Jon, Thanks for the marvelous summary of the many aspects of shyness or other qualities posing as shyness. So much wisdom! I've got a few small items to add to all that's been said.
I've noticed that the more hierarchical the organization, the longer it seems to takes before someone steps in to post a session. Have others noticed that? I suspect to Michael Herman's point, it has much to do with how real people sense the invitation is. As several have already said, the quality of the space -- knowing who and what is welcome - matters. I did an Open Space with Buddhist monks years ago. It's the longest I've ever seen it take before someone stepped in. Once I'd opened the space, we all sat breathing for several minutes. At least it seemed like several minutes. Ultimately the youngest monk in the room posted a session. Once the ice was broken, there was a rush to the center. A few years later, with a group of journalists, they entered the circle one at a time, trickling in ever so slooowly. One "shy" journalist waited until people had headed to their sessions. He then went to the wall and added his session, never announcing it. Since most people go back to check the agenda, his session was there for all to see. On a completely different note, sometimes I think shyness is a result of not quite knowing how to express a notion. If someone doesn't know how to say what they want, how can they possibly post a session? I find that's one of the great values of butterflies. Often those nagging ideas that we can't quite put into words get worked through in an intimate side conversation. With a bit more clarity, someone finds their voice and posts a session later in the day or the following day. That's part of why I prefer multiple day OS gatherings. So many seeds get planted on the first day that get a chance to show themselves on day two. Thanks for sparking a great exchange, Peggy _________________________________ Peggy Holman pe...@peggyholman.com 15347 SE 49th Place Bellevue, WA 98006 425-746-6274 www.peggyholman.com www.journalismthatmatters.org Coming in September Engaging Emergence: Turning Upheaval into Opportunity www.engagingemergence.com For the second edition of The Change Handbook, go to: www.bkconnection.com/ChangeHandbook "An angel told me that the only way to step into the fire and not get burnt, is to become the fire". -- Drew Dellinger On Jul 22, 2010, at 10:09 AM, Jon Harvey wrote: > Thank you all for your wisdom and experience. I had a feeling my inquiry > would tap into a rich seam of insights and practice... But where to begin to > respond...! I will take the points in the order they appear in my email > intray: > > Mamading: we meet again! (Were you there on Tuesday at NESTA btw – you may > not have spotted me hiding behind a couple croissants with Emmental cheese in > them?!) Do tell us more about these Labs. And, I think implicit, in your > comment is an idea that people and organisations / partnerships / systems / > communities can make more of OS on a second, third, fourth visit etc. I know > that to be true. > > Barry: the ‘shy’ (and more of that later) people may well hang back and > butterfly, but sometimes butterflies don’t tap into their own passion and can > drift off – actually or mentally or both. I know, que sera, sera (whatever > happens etc.) – but your comment has prompted me to spend more next time > working with the sponsor. (Yes these reflections do all come from a recent > experience.) The sponsor needs to be as relaxed as I am with the magic of the > process. > > Jack: things are good thanks – bleating (blogging & tweeting combined – term > coined by my wife to refer to my activity in my study / garret) like mad to > get OS & whole system stuff woven into the fabric of the #bigsociety. I like > the idea of a living agenda wall that can ebb and flow – and indeed try to > practice this. Perhaps this Agenda Wall 2.0....? (sort of! – although it > always has been) But I also hear what Lisa says in her later mail. > > Harrison: Not for the first time, I do wish I could have you as an app on my > smart phone so that I could tap ‘you’ and get an immediate response of ‘this > is what Harrison would do / say!’ Thank you for your story – you are so good > at those – I will endeavour to imbibe fully and remember at a suitable later > date. And you are right of course, it is about passion. I guess I remain > interested in what there can be in the system (see below) or zeitgeist > present whereby people with passion do not come forward... and as a > facilitator what role I have (if any) in ‘tweaking’ the system in advance of > the OS process... > > Michael: you are correct of course – it is rarely about ‘shyness’ or the > individuals themselves. Indeed it was my reflection on the recent series of > OS that I did – that, in part, there was some ‘leaden’ systemic cultures > present. And quiet is not shy – absolutely true! And there has to be a first > meeting so that there can be a second – when people might ‘dare’ a little > more. As always every OS is a success – but (and back to my earlier point) – > just what that success looks like may not be quite what the sponsor had in > mind – which touches on my role as preparation guide. Their role as ‘inviter’ > and ‘open space pilot’ is of course critical. > > Phelim: I agree, there are some very practical things we can say – I like > your phrases. Again I will seek to imbibe those. Certainly I always aim to > ‘be’ and ‘hold the space’ with a gentle and almost wispy presence – quietly > content with the silence. (My father had a piece of gristle on one ear which > made it look a little pointed and he would claim he was half pixie. So, as a > quarter pixie, I try to have a wispy presence...! ) For me making it easy is > a stepping back not a stepping forward. And as for the number of sessions – > in one OS of the recent series, a total of two sessions were proposed... so > near perfect success! It was surprising! The chocolate was good as well. > > Sharon: You are right – exploring the passion beforehand is critical. In > hindsight, the sponsor was surprised by where the passion was after the first > OS – he (and therefore I as he had briefed me) expected a different quality > of passion to one that we in fact experienced. On reflection, I now know it > would have been wiser to hear a few more of the ‘ordinary’ voices beforehand. > And working through to what is the ‘right’ issue / theme / question is > really, really important. > > Lisa: Given all of the above, I value your assertion that there can be some, > a small amount perhaps, shyness amongst some people. I think I can sometimes > overlook how ‘heavy’ a microphone is for some people. Maybe I am not alone in > this – although maybe I am. Can you post your ‘face’ on youtube?! But I think > I can imagine it from your description. I do have my ‘face’ too. (Although > there is another debate to be had about where we go after the intro stuff. I > usually step outside the circle – whereas from what you say, I am imagining > you sitting in the circle...???) I need to keep reminding myself that there > is solid presence in silence. Being an extravert – I may not always see this. > And thank you for highlighting the issue of power which others have touched > on too. > > So again – thank you all for this online tutorial. I feel enriched and > empowered – and not a little renewed too! > > A sprinkling of pixie dust to you all! > > Jon > > _______________________________________________________________________________ > > Jon Harvey > Director > > " www.jonharveyassociates.co.uk > > ( +44 (0) 7771 537535 > ( +44 (0) 1280 822585 > › j...@jonharveyassociates.co.uk > ¹ Skype: jonsharvey > > > Helping you connect the prose and the passion > to deliver superlative results > > http://smallcreativeideas.blogspot.com/ for ideas about how to improve the > efficiency & effectiveness of public & third sector services > http://jonharveyassociates.blogspot.com/ for articles & ideas about > leadership and organisational change from a whole systems perspective > http://twitter.com/JonSHarvey for conversations, ideas & questions to help > build a more ambitious, creative and fair world > http://tinyurl.com/JonHarveyLI to connect with me on LinkedIn > > > 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. > All business mileage is offset with http://www.carbon-clear.com > > > > > > > > * * ========================================================== > 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 * * ========================================================== 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
