POSTURE OF OPENNESS

Openness, as an underlying posture in Knowledge Jam, is not simply quiet composure or self-control. It’s how we jump in and participate with a good conscience. Openness has three ingredients: first is a practice of skillful inquiry; next is a selfless, almost spiritual, outreach; and third is a widened perspective, a willingness to see the larger system of parts.

Skillful inquiry, an open heart, and big-picture thinking are rarely sufficient individually. I describe them separately, in the same way my tennis coach broke down the serve into minute parts for me—to help me appreciate the contribution of each muscle in time. But to serve an ace, these elements have to come together in a holistic way.

Skillful Inquiry (Model II Behavior Trumps Model I)