Client out of control! Need help!

[Michelle Cooper]

Hi Chris:
My feeling....definitely no speaker.  Yes call and cancel.  Although I have not experienced this dilemma myself, the many stories that I have heard and read about OS indicate that mixing didactic and OS in the day, be that trying to add a speaker in the middle of OS or inserting OS into a day of speaking has very negative results.  This seems like a big space invader moment.  Is the manager attending the meeting?
Michelle Cooper

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From:   Chris Corrigan[SMTP:corriganc at inac.gc.ca]
Sent:   Thursday, October 08, 1998 6:22 PM
To:     OSLIST at LISTSERV.IDBSU.EDU
Subject:        Client out of control!  Need help!

A quick one, I'm not sure it's a problem, but...

I'm preparing for an Open Space at the end of the month
with a federal government department.  The planning
committee I'm working with was sold on the idea of
concluding a three day meeting with one full day in Open
Space.  They chose a great topic and I'm confident that the
day will go very well.

The problem is that the committee I'm working with is
accountable to a manager who distrusts facilitators
and facilitated meetings of any kind.  (Perfect, thought I.
Won't be a problem with OS).  The committee sold her on
the concept, but I'm not sure she's grasped it fully and she
won't talk to me.

The day in Open Space has a hole in the middle ofit for
people to eat lunch, continue with their group work, sleep or
whatever.  The manager has now asked for a keynote
speaker to be inserted into this "free" spot.  I'm uneasy, but
thought I'd get some advice.  I've never done it this way
before, and naturally I'm worried about what this highly
structured presentation will do to the flow.  Will the group
recover the momentum after being bored to tears at lunch?
Should I back out if we can't get the keynote speaker
cancelled?

Chris
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