<\/p>\n
Continuing on this question of how to handle expectations, boundaries, and “givens” in the preparation for Opening Space… Fr. Brian Bainbridge suggested that “over-concentration on the ‘Givens’ as they are called, simply disallows
the surprise and openness of what we embark on once space is opened.” <\/p>\n
In the past, I’ve tried to name and specifically invite these things we’re calling “the givens,” but that only seemed to make more of them. Over-concentration, as Fr. Brian calls it. More often than not I seem to be bombarded with the givens, the limits and boundaries — as if there were nothing else of import or value to describe the organization or the situation. Sometimes they’ve been stacked up as proof that OpenSpaceTech<\/a> could never work. Other times, laid out as a list of the concessions that had been required in order to get permission for a “trial version.” <\/p>\n Nowadays, I certainly am still listening for them when I talk with clients. But rather than name and focus on them, I try to push these conditions around in such a way that some space begins to open between them. As we talk, I keep looking around for what more and more I am sensing as the “clean spots” in the midst of the confusion and layers of the story. I keep fishing and feeling for those clean spots, little bits of genuine clarity, and then I’m sort of sewing and resewing them together until we get enough space to dance. How’s that for mixing my metaphors? <\/p>\n But sometimes that’s how it is with these clean spots. They don’t always look like they’re gonna fit together. But then they do fit — and we have our Opening. So that’s what we invite people into, that Open Space that is clean and clear and accessible and useful for everyone involved. And that’s what we animate and grow in the event itself. <\/p>\n Last night Phil Cubeta and I spent a couple of hours fishing and fitting clean spots. This after a couple of weeks churning out draft invitations. What we finally arrived at was new level of clarity for this<\/a> conference: Opening Space for Giving to Flourish. And the more we talked about it, the more the space we found opening. The story got easier to tell, more limber, more durable — more inviting and invitable.<\/em> As a result, the whole conference feels more possible and powerful. That’s when you know you’re onto something. So this morning I did some more searching, for extra meeting space options, just in case this thing wants to get LARGE. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Continuing on this question of how to handle expectations, boundaries, and “givens” in the preparation for Opening Space… Fr. Brian Bainbridge suggested that “over-concentration on the ‘Givens’ as they are called, simply disallowsthe surprise and openness of what we embark on once space is opened.” In the past, I’ve tried to name and specifically invite … <\/p>\n