You wrote: I have been lurking here for several weeks and I feel like I am on the slip road traveling at about 20 mph trying to join the motorway moving at 70 mph. How can I get up to speed? I live in London, have worked in marketing. I am currently working in Ireland most of the time and am moving into broader kinds of cultural and process change work for organizations.
I have been enjoying in wonder the mixture of chaos and mutual respect, the openness, honesty and consideration. It feels very much like a Community Building Scott Peck type circle. I am involved with Community Building in Britain and we help people to organize Community Building circles to experience Pseudo Community, Chaos, Emptiness and Community. We have used Open Space a lot in our process to introduce tasks as well as enable a wider process. I have facilitated a few open space events and hope to be involved with many more. When I first started doing Open Space the only rule - the Law of 2 Feet - was against the guidelines of CB. In CB we tell ourselves we have to stay and 'see it through'. If one person leaves it changes the whole dynamic of the group. Of course we are always free to walk from anything at any time. Here it is even more ambiguous - we don't really know who is here, or who may be here at some point in the future. And writing things down fixes them in a 'closed' way - I may change my mind about what I wrote today when I look again tomorrow. In joining this group I want to empty myself of the need to heal any of you. Yet I am sure that many of us are here trying to heal by listening. Colin Morley Welcome! I can certainly understand that you might feel a little bit in a whirl - heavy traffic as they say. But take heart - it all works out in the end - whichever end that is. Your image of trying to get on the M25 it probably apt, but maybe not accurate. I sometimes think it is more like trying to enter a round-about. The secret is - just stay where you are, and it will all come around again. I am not sure that helps any, for as an American who drives on the wrong side of the road, entering a British roundabout is, without question, the most terrifying experience I have ever had. Just when you think you have it figured out, there is a 20 ton lorry coming at you - from the "wrong" side. I found my self shifting the window roller. Go figure. But I did make it, and so will you. Trying to figure out the local (and that is totally planetary) cast of characters can be daunting. (We should have some space for mug shots and quick IDs ?) I am Harrison, currently playing in the role of Old Curmudgeon, I have been around for a bit, and find that Open Space is the only place I am truly happy. Maybe it is the Wild West Heritage (of which I am not really a part - being a rather proper, east coast (USA) Philadelphian) - but my theme song for sure is "Don't fence me in" Which brings me to the Law of Two Feet. I understand that polite society; in addition to Scott Peck, find this a weird Law. It is weird, but we have found that not only is this the way things are (Law or not) - but that making it an accepted practice is an essential precondition to deep and productive community. Bottom line - Folks who care to stay together will, and the rest should move on. Of course they are welcome to stay, but why stay around being miserable when you could go somewhere else and be productive? Ah, The Mysteries of Open Space! It is not so much about what you should do as what you are going to do anyhow. We call that self-organization. And you mentioned healing. Doubtless we need a lot. But don't hold your breath. In most cases we are just being the curmudgeonly characters we have turned out to be. Not much hope. Some folks think we should have a clear statement of the "givens" prior to entry into this mad environment. I think that is a nice idea, but like a lot of good ideas, not terribly useful. To be sure, clearly stated "givens" would reduce overall anxiety and fear of surprise. From where I sit, the only given is the wonderful surprise just around the corner. Welcome aboard! Harrison Harrison Owen 7808 River Falls Drive Potomac, Maryland 20845 Phone 301-365-2093 Open Space Training www.openspaceworld.com <http://www.openspaceworld.com/> Open Space Institute www.openspaceworld.org Personal website http://mywebpages.comcast.net/hhowen/index.htm [email protected] To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives Visit: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html * * ========================================================== [email protected] ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of [email protected], Visit: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
