Inspired by Dee Hock, these days maybe I’ll say that the space is always infinitely open and as a host of an Open Space Technology meeting, my job is to work with sponsors and participants close it down in a way that allows for good work to be done. I use the boundaries of time and space, and the attractors of invitation and intention to create a smaller space to do things. Creating a smaller container is the art of holding space and it takes a bit of experience and wisdom to learn how to make the space not too big or too small.
Chris > On May 17, 2019, at 4:00 AM, Jan Hoglund via OSList > <[email protected]> wrote: > > Here's a story about when the group itself opens its own space... > > It's an excerpt from Dee Hock's book One from Many, pp. 205-207 (Kindle > edition). > > "Three hours into the morning, an agenda for the remainder of the three-day > meeting was proposed. It contained nothing about the failed effort at > reorganization other than a brief report at the end of the final day. An > annoyed murmur swept the room. A member rose and angrily complained. ... A > chorus of “Hear, hear,” “Absolutely,”“ Right on,” immediately arose. ... The > hum of discontent grew louder. The chairman of the international committee > rose to offer his version of the situation and induce the members to accept > the proposed agenda, as did another member of the committee. ... The murmur > of discontent grew louder. ... Efforts to continue the proposed agenda > collapsed, as members demanded time to meet privately with one another and > discuss the situation with their representatives on the organizing committee. > ... The agenda was resumed the second day, but few paid any attention to it. > Self-organizing discussions continued. By the end of the second day, several > people had gracefully withdrawn from the international organizing committee > with profuse thanks for their hard work. Others had been appointed. The > chairman had withdrawn “to allow others an opportunity to serve.” In the late > afternoon of the third day, the newly constituted committee met, firmly > committed themselves to a renewed effort, and asked if we would resume our > efforts as organizing agent. We agreed, providing only that henceforth all > differences should be open, honest, and constructive. All agreed that was as > it should be, and from then on, with minor exceptions, so it was. By the end > of the meeting, no one had lost face, all those who had served were honored > for their efforts, no more was said of the past, and everyone’s energy turned > to the future." > > /Jan Höglund, Sweden > > > _______________________________________________ > 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 > Past archives can be viewed here: > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]
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