A Story from OZ

[rnorris at digital.net]

Nigel,

I have been doing research on the value of using Open Space Technology.
Your email with a concern about value was interesting. I am up to my neck
in the subject as we speak and have reviewed a cross representation of
reports and writings (40 plus) on experiences with Open Space.  Value
reported (each noted occurance - an incident of value) was noted and
categorized in the authors language (nurture, increases, shared, allows
etc...).  Here is a small sampling (NOT ALL IN EACH CATEGORY and not all
categories, LIST TOO LONG) of what I have found so far that OS event
attendees and practioners say is value related - personal or organizational.

                VALUE                   INCIDENTS OF OCCURENCE

TYPE            ORG                             314
                PERSONAL                        86
TIME FRAME      IMMEDIATE                       235
                POST (OS EVENT)         106
                POTENTIAL VALUE         55
SYSTEM          COMMUNITY                       173
                VISION                  85
                LEADERSHIP                      65
                MANAGEMENT                      52


OPEN SPACE HELPS CREATE A CLIMATE THAT:

                VALUE                   INCIDENTS OF OCCURENCE

NURTURES        CREATIVITY              25
                ENERGY                  22
                SPIRIT                  21
                FREEDOM                 16
                EMPOWERMENT                     13

INCREASES       RESPONSIBILITY                  24
                COMMITMENT              17
                TRUST                           6
                OWNERSHIP                       4
                INVOLVEMENT                     3

SHARED        LEADERSHIP                        25
                COMMUNICATION                   14
                IDEAS                   10
                KNOWLEDGE                       7
                QUALITY                         6

ALLOWS          LEARNING                36
                SELF ORG                23
                IMPROVE PRODUCTIVITY    21
                AWARENESS / DISCOVERY           17
                COLLABORATION           14
                IMPROVE COMMUNICATION   11
                TEAM BUILD              10
                TRANSFORMATION          10
                CONFLICT RESOLUTION             9
                INTEGRATION                     8
                PROBLEM SOLVING         8
                REFLECTION                      8
                CONNECTION                      7
                IMPROVE EFFICIENCY              7
                INCLUSION                       7

My Assumption: CEO's get paid to Open Space in their organizations to
capitilizes on the above to meet their organizations goals. An OS
facilitator is in essence doing the CEO's function in this regard.

If this is a correct assumption then the Fair Market Value of OS might
be....1 day of CEO's pay X no. days OS facilitation + 2 days (prep
recovery).... example 3 day OS event = 5 day CEO's daily pay. Just imagine
what one would be paid for if Opening Space in Microsoft!

Then again the value of OS is hard to determine.  One could leave the
amount of payment up to the CEO. Using the principle of OS "whatever
happens is the only thing that could have"....whatever happens in the
amount of payment is the only thing that one could have been paid.  I know
of several consultants (not OS) who use this method.  They open space on
the amount of payment and leave the value of their services up to the
customer vice imposing a value for their service (let go of control).  They
deliver the same product but get different payments based on the customers
determination of the value of the services.  They all have thriving
consulting services, are in high demand and make more than their
contemporaries.

Thanks for listening

Rich Norris


At 06:34 AM 4/3/00 +1000, you wrote:
>Hello Harrison,
>
>I was quite taken aback having been noticed, Re: A Story from OZ.
>Brian Bainbridge emailed me about you quoting my piece. It was a
>strange case and I must admit I was worried that the guys involved
>might not even be able to read.
>
>>The immediate return was a very obvious $8000, a ten times increase
>based on time, productivity and materials. The manager and I worked
>it out after the session. The $100K I extrapolated from there, over
>time, possibly longer than a year though. So I think they got the
>best part of the bargain after all.
>
>One of the big problems I come across is the question of value and
>how much we should charge for an open space facilitation, after all,
>we just sit there (not really). What's it worth if holding the space
>saves them $1000's? Yet nothing happens unless the group takes
>responsibility and does something because it is important to them.
>
>It's pretty hard to put a value on Open Space, but in this case it
>was black and white.
>*****************************************************8
>
>
Richard Norris
(407)779-0531
<rnorris at digital.net>