OS as a Synthesis Tool

[Birgitt Bolton]

Hi Peggy,

I'm just getting back from a vacation in some sun and am connecting with my
e-mails. I very much like the direction that you are going in with this.
One other person that I know of is working on the same ideas of using Open
Space for the "convergence/prioritizing" process on Day Three. I only have
a hard copy of her work, but Diane Gibeault at dpg at cyberus.ca has done some
experimenting with this and is most pleased with her results. She has
indicated to me that she is editing her story of this and will be posting
it to the list soon. At any rate, I think that contacting her for a good
conversation about this would be useful.

I also believe that the wisdom of some of the work of Prasad Kaipa and Anne
Stadler might inform/frame some of what you are thinking through
here--their thoughts on learning and as applied to OS including the last
day having to do with convergence, divergence, emergence, and
re-convergence. What is it in their thinking with that model that would
inform what you are finding with the use of the Open Space for
"re-convergence". I too am curious about this because I don't see Open
Space as very divergent and am having a hard time wrapping my mind around
thinking of it as "convergent" although I agree that it is so (it's just
hard for me to really get this). I think there are seeds of something quite
important here in where you are going in relation to this and in relation
to Diane's work. I would sure like you to keep us posted on your continuing
exploration with this.

Blessings to you and see you in about six weeks time. I look forward to
great discussions!

Birgitt

----------
> From: Peggy Holman, Open Space Institute <osi at TMN.COM>
> To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.IDBSU.EDU
> Subject: OS as a Synthesis Tool
> Date: March 16, 1998 7:51 PM
>
> As has been demonstrated many times over the last 15 or so years, OS is a
> wonderful way to bring openness to closed spaces: to allow the pent up
> natural divergence to have room for exploration.
>
> Over the last 2 years, I've been experimenting with OS in a different
way.
> Often, I've been in environments where the powers that be found the
thought
> of opening space far too frightening to pursue.  So, I have worked with
them
> in other ways to make room for new possibilities.
>
> Whatever route is taken to envision new possibilities, there comes a time
> when focusing has value.  I believe that focusing is best done through
> synthesis.  I want to digress a moment and offer a definition of
synthesis.
> It's the process of looking at the elements of something and putting them
> together in new ways.  So, it is a creative process that by definition,
> creates new mental maps.  When we create new mental maps, we think about
> things differently.  When we think differently, it changes behavior,
which
> ultimately leads to different results.
>
> So, when I started to think about better ways of setting priorities, I
found
> myself guided by some familiar principles: Whoever comes; whatever
happens,
> etc.  And of course, the law of 2 feet.  In addition to these familiar
> friends, I found two other underlying ideas were guiding my thinking.
>
> The first:  the personal is universal.
> The second: when people listen to their own internal dialogue, they have
a
> remarkable capacity to synthesize vast amounts of information and
feelings.
> As a matter of fact, I believe that the act of looking inside or using
> intuition is an act of connecting with spirit.
>
> So, armed with these thoughts, I started experiementing with using OS to
> bring focus after a space had been opened for exploration.  What changed
is
> the sort of question I use to open the space for synthesis.  Rather than
an
> expansive question, I ask a very personal, reflective question: "Based
upon
> your view of all of the possibilities discussed and explored, how do you
> personally want to use your energy, your two feet to further what's
> happened?"  I let them know that if someone posts something similar, to
work
> with them.  So, rather than encouraging diversity, at this stage, I ask
> people to look for common threads.
>
> What I find happens is people come forward with practical ways to live
out
> what they have been discussing.  And that there are relatively few items
> that come up.  The number of areas for focus emerging has ranged from 1
to
> 5.  The largest group I done this with is about 60.
>
> The other observation I have about this approach is that it really
> reinforces the kind of collective consciousness that often happens in an
OS.
> People hear articulated what they have been thinking about.  It's
affirming
> and really builds energy for collective action.
>
> During the last Open Space on Open Space, we had a discussion on "Day 3"
a
> short-hand name for converging after an OS.  Someone had a wonderful
quote:
>
> "When we dream alone, it is only a dream
> When we dream together, it's the begining of reality."
>
>
> I would love to hear your reaction to these ideas.
>
> Peg Holman