Dear Sagit! I have facilitated and participated in OSTs.
As a participant I disliked when I have been confronted with assumptions of the facilitator about my empathy style and that I should bring it in (more). It closed my openness and raised my level of aggression. On the other hand - the OSTs when a sponsor spoke from their heart, speaking openly about the challenging situation we were facing and shared vulnerable that s/he has no answers, but that we could only co-create and find solutions together - then I softened and opened up. What I have even more appreciated was when I was included in the prep process - a place where I can already start to bring in my perspective and feel heard. As a facilitator an expression of empathy is the time and space I offer. I believe that time supports healing and solution finding - giving more time for (a high conflict) meeting. Time is also super relevant when creating the agenda - not assuming that it is over when no one goes to the center for a while... on the other hand also accepting when only very few topics get posted... it's a dance! ;) Apart from the overall preparation - another very important part is my emotional, spiritual, physical and mental preparation as the facilitator - checking my own fears, assumptions, hopes and intentions, supporting myself to be well rested, nourished and as balanced as possible. A very touching meeting I facilitated which also had high conflict in the room has been documented in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0u3rlpcjKoY You see an amazing sponsor team, diverse participants and Mia Konstantinidou and myself - the facilitation team. Many greetings from Berlin Anna Caroline * Anna Caroline Türk* Mentor to Visionary Leaders +49(0)176 24872254 | TruthCircles.com <http://TruthCircles.com> Am Mo., 6. Jan. 2020 um 12:48 Uhr schrieb שגית רוסו יצחקי via OSList < [email protected]>: > > Hello and good afternoon! > > Great learning I’m doing here! > > Thank you all for sharing this well of knowledge and experience! > > Hi jeff, > > totally agree, it is better to work with others! > > I dont plan on both sponsoring and facilitating an open space right now > but I live in a small community and your refrasing my Q helped me > understend that being a sponsor is an importent role in the (minimal) > construction of the open space, and can be done in different ways but must > be. > > Thanks for bringing in your perspective and experience, Birgitt! > > I loved what you said about the distinction between the ever existing open > space within communities and the use of the OST for better advantages. > > It is very true that empathy can not and must not be forced. It can only > be given freely and willingly so I find this sentence to be very importent > for me “ Open Space Technology does not create or promise safe space. The > principles of OST and the one law provide guidance for people to self lead > including for taking personal responsibility for safety” > > I see now the diference between having an empathic mindset when creating > and holding the space for Open Space event, on one side, and asking for the > participants to be empathic, on the other. > > And also, my tendency to be (some might say over..) protective as not > fully trusting the self-organizing power of people when they freely choose > to “accept the invitation to attend”. > > “in our preparations we need to be aware of this and tailor our > leadership to allow people to overcome the reluctance to join and > contribute” > > Thank you for that, Rob! > > best wishes, > > Sagit > > > בתאריך יום א׳, 5 בינו׳ 2020 ב-23:55 מאת R Chaffe via OSList < > [email protected]>: > >> Thanks HO >> The act of joining the circle is a very powerful and for some confronting >> so in our preparations we need to be aware of this and tailor our >> leadership to allow people to overcome the reluctance to join and >> contribute. The facilitator has a major responsibility to do their job >> well. There is no prescriptive process just be at one with the sponsors >> and the participants. Then be truely present. >> My experience has been as Harrison describes the lion and the lamb sit >> down together and in all my experience they leave with new understanding >> and in many cases new fiends. Yes, things do get done. >> >> Regards >> Rob >> >> On 6 Jan 2020, at 1:50 am, Harrison Owen via OSList < >> [email protected]> wrote: >> >> >> >> This may be a cop out on the questions… but one of the most amazing >> things in the 30+ years I have been privileged to explore Open Space is >> that common people, dealing with a common issue … while sitting in a >> circle, creating a bulletin board and opening a market place – and then >> going to work … always seem to get something useful done. And NEVER (in my >> experience) has blood been shed. It can get terribly exciting, and I >> suspect the facilitator is the most nervous. I have also heard of >> innumerable suggestion for good things to do before, during, and after … >> but none … to the best of my knowledge have made any difference. This does >> not mean that people can’t and don’t kill each other, and of course we seem >> to be on the edge of doing that (killing) more extensively at the moment >> BUT I have never seen that take place in Open Space. It doesn’t even take >> place when the participants are sworn and professional killers of each >> other. Now there’s a mystery. >> >> >> >> Harrison >> >> >> >> *From:* OSList [mailto:[email protected]] *On >> Behalf Of *???? ???? ????? via OSList >> *Sent:* Sunday, January 5, 2020 5:50 AM >> *To:* [email protected] >> *Cc:* שגית רוסו יצחקי >> *Subject:* [OSList] Quite a few questions about Sponsors, empathy and a >> safe open space for all it’s participants >> >> >> >> Hi everyone, >> >> I’m Sagit, another one of Tova’s students :) >> >> I'm interested in learning more about three different topics so thank >> you so much for sharing your experience and opinions in one or all! >> >> >> >> *Sponsors -* how vital are they for opening a space? >> >> For example, in the case of an association that is dealing with a >> significant conflict. Since there is no external body that runs the >> association, the question arises as to whether open space can be held >> without sponsors? Can a community have an open space without a sponsor? >> >> >> >> Some questions about *empathy and open space -* >> >> The first one will be - Is empathy important for a successful open space? >> >> And if empathy is important - >> >> How can empathic space be created and maintained for all its partners and >> voices that want to be heard? >> >> What techniques and tools do you use to bring empathy to the open space >> and how do you invite other participants to hold empathy together? >> >> Do you have any signs or metrics for measuring the levels of empathy in >> an open space? >> >> Did you come across occasions where it was difficult or impossible to >> create an empathic space? >> >> >> >> *Creating an open space that allows all participants a safe and >> comfortable space for expressing themselves * *- * >> >> In Open Space participants are invited to stand up and offer their topics >> for conversation in the marktplace . I’m wondering whether people who are >> not accustomed to make their voices heard or such who are at some >> disadvantage (social, age, gender, origin etc.) Feel safe and comfortable >> initiating conversations in such a space? >> >> What are the ways you know for making the space truly safe and inviting >> for all its participants? >> >> How much does advance preparation contribute to their participation and >> what should it include, in your opinion? >> >> Thanks again for sharing, >> >> Best wishes, >> >> Sagit >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> 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] >> >> _______________________________________________ >> 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] > > _______________________________________________ > 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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