DECEMBER 10, 1998
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE ODN NATIONAL CONFERENCE:
AN OPEN SPACE FORUM

In our field, we talk about "both-and" and "managing polarities", yet actually living and experiencing such a dialectic can be remarkable. In a group I convened, ostensibly on Regional Networks, where I was joined by Chuck Scharenberg & John Madden, I started out uncharacteristically babbling about how irritable I have been lately, the writing I have been doing (personal essays and memoirs), my most recent analysis session, and my socio-romantic life. Weirdly enough, this seemed to energize both Chuck and John and we had a great conversation that culminated in the idea to write, from the heart, this very article on what we talked about and why.

Were we a clique of cronies having a coffeeklatsch? Yes and no. I suppose you could say that the three of us are friends as well as colleagues, and if more or different people had gravitated to our group, our discussion may have been somewhat been different, although there were many others at the meeting with whom I share closer demographics. Most importantly, I think, all of us do who share an Open Space session have things in common by definition, whatever it was the brought us to share that time and space.

And although Open Space is considered a divergent process, because it allows for differing perspectives and does not demand common ground or the neat tying of loose ends, it was convergence, unforced as it was, that I felt the most strongly about. In fact, a main thread in our conversation was how the personal and the professional do converge in our lives and work, and how we could strengthen this convergence. One way is by creating opportunities and holding space for just this sort of sharing.

At the same time, this sense of convergence called up its antithesis as I was reminded of rumblings during the planning of this program meeting. People had wondered, to varying degrees, whether the meeting would be up to our professional standards without a speaker providing "tools" that would "add value" (and revenues) to our members' practices. As Co-President, I was not immune to this concern. But, as I had hoped, what we got was something more precious-- the opportunity to be authentic, even intimate, and speak our truths. Another example of divergence: in my fantasies during the session, the far more populated "power" group on the other side of the room was busy raising their income and professional stature even as we spoke. Imagine my surprise to hear in the closing that they were talking about many of the same things we were talking about (while they probably thought we were talking about regional networks, which we both were and weren't)! Ah, synthesis!

This boundary between convergence and divergence, I realize, is the space I want to live in, as much as possible, and I hope you join me in celebrating its continuing evolution.

-  Julie Benesh