Re: [OSList] Space invaders and using your two feet

[Steve Holyer via OSList]

Thanks all. I will think on these examples often in the future, I also 
always think on the User’s Guide from Harrison (and often review the 
bit on Space Invaders because I think it captures something essential 
about Open Space facilitation).

A few additional thoughts I find there:
* I try to remember a Space Invader often tries to control the space 
(and close it for others) because of their own great passion and sense 
of responsibility. A space invader’s passion usually manifests in 
something that works against the law of mobility/2 feet in some way. The 
examples Micheal and others gave of someone announcing the Open Space 
can stop now while everyone considers/accepts their priorities is a a 
pretty obvious  Space Invader attempting to suspend the law of mobility 
out of passion for the topic and their "answer". When I have encountered 
"space invaders" it helps me think openly(compassionately?) about them 
when I remember that most Space Invaders aren’t trying to destroy. 
They are trying to "build". We invited, welcomed and celebrated their 
passion, but it’s manifesting right now in a way that closes the 
space.

	(And now, I also find space invaders when I’m "riding the wave" 
outside of an open space event. If everything is open space, then I’m 
not surprised to sometimes meet space invaders anywhere. This thinking 
on Space Invaders helps me.  When I’m responding as my better self, I 
am able to realise "this is a space invader" and then I can ask 
myself—and them—about the passion, responsibility and caring driving 
their actions. I also believe that most mean well, but also I strongly 
believe some space invaders actually operate—voluntarily or 
involuntarily—out of passion for spite and malice or mental 
illness…so I consider best intentions, but I don’t make a blanket 
statement that I can assume everyone is operating with best 
intentions—because I have bad experiences with people who simply 
aren’t for some reason.)

* As a facilitator holding space, while you remind everyone of the 
principles of open space, many space invaders will realise their 
passionate (well meaning) actions are closing space and the Space 
Invader melts away (like in Michael’s example). When that doesn’t 
happen (after a few reminders) the facilitator calmly walks away. (I 
find the hard part here is to do this without any hint of 
passion—aggression — which can unfortunately be my goto stance when 
I’m not holding space.) That way you use your mobility and demonstrate 
that the natural law of mobility applies everyone even myself 
facilitating. As the book says that’s almost always enough to remind 
everyone else they can use their mobility too.

	(I usually use the washroom or take a new refreshing Diet Coke. The 
fact that I take so many refreshing Diet Cokes usually means I need the 
washroom anyway. And as I recall, every time I’ve returned to the main 
space 10 or 15 minutes later the space invasion is over and everyone is 
working in full-on open space. Online might be trickier but last week I 
referred to the law of mobility, invited the group to carry on, and 
asked the co-facilitator who was working with me if she wanted to join 
me in a break out to work on something we needed to do (she did)—I 
felt I needed to be explicit that we were leaving so that we could add 
value elsewhere because as you know when we’re online it may not be 
noticeable otherwise. And just as I find *in situ*, we returned 10 
minutes later to find the space invasion was over and open space had 
returned. A tool like QiqoChat makes this easier since movement is kinda 
visible AND simple enough for people to navigate without any facilitator 
intervention once they know how it works— and I promise Lucas 
doesn’t give me kickbacks for promoting his tool all the time. ;) )

* The key thing in the User’s Guide for me (and something that taught 
me a lot about what it means to hold space) is if the participants are 
still giving space to the invasion at this point, then they *have* in 
fact followed the pervasive law of mobility and chosen to participate in 
the invasion. **If the facilitator intervenes at this point, the 
*facilitator* becomes the *Space Invader*.**

After adding that to the general discussion, because it was very 
important to me, I have to also think about the current context of this 
discussion on the OSList.

Having said all that, I want to point out that the discussion of Space 
Invaders in the User’s Guide comes right after (or is it just before) 
Harrison’s thoughts on complete disruptions apparently prompted by 
mental illness or other big external factors. I also have to ask what is 
the proper response to an outbreak of violence or predatory behaviour? 
In general, there are some situations where I don’t think the general 
advice for responding to space invasion would specifically apply.

And then, how can we interpret this in the context of a mailing list 
which operates publicly on the Internet? (I generally defer to the folks 
who were here longer than I on that point.) But I still ask: What is the 
same? And, what are the differences between this list and a 
"traditional" open space event? What differences actually matter to the 
way we respond?

I think open space works better when people are open about their 
positions and beliefs and own them. So I will say that I often find Mark 
Carmel’s posts to be extremely disruptive. I am often disturbed by 
them because—whether he means it intentionally or not—I read them as 
traps inviting, even demanding, interaction but also constructed 
(whether intentional or not) to be violently provocative in ways that 
any response triggers more disruption. I don’t feel that these 
messages are working towards something, they feelthey are intended to 
tear something a part.

I have considered using my mobility to filter Mark’s mails so I never 
see them. Or use my will power to just never read them. I’ve 
considered using my mobility to publicly—or quietly—unsubscribe from 
this list.

But I have also considered asking Mark if he would set up his own 
mailing list or forum for these discussions—people can participate in 
more than one forum and use mobility to choose those discussions. For 
now, that is not how I understand this list operates and suspect that 
such a move would be a loss for the list. I do think that’s one 
potential way to open more space and something I would consider (and not 
lightly).

I don’t know.

For now I find value in this discussion of open space principles and 
holding space. I find value in many the other posts. And I feel a 
responsibility to be here for "open space".

Openly,
Steve

On 21 Feb 2022, at 7:28, paul levy via OSList wrote:

That's beautiful, Michael, and I can go with it

Yet, mysteriously for me, in my deeper experience of my life, even the 
law
of gravity feels like a kind of invitation, one which I occasionally 
refuse.

Paul

On Mon, 21 Feb 2022, 04:11 Michael Herman via OSList, <
oslist@lists.openspacetech.org> wrote:

for me, it actually is a kind of law:  "you and only you know when 
you are
learning and contributing as much as you can."

a law, as chris corrigan taught me to say, "...that's not like a 
speed
limit, but more like the law of gravity.  defy it at your own risk!"

having pointed this out in an opening circle, i then suggest that 
everyone
in circle has the same job, the right AND the responsibility, to use 
their
two feet and/or whatever else they use to get around, to go wherever 
they
need to, to maximize their own learning and contribution.

in the end we don't care if they move... what we want is highest 
learning
and highest contribution.

for me, in open space, personal passion/freedom is always 
bounded/informed
by responsibility/contribution to the whole.

i think our pulsation between these apparent opposites, passion and
responsibility, learning and contributing, me and us, past and 
future, and
so on... is what drives it all.  we can't get stuck.  we have to keep
moving.  each of us, for all of us.

learning and practicing this kind of pulsation, between apparent
opposites, is for me the most important thing we invite in open 
space.
it's in the going back and forth that strengthens us.

michael


--

Michael Herman
Michael Herman Associates
312-280-7838 (mobile)

MichaelHerman.com
OpenSpaceWorld.org




On Sun, Feb 20, 2022 at 12:49 PM paul levy via OSList <
oslist@lists.openspacetech.org> wrote:

I haven't called it a law in years.

That is because it isn't a law. It is an eternal invitation.

Paul

On Sun, 20 Feb 2022, 16:08 Bhavesh Patel via OSList, <
oslist@lists.openspacetech.org> wrote:

Thanks Michael, always appreciate the time you take to write longer
emails and share stories.

The way you intro the Law is pretty much exactly how I do it as 
well,
using almost the same language. That for me still involves using my 
freedom
to take responsibility for my learning, contribution, productivity, 
and
where that is going to happen or not going to happen, at the same 
time
never fully knowing and always responding to all that is happening 
within,
between, and among... self-organisation, or as Morin says
eco-self-organsation!

I also have a very similar approach to space invaders, and have 
rarely
encountered one. There was one time when a person twice the size of 
me, a
former head of a big brand, took the mic for me and told everyone 
to stop
putting up topics on the second morning, because he had done a full
analysis of day 01 and could now tell us what we needed to do. I 
told him
that was great and kindly asked him to write it up and stick it up, 
but he
held on to the mic and repeated that this was not necessary and now 
we all
needed to listen to him and... there was a stand-off with both of 
us
holding the mic, until one of his peers asked him to let the 
facilitator do
his job, he backed off, and guess what, not many came to his 
session, and...

I have also used the walk out approach when nothing was happening, 
on
reflection I think I needed to leave the room for that group to 
truly
believe the power is in their hands to post topics!

I guess what I was trying to think about was what to do when 
someone is
clearly speaking in a way that is offensive to others... people can 
use
their two feet, the facilitator can also walk out of the room, what 
else is
there... I don't think OST = anything and everything is ok... so I 
was
reflecting on that... not sure if I am making sense to anyone???







On Sun, 20 Feb 2022 at 12:41, Michael M Pannwitz via OSList <
oslist@lists.openspacetech.org> wrote:

Dear Bhavesh,

The Law of Two Feet (this is, of course, no Law but tongue of 
cheeck
speak of the Man with the Hat) has not felt to me as a reminder to 
be
responsible for where I want to be.
In my intro to the process I say in the role of facilitator: "And
here",
pointing to the large poster on the wall of the space or on a 
large
pinboard on the edge of the outer circle or floating above the 
crowd of
2108 supported by large balloons, have a look here

https://openspaceworldscape.org/events/165-jetzt-meine-leidenschaft-meine-verantwortung-ueber-die-tagung-hinaus-now-my-passion-my-responsibility-beyond-the-conference

"is the Law of Two Feet which has to be utterly adhered to as it 
is a
LAW:
I honor a group with my absence if I neither learn nor contribute
something. If I am learning something I stay, if I am 
contributindg
something I also stay.
But if neither, then I'll do the group and especially myself the 
favor
of taking my feet... ", and here I imitate the Man by looking at 
my
feet
for 3 seconds lift them and run a short distance in front of the
assembled crowd... continuing:"... and move to a space which is 
more
productive for me... or to take a nap." (At this point folks 
usually
laugh out loud, incited by my awkward running style)

Now all this has nothing to do with taking responsibility for 
where I
want to be. I am focusing on this because I as facilitator am not 
in
any
way responsible for what anyone does, under the assumption that
everyone
is naturally "responsible"... and I adress it in the systemic 
context
we
are in when in an os event, and that it is selforganisation all 
the
time.

Regarding space invaders -  which I rarely have encountered 
probably
because I am such an awsome event myself, especially when totally
present and at the same time invisible - I do intervene.

My first intervention is to do nothing and wait (at this point I
understand why I am being paid for this job). If the crowd is kind 
of
struck and silent, also waiting, I still wait. Usually, this
intervention does get addressed by a participant, which causes 
another
participant to react... and results in a short exchange in which
usually
someone then gets the space invader to see that the group does not 
oust
him.

If no participant intervenes and I have counted to 10, I ask: "Who 
else
feels like Charlie?" This always works, one or several other
participants will say something. The main advantage of 
participants
participating in this is that the space invader immidiately sees 
that
he/she is still part of the group, not an outsider.

Another observation I have made is that some space invasions are
aggressive while others are certainly productive but not executed
completely.

At one event, one participant got up to introduce his issue 
(others had
posted issues before him) and said: "I have the most important 5 
issues
that need to be worked on!" and deposited his 5 issue sheets in 
the
center.
Here I intervened right away and reminded him that the issues have 
to
be
announced and posted on the Bulletin Board and that he shoulc say 
his
name. Somewhat nervous he picke up his 5 issues, spoke to them and 
then
posted them on the Bulletin Board.
Later in the day he approached me and said: "Michael, nobody 
signed in
for my issues! This was an important lesson for me."

So, its not about what is allowed or not. Its about how space and 
time
for selforganisation are expanded right then and here. Thats what 
I
recommend facilitators to focus on.

The utmost the facilitator can do in case stuff gets out of 
control and
nothing works is to leave the space.
I have experienced this twice in os events.
First event was the gathering of 300 Imams and Rabbis in Sevilla 
where
HO facilitated and I was his assistant. The participants kept 
posting
isssues without end and even after allocating 15 minutes more they 
kept
going. When the time was over, HO turned to me and spoke into the
mikrophone "Michael, please take over!" and left the room. It took 
only
minutes that the participants stopped posting issues and moved 
into the
phase to walk up to the Bulletin Board to sign up for issues they
wanted
to work on.

The second example was an os with facilitators from different
approaches
in which I was participant.
In the closing circle of the first day, one participant insisted 
on a
discussion of a particularly critical aspect. He ignored the
facilitators suggestion to post his issue for a session after 
dinner or
the next day. No, he wanted to continue. The facilitator pointed 
to the
schedule and the amount of time left. At the end of the agreed 
upon
time
he stood up and left the room.
Two minutes later, the entire group left, too.

What about other stories on The Law and Space Invadors?

Right now I am returning to the breakfast table where we are 
talking
about the urgent recommendation of the German Government to all 
German
citizens presently in the Ukraine to leave the Ukraine and return 
home
immediately.

War?

Greetings from Berlin
mmp


Am 20.02.2022 um 08:18 schrieb Bhavesh Patel via OSList:
It's an interesting one because:

  * The Law of Two Feet - is about us choosing to take 
responsibility
    for where we want to be.

  * Space Invaders - is the idea that NOT everything is allowed, 
and
if
    it feels like someone is controlling the space for another, 
then
the
    facilitator does something about it.

So it's an interesting grey area between when it is more about 
the
Law
and when it is more about Space Invaders and stepping in... and 
who
is
the facilitator when it comes to this loop anyway?




On Sun, 20 Feb 2022 at 03:58, Harold Shinsato via OSList
<oslist@lists.openspacetech.org <mailto:
oslist@lists.openspacetech.org>>
wrote:

    The OSList is intended to truly be "whoever comes is the 
right
people".

    The "Law of Two Feet" is hopefully something we take 
seriously
here.

    I wish there was a feature in the OSList where you could 
"walk
away"
    from a conversation without having to leave the OSList. Well, 
you
could
    just ignore the conversations where you are neither learning 
nor
    contributing.

    Another option most email systems have ways are message 
filters
that
    could automatically delete what you don't want. That is an
option. With
    a little effort that would be a way to employ "The Law of Two
Feet" or
    the "Law of Mobility".

          Best wishes to all!
          Harold
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