OS and Strategic Planning

Larry Peterson lpasoc at inforamp.net
Fri Jan 15 06:55:50 PST 1999


Folks:

I have used Open Space in a variety of ways in what have been called
"strategic planning" processes. If the whole group is to develop a "shared
preferred future" or even a senior team before involving others I use a more
guided process which has elements of traditional strategic planning. I call
it "Engaged Strategic Discernment", and folks can get some of the
information they need for a traditional plan from the processes that lead up
to or follow Open Space events. I think that appreciating the story,
clarifying strategic assumptions, articulating mission and vision need to be
guided in some organizations as the writing of the final strategic plan,
with vision, strategic directions and measurable indicators.  The space can
be opened at many points along the way and then opened again on specific
aspects. Open Space can generate the vision, strategic directions, the
elements of a strategic plan, specific implementation strategies flowing in
and out of more guided meetings.  I often use similar questions and
approaches of Future Search to set the context for opening space in a
"planning" process. Opening the space gets to engaged planning where intent
to act and commitment emerge as actually more important than the plan
specfics that end up on paper. Meg Wheatly talks about the importance of
planning being the building of a community that can respond to unexpected
situations. I suggest it needs to be a "community of intent". I think that
governments are the hardest group to work with in this regard because they
(at least in Canada) are still adopting the last trend even if the evidence
is that it doesn't work well (Mintzberg).

Larry

Larry Peterson
Associates in Transformation
41 Appleton Ave., Toronto, ON,
Canada, M6E 3A4
Tel:/Fax: 416-653-4829

lpasoc at inforamp.net
http://www.inforamp.net/~lpasoc



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