Linda
Thank you! This is wonderful! The video and the report and, crucially, your words below are inspiring. As you requested, I have posted this on the OS list on your behalf. With your permission I will post this on the iCoCo forum as well so that the network of community cohesion practitioners can access all of it too. Would that be OK with you? Or if you wish you can join it is open to all and post it yourself....? Thank you for affirming for me what I knew to be true that OS would work fabulously in the domain of community cohesion. Although I do note in your list of attendees there do not appear to be any ordinary citizens in other words people who were not activists or politicians or officers but people with a concern (perhaps hitherto unexpressed in public forum) about their neighbourhood and its cohesion etc. Or have I got this wrong? Are you able to speculate on what might have happened had such people being present? The reason I ask is I am wondering how open space might be used not only to learn from experiences and build plans for the future (as it has done in your case very well) from amongst the existing players but how it might also be used to actually build community cohesion itself... What do you (or anyone else reading this) think? I loved the story of the tree planting in the report, by the way. Thank you again and lets stay in touch. Very best wishes Jon ____________________________________________________________________________ ___ Jon Harvey Director " <http://www.jonharveyassociates.co.uk/> www.jonharveyassociates.co.uk ( +44 (0) 7771 537535 ( +44 (0) 1280 822585 <mailto:j...@jonharveyassociates.co.uk> j...@jonharveyassociates.co.uk JHAL Logo Sep 09 Helping you connect the prose and the passion to deliver superlative results <http://smallcreativeideas.blogspot.com/> http://smallcreativeideas.blogspot.com/ for ideas about how to improve public & third sector services <http://jonharveyassociates.blogspot.com/> http://jonharveyassociates.blogspot.com/ for articles & ideas about leadership and organisational change <http://twitter.com/JonSHarvey> http://twitter.com/JonSHarvey for ideas and questions to help build a more creative, fair and ambitious world Jon Harvey Associates Ltd Registered Office: Chandos House, School Lane, Buckingham, MK18 1HD Company Number 6661588. VAT Registration Number 936 2921 11 ü Please consider the environment before printing this email. Thank you. From: Linda Mitchell [mailto:lindamitch...@virgin.net] Sent: 27 November 2009 08:46 To: Jon Harvey Subject: Re: [OSLIST] Power, hierarchy and OS Hi Jon, am replying directly to you as despite being on the OS list for a couple of years for some reason I cant post replies directly, I think its something to do with how I use my 2 e mail addresses, one day will sort it out....but really wanted to respond to this posting- maybe you could post this for me on the network Here in Leeds in the UK we did an open space day with 87 community practitioners ( all shapes and sizes including the leader of the council - LSP group on cohesion, faith groups, VCS and activists) to share, connect and exchange info about what was going on in community cohesion work. It was amazing <http://www.leedsinitiative.org/harmonious/page.aspx?id=11726&ekmensel=cdb9b 7c3_174_640_11726_1> http://www.leedsinitiative.org/harmonious/page.aspx?id=11726&ekmensel=cdb9b7 c3_174_640_11726_1( read the report here ) and link to you tube video <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdTkogSOeRM> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdTkogSOeRM There was lots of things we could have done better like better convergence and harvesting of the things people were talking about, but most people in the closing circle said they had never experienced anything like this ever in terms of making good connections across the city. I have some stories about particular conversations that made my hair stand on end - people had space and time to post really controversial stuff like - 'black people are not welcome on white estates' discuss.....and discuss they did. I know of 3 - 4 new initiatives that arose as a result of the session and there might be loads more we will never know. One of the biggest impacts of the event was of people wanting to experience more open space as a way of working, We are now working with 2 local neighborhoods who are "pilot cohesion areas" whatever that means ....... this morning Im going to view a venue so that we can open space for front line workers in really conflicted community setting I heartily agree that pre work with the client to get really clear about the purpose of the event ( in ours we were simply looking for connections ) and the ability of the sponsor to give themselves over to the process and go with the flow is really important. When I get frustrated with this (because it is quite fearful for people higher up in the hierarchy).... I just hold in mind the comments made in the closing circle about how powerful it is ....and know that we will get there, so I have to hold their fear for long enough for us to get there. People often say the same things to me that person said in your group - we need to build a level playing field. I think I disagree with this that we need to open up the playing field and get out of the way ( actually maybe they are the same just a different approach and maybe we need to do both ) .....the ones we least expect to come forward come rushing in when they see they can ......and those that try to dominate?.......well once space is open everyone just walks away....law of 2 feet! I always see open space events as the tip of the iceberg, all the work goes on underneath the bit you see. My other thought is that the frame at the beginning of the opening is also really important in giving permission ( if indeed it is really needed Im not sure it is ) to all to step up - a good invitation that stimulates those who want to to come in is so powerful in overcoming inequalities of power. In my experience once you open the space - no one can get in the way of that happening Very happy to talk further and might look into joining you network Best Wishes Linda ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jon Harvey" < <mailto:j...@jonharveyassociates.co.uk> j...@jonharveyassociates.co.uk> To: < <mailto:osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu> osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu> Sent: Thursday, November 26, 2009 7:49 PM Subject: [OSLIST] Power, hierarchy and OS Hallo I went to a meeting of community cohesion practitioners today (UK) and had a really great time - lots of good ideas, research trails to chase and lovely people. Of course it would have been better to have used OS as the process of the day - which of course I suggested for the next meeting... But then we started a debate - with no time to explore it - as to whether OS is always applicable to meetings where there are people present with very different levels of power and authority. The presumption by one person was that hierarchy would get in the way of the flat structure of OS - such that the less powerful would not feel as empowered to have the conversations they wished and needed to etc... He was advocating (although I may well have this wrong) more structure & perhaps capacity building in adavnce to ensure a level playing field etc where everyone's voice would be heard. I was left frustrated - as this is a topic that interests me as I have some sympathy for the point of view. Equally, I take the view that the law of mobility means that the even the least powerful have vote with their feet / wheels etc to move to other topics of conversation. And Open Space is what it says on the tin - it is open to all - and part of our job as facilitators is to make this abundantly clear. So I promised to start a debate here on the OSLIST to see what others may think. I have also just posted a link to here for people from the Community Cohesion network (on the forum part of their website) so we may get some new members too.. (if you want to check out the host organisation - here is the link: <http://practitioners.cohesioninstitute.org.uk/PractitionersNetwork/About> http://practitioners.cohesioninstitute.org.uk/PractitionersNetwork/About all can join) So to start the ball rolling: 1) Do less powerful people get less (or more) from Open Space? 2) How does hierarchy interact with the OS process - if at all? 3) Are less powerful people less inclined to go with / show their passion and nominate topics for discussion - if so - what do you do about that? 4) If the subject is all about variable power (and in community cohesion it often is...) - does that make OS more or less applicable? 5) Am I over complicating all this?! I look forward to your thoughts. Many thanks Very best wishes Jon ____________________________________________________________________________ ___ Jon Harvey Director <http://www.jonharveyassociates.co.uk> www.jonharveyassociates.co.uk +44 (0) 7771 537535 +44 (0) 1280 822585 <mailto:j...@jonharveyassociates.co.uk> j...@jonharveyassociates.co.uk Helping you connect the prose and the passion to deliver superlative results <http://smallcreativeideas.blogspot.com/> http://smallcreativeideas.blogspot.com/ for ideas about how to improve public & third sector services <http://jonharveyassociates.blogspot.com/> http://jonharveyassociates.blogspot.com/ for articles & ideas about leadership and organisational change <http://twitter.com/JonSHarvey> http://twitter.com/JonSHarvey for ideas and questions to help build a more creative, fair and ambitious world Jon Harvey Associates Ltd Registered Office: Chandos House, School Lane, Buckingham, MK18 1HD Company Number 6661588. VAT Registration Number 936 2921 11 Please consider the environment before printing this email. Thank you. * * ========================================================== <mailto:osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu> osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of <mailto:osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu> osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu: <http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html> http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: <http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist> http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist _____ No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - <http://www.avg.com> www.avg.com Version: 9.0.709 / Virus Database: 270.14.83/2528 - Release Date: 11/26/09 09:10:00 * * ========================================================== osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist
