ADVERTISING ONESELF!!

[Marks McAvity]

                                                                                                                    May 4th, 2000

GREETINGS AGAIN,

A couple of weeks ago I described in some detail my first "opening" of space and in reply to one other communication I made mention of yet another. The first was with 200 16-18year olds + 18 teachers. The second was with a group of 10 folk in their late 20's. The one other experience I've had recently was with 16 community organizers for a small rural community outside of Vcitoria, BC, Canada. That also seemed to go very well. The process seems to be wonderfully contagious and adaptable.

Although I'm "semi"-retired, I like to keep up involvement here and there, and have already had the privilege of doing educational work in 8 countries in the last 18 months, including these three Open Space experiences. I'm also privileged to be in touch with close to about 1000 ex-students from over 60 countries, ranging in age from 20 through 50 years in a great variety of work, a good number with major responsibilities in their countries. 

Having had this limited but exhilirating Open Space experience, I'm rather keen to make it known to this network of younger friends in the hope that its utility may spread. Naturally, to some limit, I want to keep my hand in too, and might be willing to go to some places for travel and local needs costs only. It would be a wonderful way ( along with others) to keep in touch with these friends and to travel. However, I certainly don't want to be seen to be "stealing" work from others. What is the present ethical position on such issues with this List Group? Certainly, if  I receive a lot of response ( i.e. more than I would ever want to handle), I will be delighted to share the potential assignments with others who might be interested.

In addition to any comments to the above, I'm looking for advice on how to "sell" this process most effectively to these 1000 people by a blanket e-mail communication. One way I'd thought about was a descriptive, friendly letter like the one drafted below, along with an attachment which would describe 2 or 3 varied successful examples- as in Harrison's OST book. Then I would simply wait for responses.

Below is my draft letter. If you any thoughts on it or any of the above, please let me know. I will want to proceed with this before the end of May.

Greetings friends,

This is another of our general letters ( bcc type), but with a difference.

Certainly it is a kind of 'check' in to wish you well and to let you know that we are well. Marg has just successively finished her first year of this her second Master's programme, this one as a considerably "mature" student; and I have been on two major trips since we wrote to most of you last autumn. Also, Marg is just about to go on a trip herelf to lend assistance in the rebuilding of a Quaker School library in Beirut after decades of turmiol there.

Three times in these past 4 months, I have been invited to provide facilatation to very different groups using a process called OPEN SPACE TECHNOLOGY(OST), and I want to share something about that with you. With a name like OST, you might well think it is some kinky "new age" process. I can assure that it is not.

I first met OST at Sorrento Centre, the all age educational conference/retreat centre where I spent my last  4 1/2 years of full time work as its executive director. OST was used there by others, and Marg & I were both struck by its effectiveness in a variety of meeting and conference contexts. Then this year, the opportunities came for me to learn and use the process myelf.

This facilatation technique can be used for conferences, planning meetings and think tank sessions to name just a few. I've attached a few cases studies to incite you about possibilities. You can also check it out on the web www.openspaceworld.org , a web page constructed by the "founder" of the method. It's use doesn't fit in all circumstances, and probably should not be used continuously, but it has now been used extensively in over 60(?) countries, for groups as small as 5 and as big as 1000, and almost always with resouding success.

In short, it is a process which relies neither on outside speakers or planned workshops. It simply and effectively empowers the group at hand to accomplish the mission of the meeting or conference using their own knowledge, wisdom, passion  and skills.

I would be very willing to enter into converstation with any of you (or those you know) ANYWHERE on earth, about acting as an Open Space facilatator- or to put you into contact with others who would be willing & able to do so. For my part, I am not seeking a particular fee for such service, though that would be a factor in the conversation; rather, my real 'fees" would be travel assistance in getting to where you are, "my care" on site and the opportunity to share somewhat in your lives- an indulgence some of you know me for.

So that's my general letter with a difference. We always enjoy hearing from and of you, and trust that life is continuing to give you much fullness.

Cheers,

Marks, of

Marks & Margaret McAvity
Site 50, Comp 16
Galiano Island,
BC, VON 1P0
CANADA
Tel 250-539-2881 (Gal)
Tel 604-827-0305 (Van)
Tel 250-539-0146 (mob)
mcavity at jetstream.net (us)
mcavity at netinfo.ubc.ca (Marg)

That's it. If you got this far, thanks for the time. This is a great list group.

Cheers,

Marks
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