people coming and going at OS

[owen]

At 07:14 PM 12/28/98 +0000, you wrote:
>Hello!
>
>I`m rather new in this list, just having participated in my first
>OS. Having been a  facilitator (or moderator as we call it) with a
>basically similar approach to people for ten years I'm most
>intrigued by this way to really make selforganization possible. So I
>will organize an OS soon, but in preparing this event I stumbled over
>the question, whether somebody who wants to come, has to commit
>himself for the whole time (in this case two days, in an volunteers
>organization, with about 80 to 120 people possibly being interested
>enough).
>
>As I understand the opening proces is a very important
>happening of coming together and opening the space. So how about
>people who (think they) can't stay all the time, either coming late
>or leaving early? How to integrate them in the proces? Do the
>principles of openspace also apply to OS as a whole, or is it
>necessary that everybody or at least a vast mayority commit
>themselves to be present the whole time, or at least at the
>beginning?
**********************************************
Welcome aboard! As you know one of the major elements of Open Space is The
Law of Two Feet. A most important law, which has as a corollary the
principle of voluntary self selection. Folks need to come because they want
to, stay because they have something to learn/contribute, and go if none of
the above is true. Having said all of that, and I wouldn't un-say it... I
try to point out to people that coming part time, as one might do in a more
standard conference, is going to be a real loser, for them and for their
fellows. If they come late, they will miss all the fun and creativity of
getting things started, to say nothing of insuring that their items of
concern are included for discussion. If the go early, they won't know how
it all turns out. So, pay your money, make your choice, and do what you
need to. Actually a very usual experience is for somebody to say that they
can only stay for a short time, and end staying to the bitter end.