the circle is always
there, in archetype, whenever human beings come together; it kind
of hangs there, as potential, above the group. It seizes the
chance to realise in real, especially when there is a top table
and a bunch of rows of seats. All it needs is the impulse to
self-organise; and that occurs with a gesture. It is the gesture
usually of one person made, not in a way that reinforces the
linear hierarchy - the top table - but the gesture that addresses
itself to the central point of the natural circle. Then the
attention of all turns towards it and a circle is formed - even
when there are rows of seats.
Space opens in a circle. And circles open space. Of course, it is
often better to start with a circle of chairs, but even when that
is not so, just direct your comments into the mess, into the heart
of the community, and watch that circle form.
Written on the way to our Open Space on Open Space in London, on
May 20th 2013.
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Harold Shinsato
[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>
http://shinsato.com
twitter: @hajush <http://twitter.com/hajush>
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