Engaging the Reluctant Group LO18422

Richard C. Holloway (learnshops@thresholds.com)
Tue, 16 Jun 1998 10:53:53 -0700

Replying to LO18415 --

Genna--

I think you (and some other responders) have provided some useful
responses to Terry's dilemma. I also recognized your group, Terry (I'm
sure I've run into them a few times--often when I was "the manager").

A colleague of mine (with whom I shared this "case study") shared the
following with me:

"This one really made me think of Oshry's Seeing Systems. This group has
created power and solidarity out of being 'righteously done to' by
management. Their power is invested in having totally checked out of
organizational agendas. And they're getting an increasing sense of their
power by so 'successfullly' handling their interaction with the
facilitator. They need to pay Oshry the big bucks to open their eyes to
the fact that they are commiting group suicide. I don't think that this
situation can be changed without finding ways for them to realize that
they are simply being reactive, non-participants."

Oshry's book (and work) with "tops, bottoms and middles" is quite relevant
to this group. You might find an experienced Oshry-trained facilitator in
your area, Terry.

Playback Theatre (or other forms of role-playing playback) could also be
useful--especially if more of the organization can be involved (as I
suspect that much of the rest of the organization is involved at this
time).

I sincerely hope you find an acceptable (and winning) way to release this
group from their prison--and my heart goes out to a manager who may never
be able to fit well into this group.

regards,

Doc

-- 
"The most invisible creators I know of are those artists whose medium is life
itself. The ones who express the inexpressible - without brush, hammer, clay
or guitar. They neither paint nor sculpt - their medium is being. Whatever
their presence touches has increased life. They see and don't have to draw.
They are the artists of being alive."  - J. Stone


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Richard C. "Doc" Holloway       Olympia, WA    ICQ# 10849650
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