Doug - I agree with everybody here. Don't put any articles in front of them - just gently ask them why what they're imagining would be a problem.
I've been in this situation before - you can turn their anxiety points into positives (if you think more people might come you might want to order more refreshments!) and just keep them breathing... Thorough planning and design, which you've done / which OST is, will provide the framework for flexibility. If "too many" people show up that will signal a great success in getting the word out an knowing that the time is perfect for working on these opportunities and issues. Everything will work out, and you know it. I agree that this is an opportunity to further clarify with the client: ' in the event that any of this happens I will be there facilitating, so no worries. The process I'm using will take care of all that. And I want to set our agreement that from the moment I open to the moment I close -- I am in control of the room - if you see anything you're worried about bring it to me, and I might tell you that I will not intervene at that point - can you live with this? Because if you cannot, then it's time to take a few steps back and see if there's a fit here' (or something like that) (Whoa - she's such a toughie!) You're amazing, Doug, Lisa L i s a H e f t Consultant, facilitator, educator O p e n i n g S p a c e 2325 Oregon Berkeley, California 94705-1106 USA (+01) 510 548-8449 lisah...@pacbell.net (coming soon: www.openingspace.net) * * ========================================================== osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu, Visit: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
