What a gem, Harrison!
On 11.08.2011 12:43, Harrison Owen wrote:
Susan – About a year ago I got a note from a friend who was also Opening
Space in Monrovia. I thought you might find it interesting – ho
Dear Harrison,
Just finished OS in an NGO office in Liberia that deals with malaria
prevention, treatment and education. (25 people, 13 topics, 1 day) In
the closing circle, I wished you had been there and thought of you
everytime someone said "This is our heritage of how we use to do it and
it feels good." " This is the first time we sit together in 4 years and
it is because of our Liberian past ."" "It is how they do it in our
villages and now it brings us closer together and we can be one team,
one program." "This is the first time I have seen everyone smile in our
office." "People were fully engaged in the room." Immense pride filled
the room. (I was asked to go to this office to do some team building. I
think it worked, wouldn't you say?)
This team has gone through major transitions from working with malarial
concerns in an emergency situation, just after the war to post emergency
work; from one country director's style to an opposite country
director's style; and a total change of expat management; all in the
last 3 months. And, you know what the # 1 topic out of the 13, after
they prioritized? LOVE, plain and simple and powerful. A committee is
now in charge of finding ways to express it in the office. I think the
country director was shocked at that choice but even more surprised that
a quiet man who pushes the broom, convened the topic.
I was a bit worried for the first hour as it was very slow moving and I
thought I had made the wrong choice, so I left the room and worked on my
laptop, to not control the group and close the space. Turns out, no one
had ever asked them before for their opinions. That was the hesitancy.
The ball started rolling after the first time period.
So, my dear, Harrison...it all comes around and back to Liberia, you and
your brillance at capturing the essence of the African culture and
bottling it up for the rest of the world to sip. You have touched their
hearts deeply. In the closing circle, they didn't thank me...at first I
was...gee, no praise for me bringing it to them...HA! "When the best
leader's work is done, the people say "We did it ourselves." Lao Tzu.
Harrison Owen
7808 River Falls Dr.
Potomac, MD 20854
USA
189 Beaucaire Ave. (summer)
Camden, Maine 20854
Phone 301-365-2093
(summer) 207-763-3261
www.openspaceworld.com
www.ho-image.com (Personal Website)
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*From:*[email protected]
[mailto:[email protected]] *On Behalf Of *Harrison Owen
*Sent:* Wednesday, August 10, 2011 7:09 PM
*To:* 'World wide Open Space Technology email list'
*Subject:* Re: [OSList] OS in Liberia and Harrison's reflections
The troubles were/are real and the disruption major, but I would believe
that some of the old traditions live on. Wired in at a genetic level,
perhaps. This belief is not without some foundation as I have continued
contact with Liberian friends of some long ago. As also others have done
the same. It is true that I have not set foot in Liberia since the ‘70’s
but I have been in related parts of Africa. All I am suggesting is that
you start with something familiar (to them) and see if you can build.
The issues you describe are real and pressing, but they will be solved,
if at all solvable, in an African way. They will have to do that work
and putting them in a place of remembering is not a bad place to start.
I think.
Harrison
Harrison Owen
7808 River Falls Dr.
Potomac, MD 20854
USA
189 Beaucaire Ave. (summer)
Camden, Maine 20854
Phone 301-365-2093
(summer) 207-763-3261
www.openspaceworld.com
www.ho-image.com (Personal Website)
To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of
OSLIST Go
to:http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org
*From:*[email protected]
[mailto:[email protected]] *On Behalf Of *Susan Partnow
*Sent:* Wednesday, August 10, 2011 4:49 PM
*To:* [email protected]
*Subject:* [OSList] OS in Liberia and Harrison's reflections
Thanks for your reflections, Harrison... There is absolutely enormous,
deep wisdom to learn, observe, drink in. I appreciate what you are
saying, though I fear some of the deep traditions have been so disrupted
and even lost for the present generations with the chaos of the last 20
years. The Community Summit was a way to bring many diverse people
together who do not have a chance to engage in conversation with other
outside of that setting — unfortunately there is not a way for the flow
to flow... Over half the population now lives in Monrovia and many have
not experienced the richness of village life including the Palava Hut.
The youth do not trust or especially respect the elders or chiefs. Women
have many concerns. So it is a society in rough transition...
Susan
Susan Partnow
Founding Director, Global Citizen Journey
4425 Baker Ave NW
Seattle, WA 98107
tel. 206-783-8561
fax 206-782-7786
www.globalcitizenjourney.org <http://www.globalcitizenjourney.org/>
join our mailing list <http://oi.vresp.com/?fid=fb96ddc75f>
www.susanpartnow.com <http://www.susanpartnow.com/> Partnow
Communications, Organizational Development, Consulting & Facilitation
www.conversationcafe.org <http://www.conversationcafe.org/> Co-Founder
www.compassionatelistening.org
<http://www.compassionatelistening.org/>Sr. Certified Facilitator
/"When we seek for connection, we restore the world to wholeness. Our
seemingly separate lives become meaningful as we discover how truly
necessary we are to each other."/--Margaret Wheatley
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