Thanks for sharing the OS story: I'd love to connect with your Monrovia friend.
Absolutely agree -- circle process is in the DNA of Liberians and they love it. --Our faciliators shared the story of how they were bringing back their own process. (They also loved Compassionate Listening, which I was sharing with our team of 35 Peacebuilders - listening from the HEART... they made their own instantly and so much more naturally than typical North American groups). I would imagine if we had had more time with the Open Space the groups would have become more generative... We only had time for two short sessions (barely one hour each) ... and given the nature of African flow that was way too short. -- 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 Join our mailing list www.susanpartnow.com Partnow Communications, Organizational Development & Workshops www.conversationcafe.org Co-Founder www.compassionatelistening.org Sr. Certified Facilitator and Core Council 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. _______________________________________________ OSList mailing list To post send emails to [email protected] To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] To subscribe or manage your subscription click below: http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org
