Tanya.. When I am working with organizations that haven't much experience with OST or much "voice", I try to be sure there is an overnight and a second chance i.e. more OST time after the first airing of issues (and often grievances). Sometimes at the first opportunity to voice unaddressed issues there is contagion of affect and everyone get's into the act about what is wrong. With time, the opportunity to act and do something about it shifts the climate but you need that time.
On another note, there is a very interesting book that sheds some light on your question. It's _the End of Power _by Moises Naim (2013). It has particularly good stuff about why leaders need to lead differently these days. Best to you. Barbara (B3) On 04/16/2014 11:56 am, Harrison Owen wrote: > Tania - I am not sure that the level of conflict has actually increased, but > I am sure that people are more willing to talk about it. Which may be your > point. In this country (US) we used to talk about "Minnesota Nice." It was > simply bad form to be anything other than "nice." And so very often, what > needed to be said was never said, at least in polite company. But in the hall > ways... Conflict was indeed alive and living poorly. > > I have always felt that Passion and Conflict were simply two sides of the > same coin. Or put another way Conflict occurred when two or more passions > locked horns without sufficient space to negotiate. The "answer" is pretty > simple. Just open some more space. I guess that may sound overly simplistic > and too theoretical, but it certainly describes my experience and practice. > Over the years I have found myself in the middle of some pretty conflicted > environments with very angry people. However, in an Open Space for precisely > the same people dealing with the same issues, there has never been a case of > the conflict turning violent. Loud for sure, with lots of waving arms... but > as long as the space was open, the people managed everything. Even to the > point that my normal practice of taking naps has never had to be abandoned. > > As a matter of fact, I see conflict as an essential quality of life. If you > were to show me a conflict free organization, I am pretty sure it would be a > dead one. The key point, for me is not the elimination of conflict, but > rather the assurance that sufficient space is available for all that > power/energy locked up in the conflict to find more constructive pathways. > Which it always seems to do, given the opportunity. And further more I have > never found it necessary, or even possible to mediate a solution. I've tried > for sure, but when it seemed that I was successful, I think it was actually > the case that the people had it all figured out, and I was just lucky to ride > on their wisdom. More often than not, my efforts amounted to zilch - or even > worse - clearly messed thing up more completely. At the end of the day only > the conflicted can possibly know the complexity of their entanglements, and > only they can straighten it out. Or so I've found. > > Harrison > > Harrison Owen > > 7808 River Falls Dr. > > Potomac, MD 20854 > > USA > > 189 Beaucaire Ave. (summer) > > Camden, Maine 04843 > > 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 > [1] > > FROM: [email protected] > [mailto:[email protected]] ON BEHALF OF Rev Tania Eichler > SENT: Tuesday, April 15, 2014 7:37 PM > TO: [email protected] > SUBJECT: [OSList] Has anyone noticed a rise in CONFLICT from OS systems > > Good morning (or whatever time it is where you are…..) > > May I ask if anyone has noticed a rise in conflict - which I believe it is > good so that we can further understand each other and the common goals - when > engaging in open space and self organising systems? > > I have noticed conflict arising as more people are given permission and > freedom to be involved and igniting their passion and responsibility. > > Thoughts please ……. > > Thank you - from me in Brisbane - Tania. > > > > THE REVEREND TANIA EICHLER > > RECTOR > > _ _ > > St Catherine's Anglican Community > > 43 Macfarlane Street > > MIDDLE PARK Q 4074 > > P: +61 7 33764052 > > M: 0401690127 > > E:[email protected] > > W: http://homepage.powerup.com.au/~stcaths/ [2] > > check out our facebook page: > https://www.facebook.com/StCathsAngliBNE?ref=br_tf [3] > > > > AREA DEAN - BRISBANE SOUTH WEST > > > > _CELEBRATE our life in God_ > > _CARE and respond to human need_ > > _GROW in relationships with Christ and each other_ > > ____ > > CHAIR:CENTENARY RECOVERY GROUP > > If you are not the intended recipient please do not read, save, forward, > disclose, or copy the contents of this email. 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