A case for training.Revised

[Esther Ewing]

I have had a similar experience through the open space which happened in my
church. Not the facilitator's fault, by the way, Larry did a super job. But
because the organization's power structure rejected the results of the
process so strongly, they've blamed open space and not embraced the
accountability which goes with recognizing the grain of truth that they are
partly to blame for the outcomes.

I think that there is an important reason to protect what open space IS.
Because if we don't (and I don't mean to exclude people or not share it)
it's reputation will get eroded and genuine opportunities for open space
will disappear.

I have refused to do open space, for example, when not enough time was going
to be set aside. I have agreed to facilitate another kind of process and I
am adament that even if I've borrowed some concepts in the spirit of the
other process design, I don't allow anyone to call it open space unless I
think it is. (That is, if I'm facilitating it).

Blessings
Esther
-----Original Message-----
From: Birgitt Bolton <birgitt at WORLDCHAT.COM>
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU <OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
Date: Monday, January 11, 1999 3:34 PM
Subject: Re: A case for training.Revised


>Harrison,
>When Michelle speaks of our area she is referring directly to one
>city--Hamilton. I suspect when you say we have had successes in our area
you
>might be thinking of the province of  Ontario, where several good people
are
>doing Open Space. Michelle and Jody and I and others continue to struggle
>with the very, very bad rep that Open Space has gotten in Hamilton which is
>very small town in mentality and where everyone seems to know everyone who
>knows everyone. It is clearly a case of the success of bad reputation,
>undeserved, created by people who do their version of modified Open Space,
>table groupings and all. And despite good reputations of some of the rest
of
>us outside of this city, we can't break through this mindset, despite
>attempts over a three year period. Unless of course we just don't  know of
>some positive stories that you may be aware of, and if so, please let us
>know. Just over three years ago, the first of these modified Open Spaces
was
>done with significant people in the health sector. We might say, whatever
>happens... this community isn't ready for the success of Open Space....and
>we should resign ourselves to it. I just think it is sad.  And no, I am not
>in a space that says there is only one way to do Open Space-we all give it
>our own best---just that some things called Open Space are not Open Space.
>Changing subjects just a bit, we have a "doctor" here in town who is
>currently up on several counts of sexual abuse and fraud-he has been
>practicing as a doctor for 15 years. And then was found not to be a doctor
>at all. When is a doctor not a doctor and what to do about it. When is Open
>Space not Open Space and what to do about it.
>
>You are right---energies are best spent getting out into the world and
doing
>good Open Space-and building that wonderful reputation. And maybe if doors
>are closed in one area, we should just stop knocking on them. Unless of
>course we are fuelled by passion and responsibility.
>Birgitt
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From:   OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of owen
>Sent:   Monday, January 11, 1999 1:24 PM
>To:     OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
>Subject:        Re: A case for training.Revised
>
>>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.
>
>
>