A case for training.Revised

[owen]

>I think that both Birgitt and I have related stories of how hard it has been
>in this region to get people to use or consider open space for an event.
>The few that have been tried have been disasters (with the exception of
>those conducted by Birgitt) , because the facilitators did not know how to
>hold space.  Unfortunately, these unsuccessful "UN-Open Space events" have
>been attended by influential people in the community, which damaged the
>reputation of open space.  Therefore, when I received an  invitation to
>attend a half-day planning meeting for the organization that I am associated
>with, I was delighted to see that it was to be held on open space.

Thank you Michelle -- Good story... but not to worry about Open Space.
Seems to me folks pretty well figured out what they had and had not
received. It wasn't open space and they knew it. So what to do? No point in
creating a "Truth Squad"  probably wouldn't work and certainly would
require a whole mess of energy that might be better expended on Opening
more space. As for folks who get the "wrong impression" making  the use of
open space down the road more difficult, I always ask them what happened.
It usually doesn't take too long to get to the point where they recognized
that what they experienced was a lot less than they could have. If they are
still sceptical I give them the phone number of somebody in the same
business area who had a better experience. Usually works out just fine. But
in any case -- whatever happens is the only thing that could have. Or words
to that effect. Oh and one last thing -- I am not quite sure it is correct
to say that the Open Spaces conducted in your neighborhood were generally a
disaster. Seems to me that I remember quite a few that came off rather well
including those that Birgitt did as well as other folks. h.