Dan, Peggy, Michael, David, Kári, Paul,
Such a rich topic.
I don't think Dan is "barking up the wrong tree at all".
Perhaps this is just my own experience, sensitivity, and upbringing -
but I deeply resonate with the changing sense of authorization that
happens in a good Open Space conference, and actually in most circle
based processes, compared to the other more hierarchy based ones. And
the spatial setup is critical here.
This was almost ridiculously confirmed in my experience of a Group
Relations (GR) conference. We started in a theater style - the hosts and
administration of our temporary institution - sitting like the judges
and jury of our assembly. They claimed we the assembly had no rules, but
when the group tried to rearrange the chairs in a circle, the leader
de-authorized the conversation. No one dared again challenge the chair
settings again. Also in my GR experience, there was another large group
process - where we sat in a double spiral. It was fascinating to see the
dynamic nature of authorization happening as people moved in and out of
greater and lesser levels of authority (as granted by the assembly). My
own experience of the OSList is we're more in a Spiral dynamic than in a
circle. Just my experience. Since we're not in visual contact, it's a
little harder to tell who is closer to the center as we speak/write on
the OSList. But it's not that hard to tell.
A circle is inherently equalizing. Think of the Knights of the Round
Table here. Maybe it doesn't make everyone equally authorized - but it
does give a sense that we're all in it together, and that everyone
matters, everyone counts. It's certainly harder to hide in a circle -
but where does a circle start? Where does it end?
Obviously, OST is a lot more subtle than just the circle, the bulletin
board that everyone is authorized to write on, the law of two feet, and
the five principles. There's so much more to say. I hope the group
doesn't deauthorize the importance of this topic.
A couple more points.
1) Using GR vocabulary- I join with Paul Levy. I think Open Space is
more about "moral authority". To me that is about enabling
self-authorization. Maybe another possible term - intrinsic
authorization. I love some of the thinking of the Rights described in
the American Declaration of Independence. "We hold these truths to be
self-evident, that all [people] are created equal, that they are endowed
by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights." Authority comes from
the Creator - or you could say - it's already built in :-)
2) I love the safety theme around authority, and I also join with David
and Kári on that theme. This is all about the container. A good
facilitator helps establish and hold a strong container. It's hard for
the container to hold without a blessing from the kings and queens of
the community - the Sponsor. This container needs rules of play that
equalize the authority to "do work", which in an Open Space is to host
and attend sessions, be a bumble bee or a butterfly. It doesn't matter
how great the title someone has - once the container is set - it should
be safe and without repercussions for someone to take hold of the center
of the circle and announce their topic, not announce a topic, attend or
not attend sessions. Those rules are not usually in play for most
meetings. For example, at a Board meeting most people in an organization
aren't even allowed to be there, let alone speak.
Cheers,
Harold
On 3/31/14 9:00 AM, Peggy Holman wrote:
Dan,
You ask great questions!
My take: like most of life, authorization is more nuanced than your
statement below.
Like you, I believe everyone has 100% equivalent authorization AND
they also carry the imprinting of habits, context, self-talk, existing
relationships, and more that influence how they show up. Some will
experience themselves as having 100% authorization, some will test
that assumption, others will observe and reserve judgment, and every
other flavor in between.
I have observed that with repeated use, people seem to experience an
increasing sense of self-authorization. More take responsibility for
what they love not just in Open Space but in life.
I know of no practice that lays the groundwork better for increasing
self-authorization in social systems.
from sunny (at last) Seattle,
Peggy
--
Harold Shinsato
[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>
http://shinsato.com
twitter: @hajush <http://twitter.com/hajush>
