having just gotten off a 2+ hour call with a sponsor who has been
actively working for the last few weeks with a number of very diverse
and charged groups/leaders to write an invitation to massive social
mindshift, i really appreciate what you say, brian, about "givens
disallowing the surprise and openness" ...seems that more often than not
i am bombarded with the givens. sometimes they are hauled out and
stacked up so neatly to prove that ost can't possibly work here. more
and more, they are ticked off rather unconsciously as conditions that
must be in place in order to allow the os event to happen. in the past
i tried to name them and invite them as "givens" but that only seemed to
make more of them. now, i certainly here them as givens and work to
push them around in such a way that there is some space within for the
opening and surprise and movement that wants to happen. but i don't
name or invite them as "givens" anymore. mostly i just keep looking
around for what more and more i am sensing as the "clean spots" in the
midst of the confusion and layers of story. i just keep fishing for the
clean spots and then sort of sewing and resewing them together until we
get enough space to dance... how's that for mixing metaphors. sometimes
i think that's how it is with stringing all the clean spots together.
anyway, once we get enough little clean spots of space together, they
can start to have their own shape and life and like you say, things can
grow there, not separate from all the other "given" stuff that's
around. my twisted little view. mh
Fr Brian S Bainbridge wrote:
Dear Chris and all
Spot on, Chris. For my money.
I confess to never having used the word "givens" in any context with a
client. Ever.
But I know the concept is important for me to understand and be aware of
and take into consideration when I am working through the formulation of
the THEME with the client. The concept helps. The word seems not to.
And, without getting into trouble with other LIST-ers, I sense that
over-concentration on the "Givens" as they are called, simply disallows
the surprise and openness of what we embark on once space is opened.
If the OCSO concept is correct, then we surely see givens - at best - as
basic elements or foundations from which and on which the space
inhabitants will likely build and grow to better the conditions and
activities they are involved in.
My insighting.
Cheers and blessings, BRIAN
Chris Corrigan wrote:
Larry Peterson wrote:
I do think that “givens” are a myth, a social construction, at least at
one level of consciousness.
However, most of my clients have some substantial social constructions,
including the “theme”, which gives shape, direction and boundaries to
the self-organizing they want to accelerate or engage with OST. They
also have some personal and organizational “karma” that will still be
around after an OST event and will affect what is done with the
resulting ideas and cultural changes. I find that some articulation of
these ahead of time makes it more, not less, possible to move forward
with what emerges during and after an OST event. I have found that it
frees people up to know where the sponsors are.
I totally agree Larry. I have always thought of "givens" as really just
a clear articulation of what we have to play with. If we understand
these well , then it invites people to be really creative in finding a
way around them. There is a real art to communicating these in a way
that is inviting transformation rather than limiting engagement.
For example, I have used before the example of the givens of human
flight. It is a given that gravity and our body shape prevents us from
flying. But understanding exactly what gravity is means that we can use
our bodies to build a machine that will overcome these givens.
I think "givens" are not about the span boundaries of impossibility, but
funnels which invite us to deeper possibility.
Chris
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Fr Brian S. Bainbridge
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Michael Herman
Michael Herman Associates
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Chicago IL 60610 USA
(312) 280-7838
http://www.michaelherman.com - consulting & publications
http://www.globalchicago.net - laboratory & playground
http://www.openspaceworld.org - worldwide open space
...inviting organization into movement
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