In Appreciation of OS

Sun Apr 30 05:11:37 PDT 2000

In a message dated 4/28/2000 4:37:00 PM Central Daylight Time,
rnorris at digital.net writes:

<< I too am Certified Federal Workforce Mediator (trained by the Atlanta
 Justice Center). Have you ever thought about Open Space being a form of
 mediation. I believe a good mediator in essence Opens Space and then holds
 it for the party's to reach their own mutual agreements. Possibilities?

 >>
Rich,

Absolutely.  In fact, we use OST along with the "7 Elements" conflict
resolution process (Roger Fisher, "Getting To Yes").  OST is an ideal process
to use in mediation.  The reason we also use Roger Fisher training is that it
is important that labor-management participants understand interests as
opposed to positions, and how to empathetically listen.  We spend more time
on the first two elements of Communications and Relationships, which is were
we find about 80% of the problems.  Thank you for your comment.

Dave Koehler

>From  Sun Apr 30 10:56:50 2000
Message-Id: <SUN.30.APR.2000.105650.0400.>
Date: Sun, 30 Apr 2000 10:56:50 -0400
Reply-To: birgitt at mindspring.com
To: OSLIST <OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
From: Birgitt Williams <birgitt at mindspring.com>
Subject: sample invitation for Open Space Technology meeting
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The sample invitations that have been shared with us are wonderful and I
thank you for the sharing.

In turn, I include below another, longer sample invitation. Please feel free
to use whatever parts of it appeal to you. In this particular sample
invitation, I am addressing a need of a client group to be more specific
about what participants are being invited to. This was created for a company
where the conflict was high (union/management), the invitation was going out
from management to staff that had no interest in attending any meeting.
Points that I wanted to cover in the invitation included points that often
we don't feel we need to say ahead of time however I have discovered over
time that they are helpful in situations of conflict (and don't seem to
cause harm in other situations)
-we wanted to be sure that participants knew they would build the agenda
-we wanted to be sure that participants knew that the information would be
accessed by anyone who wanted it (I have had one major disaster in an Open
Space when we didn't talk about this ahead, participants assumed it was an
internal to the company document--and within 10 minutes of the Open Space
having been done, the proceedings were in the hands of "the competition".
And just by the way, there are no guarantees that the document will be
confidential, no matter who says so, so I always now say that it is
not---this affects some of what goes into reports and how they are written)
-we wanted participants to know that follow up action would be framed within
the "givens"
-we wanted participants to know that not all topics would be top vote
getters, but the participants themselves would identify the top vote
getters.
-we wanted clearance on the contact information that participants were
willing to have on the list (I always do this for every meeting-in the past
I have had trouble because of a participant list that had all of the contact
information and customers of the company and some others were angry that
their phone numbers and addresses were included in a document that would be
accessible by whoever got their hands on it)

The sample invitation is below my signature.

Birgitt
Birgitt Williams
Make Genuine Contact!
Dalar Associates: organizational
effectiveness consultants

Striving for Success? Ready to exceed
your expectations?

Contact us for consulting services, training,
conference and meeting facilitation,
and keynote speaking.

www.openspacetechnology.com

You are invited to join us for a meeting to explore

"THEME"

You are invited to a meeting that

  1.. lets us design our own agenda and promises that anything that is
important to any of us about the theme has the opportunity to be discussed;
  2.. enables you to connect with others who share your interests at the
meeting with an opportunity to continue networking with these people beyond
the meeting;
  3.. acknowledges and works with the wisdom, experience and expertise that
you and others have to work on the theme;
  4.. provides the opportunity to have meaningful conversation, involvement
and connecting;
  5.. enables you to move from one discussion to another so that at every
moment, you use your personal energy by either learning or contributing.
Your wisdom and energy is too precious to be wasted;
  6.. provides a written summary of every session, posted on a wall during
the meeting as soon as the summary is recorded and is compiled into a book
of proceedings for each participant to use beyond the meeting for ongoing
work; and
  7.. supports action planning at the meeting itself and beyond the meeting.
The meeting format and process is called Open Space Technology. Please join
us as we move

"Theme" forward.

Date and Time

Place

To reserve your spot at the meeting call…..When you call, we will ask for
the contact information that you are willing to have included in the book of
proceedings

To reserve accommodation….

Special dietary or other needs, let us know…

(this is a good spot to identify other special arrangements being made such
as for language translation)

The Purpose for having this meeting:

State Theme

List objectives

Objectives include the overall objective for the event within the larger
organizational context and can also include objectives such as creating a
source of data to identify who has interest in particular issues for future
networking and future work groups. Sometimes the objectives are to offer an
opportunity for learning new material. Sometimes they are for strategic
planning, or community building, or problem solving. Sometimes the objective
for the meeting is to end at the end of the meeting itself. Sometimes the
objective for the meeting goes beyond the boundaries of time and space for
the meeting.

                    List "givens" or non-negotiables or root assumptions

The givens or non-negotiables or more correctly root assumptions for the
event are listed here. They include legal, financial, process, role of CEO
and managers in the meeting, what will happen with the information, what
will happen to items identified for further action. What are the degrees of
real freedom not only for the meeting, but beyond the meeting based on the
meeting. Identifying the givens is really identifying the true degrees of
freedom. It assists in managing expectations.

What to Expect

  a.. Prior to the meeting, you will receive an information packet that
includes the names and contact information of participants. As well, you
will receive information about this topic (theme) that will bring you up to
date with what we currently know/experience. It is recommended that you read
this information in the context of briefing notes.

  b.. The evening before our Open Space Technology meeting, we will be
gathering in the main meeting room at 7pm for a time of storytelling. Our
facilitator….will lead us through an opportunity to tell stories of the past
and present of this organization. Through our stories, we remember and
acknowledge our past and present. Stories may be sad, mad, glad—all stories
are welcome. It is up to each of us to tell the stories that we would like
to share with others. When you come to our story telling evening, you will
find the chairs set up in a circle. Just help yourself to refreshments and
sit wherever you would like in the circle. We will have refreshments
available throughout the evening for you to get up and enjoy at your
leisure. The story telling portion will end when the stories are over. The
room and refreshments will continue to be available to you until midnight.
There will be no formal breaks.

  c.. In the morning when you arrive for the Open Space Technology meeting,
you will enter a room set up with a circle of chairs. The facilitator will
guide us through instructions for the process. Together, we will create the
agenda for our time together, during the first forty minutes. Through the
creation of the agenda, leaders of topics will identify themselves.
Participants will be invited to sign up for the topics they are interested
in. Participants will then manage their own time and energy, attending
sessions of interest. Leaders will be responsible for getting their topic
going, and ensuring that a report is entered to be posted on the newswall
for all to read, and for entry into the book of proceedings.

  There will be breaks for lunch every day for an hour, served buffet style.
There will be no formal coffee breaks, however beverages and food will be
available for you throughout our time and you are encouraged to be sure your
own needs are looked after.

  At the end of the first day, we will gather in a circle to share any news.
At the beginning of the second day, we will again gather in a circle to
share any news and to have the opportunity to post more topics on the
agenda, if participants have more topics to post. We will head off into our
discussion groups and gather for evening news again at the end of the day.
We shift into a different component of the Open Space Technology meeting on
the morning of the third day. When we gather in our morning circle, we will
each be given a copy of the book of proceedings that we have created. We
will have time to read this book, and then we will be asked to vote for
those topics that we each feel the most personal energy for. This will
identify our top vote-getters. We will spend the balance of the morning
focusing on these top vote getters and developing concrete action plans for
next steps.

  The final component of our meeting will be to gather in a circle for
closing comments following the action planning.

  We will end at noon on this final day.

  Please note that only those who participate in the process may take part
in the voting on the final morning.

  More information about the process that we will use for our meeting is
available at www.openspacetechnology.com

  d.. Following the Open Space Technology meeting, copies of the book of
proceedings including the action planning component will be available
from ….for anyone who wants a copy. As well, we will post a copy of all of
the proceedings and action planning on our website. Action planning will
proceed according to "givens" that were noted at the beginning of this
invitation.

Sincerely,

CEO

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<DIV>The =
sample=20
invitations that have been shared with us are wonderful and I thank you =
for the=20
sharing. </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN=20
class=3D520424223-29042000> </DIV>
<DIV>In =
turn, I include=20
below another, longer sample invitation. Please feel free to use =
whatever parts=20
of it appeal to you. In this particular sample invitation, I am =
addressing a=20
need of a client group to be more specific about what participants are =
being=20
invited to. This was created for a company where the conflict was high=20
(union/management), the invitation was going out from management to =
staff that=20
had no interest in attending any meeting. Points that I wanted to cover =
in the=20
invitation included points that often we don't feel we need to say ahead =
of time=20
however I have discovered over time that they are helpful in situations =
of=20
conflict (and don't seem to cause harm in other =
situations)</DIV>
<DIV>-we =
wanted to be=20
sure that participants knew they would build the =
agenda</DIV>
<DIV>-we =
wanted to be=20
sure that participants knew that the information would be accessed by =
anyone who=20
wanted it (I have had one major disaster in an Open Space when we didn't =
talk=20
about this ahead, participants assumed it was an internal to the company =

document--and within 10 minutes of the Open Space having been done, the=20
proceedings were in the hands of "the competition". And just by the way, =
there=20
are no guarantees that the document will be confidential, no matter who =
says so,=20
so I always now say that it is not---this affects some of what goes into =
reports=20
and how they are written)</DIV>
<DIV>-we =
wanted=20
participants to know that follow up action would be framed within the=20
"givens"</DIV>
<DIV>-we =
wanted=20
participants to know that not all topics would be top vote getters, but =
the=20
participants themselves would identify the top vote =
getters.</DIV>
<DIV>-we =
wanted clearance=20
on the contact information that participants were willing to have on the =
list (I=20
always do this for every meeting-in the past I have had trouble because =
of a=20
participant list that had all of the contact information and customers =
of the=20
company and some others were angry that their phone numbers and =
addresses were=20
included in a document that would be accessible by whoever got their =
hands on=20
it)</DIV>
<DIV><SPAN=20
class=3D520424223-29042000> </DIV>
<DIV>The =
sample=20
invitation is below my signature.</DIV>
<DIV><SPAN=20
class=3D520424223-29042000> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN=20
class=3D520424223-29042000>Birgitt</DIV>
<DIV>Birgitt Williams</DIV>
<DIV>Make Genuine =
Contact!</DIV>
<DIV>Dalar Associates: =
organizational=20
</DIV>
<DIV>effectiveness =
consultants</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Striving for Success? Ready to =
exceed=20
</DIV>
<DIV>your expectations?</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Contact us for consulting =
services,=20
training, </DIV>
<DIV>conference and meeting =
facilitation,=20
</DIV>
<DIV>and keynote =
speaking.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><A=20
href=3D"http://www.openspacetechnology.com">www.openspacetechnology.com</=
A></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>
You are invited to join us for a =
meeting to=20
explore
"THEME"
You are invited =
to a meeting=20
that 
<OL>
 <LI>lets us design=20
 our own agenda and promises that anything that is important =
to <SPAN=20
 class=3D520424223-29042000>any of us about the theme has the =
opportunity=20
 to be discussed;</LI>
 <LI>enables you to=20
 connect with others who share your interests at the meeting with an=20
 opportunity to continue networking with these people beyond the=20
 meeting;</LI>
 <LI>acknowledges and works with the wisdom, =
experience and=20
 expertise that you and others have to work on the theme;</LI>
 <LI>provides the opportunity to have meaningful =
conversation,=20
 involvement and connecting;</LI>
 <LI>enables you to move from one discussion to =
another so=20
 that at every moment, you use your personal energy by either learning =
or=20
 contributing. Your wisdom and energy is too precious to be =
wasted;</LI>
 <LI>provides a written summary of every session, =
posted on a=20
 wall during the meeting as soon as the summary is recorded and is =
compiled=20
 into a book of proceedings for each participant to use beyond the =
meeting for=20
 ongoing work; and</LI>
 <LI>supports action planning at the meeting itself =
and beyond=20
 the meeting.</LI></OL>
The meeting format and process is called Open =
Space=20
Technology. Please join us as we move 
"Theme" forward.
<DIR>
<DIR>

Date and Time
Place
To reserve your spot at the meeting call…..When =
you call, we=20
will ask for the contact information that you are willing to have =
included in=20
the book of proceedings

To reserve accommodation….
Special dietary or other needs, let us =
know…</DIR></DIR>
(this is a good spot to identify other special arrangements being =
made such=20
as for language translation)
The Purpose for having this meeting:
<DIR>
<DIR>
State Theme
List objectives</DIR></DIR>
Objectives include the overall objective for the event within the =
larger=20
organizational context and can also include objectives such as creating =
a source=20
of data to identify who has interest in particular issues for future =
networking=20
and future work groups. Sometimes the objectives are to offer an =
opportunity for=20
learning new material. Sometimes they are for strategic planning, or =
community=20
building, or problem solving. Sometimes the objective for the meeting is =
to end=20
at the end of the meeting itself. Sometimes the objective for the =
meeting goes=20
beyond the boundaries of time and space for the meeting.
<SPAN=20
class=3D520424223-29042000>       &nbs=
p;           =20
List "givens" or non-negotiables or root=20
assumptions
The givens=20
or non-negotiables or more correctly root assumptions for the event are =
listed=20
here. They include legal, financial, process, role of CEO and managers =
in the=20
meeting, what will happen with the information, what will happen to =
items=20
identified for further action. What are the degrees of real freedom not =
only for=20
the meeting, but beyond the meeting based on the meeting. Identifying =
the givens=20
is really identifying the true degrees of freedom. It assists in =
managing=20
expectations. 
What to Expect
<OL>
 
 <LI>Prior to the meeting, you will receive an information packet that =
includes=20
 the names and contact information of participants. As well, you will =
receive=20
 information about this topic (theme) that will bring you up to date =
with what=20
 we currently know/experience. It is recommended that you read this =
information=20
 in the context of briefing notes.</LI>
 
 
 <LI>The evening before our Open Space Technology meeting, we will be =
gathering=20
 in the main meeting room at 7pm for a time of storytelling. Our=20
 facilitator….will lead us through an opportunity to tell stories =
of the past=20
 and present of this organization. Through our stories, we remember and =

acknowledge our past and present. Stories may be sad, mad, =
glad—all stories=20
 are welcome. It is up to each of us to tell the stories that we would =
like to=20
 share with others. When you come to our story telling evening, you =
will find=20
 the chairs set up in a circle. Just help yourself to refreshments and =
sit=20
 wherever you would like in the circle. We will have refreshments =
available=20
 throughout the evening for you to get up and enjoy at your leisure. =
The story=20
 telling portion will end when the stories are over. The room and =
refreshments=20
 will continue to be available to you until midnight. There will be no =
formal=20
 breaks.</LI>
 
 
 <LI>In the morning when you arrive for the Open Space Technology =
meeting, you=20
 will enter a room set up with a circle of chairs. The facilitator will =
guide=20
 us through instructions for the process. Together, we will create the =
agenda=20
 for our time together, during the first forty minutes. Through the =
creation of=20
 the agenda, leaders of topics will identify themselves. Participants =
will be=20
 invited to sign up for the topics they are interested in. Participants =
will=20
 then manage their own time and energy, attending sessions of interest. =
Leaders=20
 will be responsible for getting their topic going, and ensuring that a =
report=20
 is entered to be posted on the newswall for all to read, and for entry =
into=20
 the book of proceedings. </LI>
 
 
 There will be breaks for lunch every day for an =
hour, served=20
 buffet style. There will be no formal coffee breaks, however beverages =
and=20
 food will be available for you throughout our time and you are =
encouraged to=20
 be sure your own needs are looked after.
 
 At the end of the first day, we will gather in a =
circle to=20
 share any news. At the beginning of the second day, we will again =
gather in a=20
 circle to share any news and to have the opportunity to post more =
topics on=20
 the agenda, if participants have more topics to post. We will head off =
into=20
 our discussion groups and gather for evening news again at the end of =
the day.=20
 We shift into a different component of the Open Space Technology =
meeting on=20
 the morning of the third day. When we gather in our morning circle, we =
will=20
 each be given a copy of the book of proceedings that we have created. =
We will=20
 have time to read this book, and then we will be asked to vote for =
those=20
 topics that we each feel the most personal energy for. This will =
identify our=20
 top vote-getters. We will spend the balance of the morning focusing on =
these=20
 top vote getters and developing concrete action plans for next steps. =

 
 The final component of our meeting will be to =
gather in a=20
 circle for closing comments following the action planning.
 
 We will end at noon on this final day.
 
 Please note that only those who participate in the =
process=20
 may take part in the voting on the final morning.
 
 More information about the process that we will use =
for our=20
 meeting is available at <A=20
 href=3D"http://www.openspacetechnology.com/"><FONT=20
 face=3DArial>www.openspacetechnology.com</A> =

  </P></FONT><FONT face=3DArial size=3D4>
  <P align=3Dcenter></P></FONT><FONT face=3DArial>
  <LI>Following the Open Space Technology meeting, copies of the book of =

proceedings including the action planning component will be available =
from=20
 ….for anyone who wants a copy. As well, we will post a copy of =
all of the=20
 proceedings and action planning on our website. Action planning will =
proceed=20
 according to "givens" that were noted at the beginning of this=20
invitation.</LI></OL>
 
Sincerely,
CEO</DIV></BODY></HTML>

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>From  Sun Apr 30 12:09:36 2000
Message-Id: <SUN.30.APR.2000.120936.0400.>
Date: Sun, 30 Apr 2000 12:09:36 -0400
Reply-To: birgitt at mindspring.com
To: OSLIST <OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
From: Birgitt Williams <birgitt at mindspring.com>
Subject: 10 critical success factors for Using Open Space Technology
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Dear friends,

I have sent this out before, quite a while ago however, I notice many new
names on the list so am sending it again. It is a list compiled by Diane
Blair at Bank of Montreal that she did for use in corporations for bringing
OST in. Very thorough. Very corporate. You might find it useful. Diane gave
me permission to share it with fellow open space colleagues.

Birgitt

10 CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS for Using Open Space Technology:

(Developed by Diane Blair, Manager of Meta Learning, Bank of Montreal,
Institute for Learning. Diane developed this for circulation at the Bank,
where Open Space Technology has been used both at senior levels and across
entire divisions. Diane has put this together with a large organization in
mind. As well as her role at the Bank, Diane is an active member of the Open
Space Institute of Canada. Diane can be reached at dblair at ifl.bmo.ca)

  a.. OUTCOMES: Do you have pre-set outcomes for your meeting?
  If you already have an agenda that must be addressed or an issue with a
solution already in mind, Open Space is not the approach to use; choose a
structured process that will best get you to those goals. Open Space is an
opportunity to get at what’s really important about a particular topic for
those who are already "passionate" about it and are committed to doing
something about it.

  * An Open Space meeting should declare issues and opportunities and should
NOT pre-determine outcomes.

  * Choose only the topic and create the "space". Let the participants
create the outcomes.

  b.. PARTICIPANTS: Is the invitation "Open"?
Traditional meetings tend to focus on transferring knowledge: they begin by
teaching content, usually by educating participants about a particular
vision and understanding the rationale behind it, then motivating them to
help make it happen. Open Space meetings focus on leveraging knowledge: they
begin with what people are already "passionate" about and provide space to
capture the passion and take responsibility for doing something about it.
The effectiveness of Open Space depends on engaging the right people: an
Open Space invitation is open to anyone who has a passion about the issue
and challenges them to take responsibility by sharing that passion.

Hint: Avoid limiting your invitation list by position or role, invite the
right community of interest for the topic.

  a.. The invitation should include a brief explanation of the issue; the
question that will be addressed; a clear message that the meeting is only
for individuals who have a passion about this issue and a willingness to
take responsibility. (Note: you can still set a limit on the total number of
participants, in fact, this often heightens the enthusiasm and commitment to
attend.)
  a.. EXPECTATIONS: How focused is your issue? How much time can be
allocated?
a) The more focused the question or topic the more tangible the outcomes. A
broad topic, such as "What are the challenges and opportunities to enhance
our productivity" will attract a very broad collection of issues and could
take several days of discussions before common understandings begin to
emerge. Where as, a more focused question, such as, "What are the challenges
and opportunities to enhance customer service scores of our flagship in the
next 12 months" will attract a much more specific audience and a more
specific set of concerns.

* If the intent is simply a sharing meeting or "idea gathering," the topic
question can be very broad in scope;

* If more specific solutions are desired, make the topic question more
focused and allow more time to come to a deeper understanding and to develop
solutions.

b) The longer the Open Space the greater the discussion and more focused the
resolutions. Open Space is a learning process. Discovering, reflecting and
resolving issues needs time. The general rule is: one day of Open Space
produces good conversation; two days, common understanding and three days
provides tangible results such as issue resolution, emerging leadership and
action planning. However, to some degree, groups can achieve more tangible
results in less time by focusing on a more specific topic and ensuring the
stakeholders or hosts of the Open Space are well prepared (see
Stakeholders).

Hints:

  a.. Plan on the appropriate number of days to match your expectations for
results.
  a.. When time is short, narrow the scope of your topic to match the
outcomes you expect OR break the issue into several meetings and tackle it
in stages. (E.g. The first stage could be a small Open Space for the leaders
or champions of the issue. The "Small Space" could focus on the issue with
respect to the challenges and opportunities for leadership)
4. THE "RIGHT" QUESTION: How well does your topic match your target
audience?

It clearly doesn’t make much sense to bring people from all over the Bank to
discuss how to improve customer service scores for one flagship in Alberta.
Similarly, it would be just as inappropriate to invite only sales
representatives to address how to improve product-to-market time for the
Bank’s new financial products. Successful Open Space meetings tailor the
topic to the target audience OR engage the right audience for the topic.

*Ensure you include any group that may have a potential interest in your
topic OR

*Size the issue to suit the audience you are serving.

5. STAKEHOLDERS: Who are the leaders and are they prepared to lead
differently?

If Open Space is to be more than a "brainstorming" session, participants
must have the "space" to take responsibility for the issues they are
passionate about both during open space and after. In any organization, most
issues will involve more than one stakeholder group. Each of these
stakeholders has its own leaders and change agents that play key roles in
getting things done. Tapping the potential of all participants in an Open
Space cannot be achieved with out leaders who both understand the issues and
are committed to using an Open Space approach to address them. The messages
leaders send about the issue and the process can greatly support or inhibit
Open Space results, even when they say nothing at all! A successful Open
Space has leaders who are able to create the space for shared leadership to
emerge (out of passion + responsibility), recognize it and support it.
Successful Open Space leaders not only agree to Open Space as a meeting
process, they are committed to the topic and to resolving it as a shared
responsibility, including giving up control of the agenda to get there!

  a.. Prepare Stakeholders by involving them in a small Open Space to plan
future Open Spaces
  a.. Ensure you have the understanding and commitment of each leader with
an interest in the issue and its outcomes. Reinforce this commitment in all
your communications.
  a.. Name each of the stakeholders on the invitation as hosts for the Open
Space.
  a.. Have stakeholders set parameters around the issue (see Parameters)
6. CRITICAL MASS: Do you have enough "critical mass" for this issue to move
forward?

While it is possible, its a lot tougher and a lot slower for one person to
go back to work as the only supporter of a new idea or approach to a
problem. When two people work in the same area, or can impact different
aspects of the same division or department, they can not only support each
other better, they are more likely to create a ripple effect that’s large
enough for others to notice.

* Focus the open space target audience so that participants are more likely
to establish connections they can draw on after the Open Space.

7. PARAMETERS: What are the parameters for your issue?

Despite popular opinion, having "no parameters" around an issue does not
necessarily mean more freedom. In fact, Open Space parameters are not
limitations at all; they can be the key to unlocking some of the old
barriers that keep people from taking responsibility for their good ideas.
Setting parameters is a very tangible way for the leadership to reinforce
their support for an issue and their confidence in their staff in resolving
it.

*Some parameters to consider....

Budget - any project within $X

Schedule - any project within Y time

Structure -any project within the domain of the division, /region,
/department)

Bus. Plan -any project within the vision, mission, and objectives

- or, supports our current business plan priorities

Other... -commitment to discuss any proposal for this issue outside these

8. SUPPORT: How can I best support what can happen next?

Open Space invariably produces innovations that don’t always fit with the
current way of doing things. How can I best create the "space" for
participants to move forward with their issues in the daily work? Consider:

  a.. Identifying Mentors?
  a.. Adopt an executive?
  a.. Other open space forums? Or mini-forums?
  a.. Adopting open space principles in regular meetings
  a.. Building outcomes into personal and business plans
  a.. COMMUNICATION: Keep up the communication.
In Open Space, even though the meeting comes to an end the issues continue
to evolve. The on-going learning and discovery are important benefits that
need to be nurtured.

  a.. Create opportunities for sharing stories and discussing new issues and
concerns.
  a.. There is no one answer to the most appropriate way to keep the
learning alive. Any approach is best supported by helping key leaders
understand the importance of encouraging ongoing, informal links and being
prepared to support opportunities as they emerge.
  a.. ASSESSMENT: Be prepared to be surprised.
By having the freedom and capacity to think about issues differently and
work differently, opportunities will emerge in different ways and at
different times. Some issues will take shape and be ready to happen right
away, others may percolate for even a year or two before taking shape. Still
others may never take a concrete form but will impact the way groups begin
to think and work together in many ways. The impact of Open Space is best
measured with a long-term approach that can take into account the on-going
learning and activity generated by the Open Space.

*Create a means of assessing where your ideas and new competencies are
coming from. How can you increase these opportunities? Can open space
techniques help in other ways?

Other Helpful hints...

Preparing Stakeholders:

If Open Space is new to the audience, it is important to prepare them to be
successful. Hold a Small Open Space to introduce the technology and to help
the stakeholders discover how they can best provide support. Focus the small
space on the role of leadership in moving forward with the issue.

Participation:

When possible, all stakeholders should actively participate in the Open
Space meeting. Open Space is a much more powerful learning tool and change
agent when it is truly a "round-table" meeting where the whole community is
represented and all idea and concerns are valued equally.

Facilitation:

If you are a stakeholder you should plan on participating in the open space
rather than facilitating. It is generally advantageous to have an objective
facilitator so you can focus on the issue and they can focus entirely on the
process and on coaching the stakeholders without bias.

Note: above section reproduced with permission, Diane Blair, Bank of
Montreal, 1997

Birgitt Williams
Make Genuine Contact!
Dalar Associates: organizational
effectiveness consultants

Striving for Success? Ready to exceed
your expectations?

Contact us for consulting services, training,
conference and meeting facilitation,
and keynote speaking.

www.openspacetechnology.com

------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BFB29C.F457CBA0
Content-Type: text/html;
        charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META content=3D"text/html; charset=3Diso-8859-1" =
http-equiv=3DContent-Type>
<META content=3D"MSHTML 5.00.2314.1000" name=3DGENERATOR></HEAD>
<BODY>
<DIV>
Dear=20
friends,
I have =
sent this out=20
before, quite a while ago however, I notice many new names on the list =
so am=20
sending it again. It is a list compiled by Diane Blair at Bank of =
Montreal that=20
she did for use in corporations for bringing OST in. Very thorough. Very =

corporate. You might find it useful. Diane gave me permission to share =
it with=20
fellow open space colleagues.
<SPAN=20
class=3D750240002-30042000>Birgitt
10 CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS for Using Open Space=20
Technology:
(Developed by Diane Blair, Manager of Meta Learning, Bank of =
Montreal,=20
Institute for Learning. Diane developed this for circulation at the =
Bank, where=20
Open Space Technology has been used both at senior levels and across =
entire=20
divisions. Diane has put this together with a large organization in =
mind. As=20
well as her role at the Bank, Diane is an active member of the Open =
Space=20
Institute of Canada. Diane can be reached at <A=20
href=3D"mailto:dblair at ifl.bmo.ca">dblair at ifl.bmo.ca</A>)<FONT=20
face=3DArial size=3D1>
<OL>
 <LI>OUTCOMES: Do you have pre-set outcomes for your =
meeting?</LI>
 If you already have an agenda that must be addressed or an issue =
with a=20
 solution already in mind, Open Space is not the approach to =
use; choose=20
 a structured process that will best get you to those goals. Open Space =
is an=20
 opportunity to get at what’s really important about a particular =
topic for=20
 those who are already "passionate" about it and are committed to doing =

something about it.
 * An Open Space meeting should declare issues and opportunities and =
should=20
 NOT pre-determine outcomes.
 * Choose only the topic and create the "space". Let the =
participants create=20
 the outcomes.
 
 <LI>PARTICIPANTS: Is the invitation "Open"?</LI></OL>
<DIR>
Traditional meetings tend to focus on transferring knowledge: they =
begin by=20
teaching content, usually by educating participants about a particular =
vision=20
and understanding the rationale behind it, then motivating them to help =
make it=20
happen. Open Space meetings focus on leveraging knowledge: they =
begin=20
with what people are already "passionate" about and provide space to =
capture the=20
passion and take responsibility for doing something about it. The =
effectiveness=20
of Open Space depends on engaging the right people: an Open Space =

invitation is open to anyone who has a passion about the issue and =
challenges=20
them to take responsibility by sharing that passion. <FONT =

face=3DArial size=3D3>
Hint: Avoid limiting your invitation list by position or role, invite =
the=20
right community of interest for the topic.</DIR>
<UL>
 <LI>The invitation should include a brief explanation of the issue; =
the=20
 question that will be addressed; a clear message that the meeting is =
only for=20
 individuals who have a passion about this issue and a willingness to =
take=20
 responsibility. (Note: you can still set a limit on the total number =
of=20
 participants, in fact, this often heightens the enthusiasm and =
commitment to=20
 attend.)</LI></UL>
<OL start=3D3>
 <LI>EXPECTATIONS: How focused is your issue? How much time can be=20
 allocated?</LI></OL>
<DIR>
a) The more focused the question or topic the more tangible the =
outcomes.=20
A broad topic, such as "What are the challenges and opportunities to =
enhance=20
our productivity" will attract a very broad collection of issues and =
could take=20
several days of discussions before common understandings begin to =
emerge. Where=20
as, a more focused question, such as, "What are the challenges and =
opportunities=20
to enhance customer service scores of our flagship in the next 12 =
months" will=20
attract a much more specific audience and a more specific set of =
concerns. 
<DIR>
* If the intent is simply a sharing meeting or "idea gathering," the =
topic=20
question can be very broad in scope; 
* If more specific solutions are desired, make the topic question =
more=20
focused and allow more time to come to a deeper understanding and to =
develop=20
solutions.</DIR>
b) The longer the Open Space the greater the discussion and more =
focused the=20
resolutions. Open Space is a learning process. Discovering, =
reflecting and=20
resolving issues needs time. The general rule is: one day of Open Space =
produces=20
good conversation; two days, common understanding and three days =
provides=20
tangible results such as issue resolution, emerging leadership and =
action=20
planning. However, to some degree, groups can achieve more tangible =
results in=20
less time by focusing on a more specific topic and ensuring the =
stakeholders or=20
hosts of the Open Space are well prepared (see Stakeholders).
Hints:</DIR>
<UL>
 <LI>Plan on the appropriate number of days to match your expectations =
for=20
 results.</LI></UL>
<UL>
 <LI>When time is short, narrow the scope of your topic to match the =
outcomes=20
 you expect OR break the issue into several meetings and tackle it in =
stages.=20
 (E.g. The first stage could be a small Open Space for the leaders or =
champions=20
 of the issue. The "Small Space" could focus on the issue with respect =
to the=20
 challenges and opportunities for leadership) =
</LI></UL><FONT=20
size=3D1>
4. THE "RIGHT" QUESTION: How well does your topic match your =
target=20
audience? 
<DIR>
It clearly doesn’t make much sense to bring people from all =
over the Bank to=20
discuss how to improve customer service scores for one flagship in =
Alberta.=20
Similarly, it would be just as inappropriate to invite only sales=20
representatives to address how to improve product-to-market time for the =
Bank’s=20
new financial products. Successful Open Space meetings tailor the topic =
to the=20
target audience OR engage the right audience for the topic.
<DIR>
<DIR>
<DIR>
*Ensure you include any group that may have a potential =
interest in=20
your topic OR</DIR></DIR></DIR></DIR>
*Size the issue to suit the audience you are serving.=20

<DIR>
5. STAKEHOLDERS: Who are the leaders and =
are they=20
prepared to lead differently?
If Open Space is to be more than a "brainstorming" session, =
participants must=20
have the "space" to take responsibility for the issues they are =
passionate about=20
both during open space and after. In any organization, most issues will =
involve=20
more than one stakeholder group. Each of these stakeholders has its own =
leaders=20
and change agents that play key roles in getting things done. Tapping =
the=20
potential of all participants in an Open Space cannot be achieved with =
out=20
leaders who both understand the issues and are committed to using an =
Open Space=20
approach to address them. The messages leaders send about the issue and =
the=20
process can greatly support or inhibit Open Space results, even when =
they say=20
nothing at all! A successful Open Space has leaders who are able to =
create the=20
space for shared leadership to emerge (out of passion + responsibility), =

recognize it and support it. Successful Open Space leaders not only =
agree to=20
Open Space as a meeting process, they are committed to the topic and to=20
resolving it as a shared responsibility, including giving up control of =
the=20
agenda to get there!</DIR>
<UL>
 <LI>Prepare Stakeholders by involving them in a small Open Space to =
plan=20
 future Open Spaces</LI></UL>
<UL>
 <LI>Ensure you have the understanding and commitment of each leader =
with an=20
 interest in the issue and its outcomes. Reinforce this commitment in =
all your=20
 communications.</LI></UL>
<UL>
 <LI>Name each of the stakeholders on the invitation as hosts for the =
Open=20
 Space.</LI></UL>
<UL>
 <LI>Have stakeholders set parameters around the issue (see=20
Parameters)</LI></UL>
<DIR>
6. CRITICAL MASS: Do you have enough =
"critical=20
mass" for this issue to move forward?
While it is possible, its a lot tougher and a lot slower for one =
person to go=20
back to work as the only supporter of a new idea or approach to a =
problem. When=20
two people work in the same area, or can impact different aspects of the =
same=20
division or department, they can not only support each other better, =
they are=20
more likely to create a ripple effect that’s large enough for =
others to notice.=20

<DIR>
* Focus the open space target audience so that participants are =
more=20
likely to establish connections they can draw on after the Open=20
Space.</DIR>
7. PARAMETERS: What are the parameters =
for your=20
issue?
Despite popular opinion, having "no parameters" around an issue does =
not=20
necessarily mean more freedom. In fact, Open Space parameters are not=20
limitations at all; they can be the key to unlocking some of the old =
barriers=20
that keep people from taking responsibility for their good ideas. =
Setting=20
parameters is a very tangible way for the leadership to reinforce their =
support=20
for an issue and their confidence in their staff in resolving it.
<DIR>
<DIR>
<DIR>
*Some parameters to consider....
<DIR>
<DIR>
Budget - any project within $X
<DIR>
<DIR>
<DIR>
<DIR>
Schedule - any project within Y time
Structure -any project within the domain of the division, /region,=20
/department)
Bus. Plan -any project within the vision, mission, and objectives
- or, supports our current business plan priorities
Other... -commitment to discuss any proposal for this issue =
outside=20
these <FONT=20
size=3D1></DIR></DIR></DIR></DIR></DIR></DIR></DIR></DIR></DIR></DIR></FO=
NT><FONT=20
size=3D3>
8. SUPPORT: How can I best support what can happen next?
<DIR>
Open Space invariably produces innovations that don’t always =
fit with the=20
current way of doing things. How can I best create the "space" for =
participants=20
to move forward with their issues in the daily work? Consider:</DIR>
<UL>
 <LI>Identifying Mentors?</LI></UL>
<UL>
 <LI>Adopt an executive?</LI></UL>
<UL>
 <LI>Other open space forums? Or mini-forums?</LI></UL>
<UL>
 <LI>Adopting open space principles in regular meetings</LI></UL>
<UL>
 <LI>Building outcomes into personal and business=20
plans</LI></UL>
<OL start=3D9>
 <LI>COMMUNICATION: Keep up the communication.</LI></OL>
<DIR>
In Open Space, even though the meeting comes to an end the issues =
continue to=20
evolve. The on-going learning and discovery are important benefits that =
need to=20
be nurtured. </DIR>
<UL>
 <LI>Create opportunities for sharing stories and discussing new issues =
and=20
 concerns.</LI></UL>
<UL>
 <LI>There is no one answer to the most appropriate way to keep the =
learning=20
 alive. Any approach is best supported by helping key leaders =
understand the=20
 importance of encouraging ongoing, informal links and being prepared =
to=20
 support opportunities as they emerge.</LI></UL>
<OL start=3D9>
 <LI>ASSESSMENT: Be prepared to be surprised.</LI></OL>
<DIR>
By having the freedom and capacity to think about issues differently =
and work=20
differently, opportunities will emerge in different ways and at =
different times.=20
Some issues will take shape and be ready to happen right away, others =
may=20
percolate for even a year or two before taking shape. Still others may =
never=20
take a concrete form but will impact the way groups begin to think and =
work=20
together in many ways. The impact of Open Space is best measured with a=20
long-term approach that can take into account the on-going learning and =
activity=20
generated by the Open Space.
<DIR>
<DIR>
<DIR>
<DIR>
<DIR>
*Create a means of assessing where your ideas and new =
competencies are=20
coming from. How can you increase these opportunities? Can open space =
techniques=20
help in other ways?<FONT=20
size=3D1></DIR></DIR></DIR></DIR></DIR></DIR>
Other Helpful hints...
Preparing Stakeholders: 
If Open Space is new to the audience, it is important to prepare them =
to be=20
successful. Hold a Small Open Space to introduce the technology and to =
help the=20
stakeholders discover how they can best provide support. Focus the small =
space=20
on the role of leadership in moving forward with the =
issue.<FONT=20
size=3D1>
Participation:
When possible, all stakeholders should actively participate in the =
Open Space=20
meeting. Open Space is a much more powerful learning tool and change =
agent when=20
it is truly a "round-table" meeting where the whole community is =
represented and=20
all idea and concerns are valued equally. <FONT=20
size=3D1>
Facilitation:
If you are a stakeholder you should plan on participating in the open =
space=20
rather than facilitating. It is generally advantageous to have an =
objective=20
facilitator so you can focus on the issue and they can focus entirely on =
the=20
process and on coaching the stakeholders without bias. <FONT=20
size=3D1>
Note: above section reproduced with permission, Diane Blair, Bank of=20
Montreal, 1997
 </DIV>
<DIV>Birgitt Williams</DIV>
<DIV>Make Genuine =
Contact!</DIV>
<DIV>Dalar Associates: =
organizational=20
</DIV>
<DIV>effectiveness =
consultants</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Striving for Success? Ready to =
exceed=20
</DIV>
<DIV>your expectations?</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Contact us for consulting =
services,=20
training, </DIV>
<DIV>conference and meeting =
facilitation,=20
</DIV>
<DIV>and keynote =
speaking.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><A=20
href=3D"http://www.openspacetechnology.com/">www.openspacetechnology.com<=
/A></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV></BODY></HTML>

------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BFB29C.F457CBA0--

>From  Sun Apr 30 12:09:54 2000
Message-Id: <SUN.30.APR.2000.120954.0400.>
Date: Sun, 30 Apr 2000 12:09:54 -0400
Reply-To: birgitt at mindspring.com
To: OSLIST <OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
From: Birgitt Williams <birgitt at mindspring.com>
Subject: nuggets
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: multipart/alternative;
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This is a multi-part message in MIME format.

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        charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit

Dear friends in Open Space,
I have been going through my Open Space files and hence the number of
e-mails from me this Saturday evening. In an earlier e-mail,I sent a sample
invitation. In this e-mail, below my signature, I include a number of
paragraphs, each independent of the other, each nuggets of information that
are useful to me and might be to you. Depending on the circumstance, I use
any and all of these paragraphs when describing different things about Open
Space Technology to someone. Sometimes they are included in my proposals, in
my contracts, or in the invitation, or in the report. Different paragraphs
have different authors. They are gems I have picked up over time. They sure
don't include the whole story. Simply that I have found them useful.And I
thought you might.

Birgitt

Birgitt Williams
Make Genuine Contact!
Dalar Associates: organizational
effectiveness consultants

Striving for Success? Ready to exceed
your expectations?

Contact us for consulting services, training,
conference and meeting facilitation,
and keynote speaking.

www.openspacetechnology.com

Deliverables of an Open Space Technology Meeting

Harrison Owen

1)Every single issue that anybody cares about enough to raise will be "on
the table".

2) All issues will receive as much discussion as people care to give them.

3) All discussion will be captured in a book, and made available to the
participants.

4) All issues will be prioritized.

5) Related issues will be converged.

6) Responsibility will be taken for next step actions.

What is Open Space Technology best used for?

Birgitt Williams

Almost any business issue including strategic direction setting, learning
new material, envisioning the future, identifying the issues and
opportunities to realize the desired future, conflict resolution, morale
building, product development, leadership development, community building,
public input forums, conferences, organizational transformation to a high
performing and high learning organization.

Role of the Facilitator

Alban/Bunker, Large Systems Interventions, Chapter 13, Jossey Bass, 1997

"It may seem that the Open Space facilitator hasn't much to do after the
opening session. In terms of the usual role of scheduling and controlling
activities associated with "facilitation," this is certainly true. On the
other hand, the facilitator's real role is to "hold the space": allowing the
process to develop and intervening only if anyone is interfering with
others' rights to choice by dominating or insisting that everyone must go
along with his or her ideas. The facilitator also must understand systems
and large group dynamics at a fairly sophisticated level. Several of the
stories in Owen's book (1992) demonstrate how not taking action can be just
as important an act in holding the space as doing something.

"In other words, the technology is straightforward and it is possible to set
up and structure an Open Space by reading Harrison Owen's book (1992). What
happens in Open Space, however, is always new and unpredictable. Therefore,
figuring out how to hold the space is not always either simple or easy. "

Scope of the Open Space

Birgitt Williams

It doesn’t matter if the space is big or it is little with many constraints.
What matters is that it is authentic. If a group believes the space is big
and later finds it is much more limited, real anger and a sense of betrayal
emerge. If the group believes the space is really smaller than it is because
the constraints or "givens" have been communicated incorrectly, there is not
enough room for the full discussion that could have taken place, and again,
after the fact there is a sense of anger and betrayal.

"The right time and the right topic are clearly key. If the issues are too
big or too vague or unclear, they will create lack of focus. If they are too
narrow or defined, they will not provide enough room to be creative and they
wilt not engage the imagination. Especially to be avoided are clients who
have a narrow vision of specific outcomes that they want. They should not
try Open Space."

Alban/Bunker, Chapter 13

The Role of Leaders in the Open Space Technology Meeting

Birgitt Williams

In Open Space, leaders need to be present and to participate the same way
everyone else does. They set the theme (focusing question) and the
parameters "givens" for the work, but after this, they need to let go of
control. If participants feel that they do not have full support to move on
their own energy wherever it leads them but must second-guess what the boss
is thinking, the process will not work. Consultants, therefore, need to work
carefully with the executive group beforehand to ensure that they know what
type of effect they can have on participation.

What are the benefits of using Open Space Technology?

Breakthrough learning

Appropriate structure

Genuine community

Spirited performance

Playful involvement

High efficiency

High productivity

Shared leadership

Growth from within

Elimination of barriers to doing a job quickly with excellence and pride

What concrete information do I get out of an Open Space Technology meeting?

A format is laid out for every discussion group to record its findings, and
the recorder inputs the report into a computer. The consultant organizes,
indexes, and assures one printer ready copy of the "book of proceedings"
with reports from each group, as well as other pages the planning committee
have agreed upon (such as a covering letter). In a three-day event the book
is printed during the second night for distribution on the third morning,
whereas in a one or two day event the book is to be in the participants’
hands within two weeks. Criteria for prioritization, feasibility, and
actionable forward steps may be included in the report.

Far more important and far-reaching, however, is the change, which takes
place in the minds and hearts of the participants, who emerge from the event
as ambassadors for the change within the organization.What Does an Open
Space Technology meeting really do?

Large Systems Interventions by Alban/Bunker 1997, Chapter 13

"Like other systems events, it gathers the whole organization or collection
of interested parties in one place and enables them to talk about the topics
as a whole. Therefore, communication changes dramatically, and people have a
sense of the whole and a voice in the process of change. This can be
especially useful in dispersed-network organizations where people do not get
together regularly.

The thing that is really unique about Open Space, however, falls under the
expression that is one of the ground rules of Open Space: "Be prepared to be
surprised." This intervention allows people to temporarily restructure the
organization around interests or "attractors," people with similar energy,
or issues. It makes visible the underlying energy patterns of the
organization. When these interests connect new ideas and outcomes are likely
to emerge. As Janice Greene comments (Owen, 1995, p.138), "What we tend to
do in western society is fix the outcome then decide and complete the steps
to reach it." In Open Space, people focus on interests. If outcomes emerge
and catch people's interest, they may become reality, but the name of the
game in Open Space is following your passion and not worrying about where it
will lead."

What is an Open Space Technology meeting

Billie Alban and Barbara Bunker Large Group Interventions, Jossey-Bass, 1997

 "Open Space Technology is a meeting methodology that enables individuals
and groups become more effective in work environments that are rapidly and
constantly changing by developing their skills as lifelong learners and
collaborative problem solvers. It creates the conditions so that the maximum
potential of the individual and the organization can be realized. Open Space
Technology captures the knowledge, experience and innovation in the
organization that is not captured through less open processes. "

What types of issues is Open Space Technology best used for?

Almost any business issue

Strategic direction setting

Smoother transitioning of the people part of new IT and other technology
related processes

Envisioning the future

Identifying the issues and opportunities to realize the desired future

Conflict resolution

Morale building

Learning new material

Product development

Leadership development

Community building

Public input forums

conferences

improving communication

organizational transformation to a high performing and high learning
organization.

What types of organizations is Open Space Technology Best Used For?

Large, small, mid-sized corporations in the private sector

Communities

Cities, Provinces/States, Countries

Large, small and mid-sized non-profit organizations in the public sector

Large, small and mid-sized non-government organizations

Large, small, and mid-sized government organizations

Established organizations

Organizations that are newly forming

Organizations that are ending

When is Open Space Technology the best meeting format to use?

Harrison Owen

Any organizational situation in which there is:

A real issue of concern

Diversity of players

Complexity of elements

Presence of passion (conflict is an element of passion)

Decision time is now

When should Open Space Technology not be used?

Birgitt Williams

Open Space Technology should not be used if the formal leadership in the
organization needs to control the outcome. In other words, if there are no
real degrees of freedom to use wonder, imagination and creativity.

Please note that controlling the outcome is different from establishing the
theme and "givens" or non-negotiables prior to the Open Space Technology
meeting. A "given" might be that the meeting is that the Open Space
Technology meeting is about designing a new assembly line within a certain
budget and within a certain time line. When we look at the concern about
control,it is to say that the formal leadership cannot control what the
group comes up with in creating the design within the "givens".

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<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META content=3D"text/html; charset=3Diso-8859-1" =
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<BODY>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN class=3D620500502-30042000>Dear =
friends in Open=20
Space,</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN class=3D620500502-30042000>I have =
been going=20
through my Open Space files and hence the number of e-mails from me this =

Saturday evening. In an earlier e-mail,I sent a sample invitation. In =
this=20
e-mail, below my signature, I include a number of paragraphs, each =
independent=20
of the other, each nuggets of information that are useful to me and =
might be to=20
you. Depending on the circumstance, I use any and all of these =
paragraphs when=20
describing different things about Open Space Technology to someone. =
Sometimes=20
they are included in my proposals, in my contracts, or in the =
invitation, or in=20
the report. Different paragraphs have different authors. They are gems I =
have=20
picked up over time. They sure don't include the whole story. Simply =
that I have=20
found them useful.And I thought you might.</DIV>
<DIV><SPAN=20
class=3D620500502-30042000> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN=20
class=3D620500502-30042000> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN=20
class=3D620500502-30042000>Birgitt</DIV>
<DIV><SPAN=20
class=3D620500502-30042000> </DIV>
<DIV>Birgitt Williams</DIV>
<DIV>Make Genuine =
Contact!</DIV>
<DIV>Dalar Associates: =
organizational=20
</DIV>
<DIV>effectiveness =
consultants</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Striving for Success? Ready to =
exceed=20
</DIV>
<DIV>your expectations?</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Contact us for consulting =
services,=20
training, </DIV>
<DIV>conference and meeting =
facilitation,=20
</DIV>
<DIV>and keynote =
speaking.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><A=20
href=3D"http://www.openspacetechnology.com">www.openspacetechnology.com</=
A></DIV>
<DIV>
 
 
Deliverables of an Open Space Technology Meeting
Harrison Owen
1<SPAN=20
class=3D620500502-30042000>)Every single issue that anybody cares =
about=20
enough to raise will be "on the table". 
2) All issues will receive as much discussion as people care to give =
them.=20

3) All discussion will be captured in a book, and made available to =
the=20
participants. 
4) All issues will be prioritized. 
5) Related issues will be converged. 
6) Responsibility will be taken for next step actions. 
 
What is Open Space Technology best used for?<FONT=20
face=3DArial>
Birgitt Williams
Almost any business issue including strategic direction =
setting, <SPAN=20
class=3D620500502-30042000>learning new material, envisioning the =
future,=20
identifying the issues and opportunities to realize the desired future, =
conflict=20
resolution, morale building, product development, leadership =
development,=20
community building, public input forums, conferences, organizational=20
transformation to a high performing and high learning =
organization.<FONT=20
size=3D2>
Role of the Facilitator
Alban/Bunker, Large Systems Interventions, Chapter 13, Jossey Bass,=20
1997
"It may seem that the Open Space facilitator hasn't much to do after =
the=20
opening session. In terms of the usual role of scheduling and =
controlling=20
activities associated with "facilitation," this is certainly true. On =
the other=20
hand, the facilitator's real role is to "hold the space": allowing the =
process=20
to develop and intervening only if anyone is interfering with others' =
rights to=20
choice by dominating or insisting that everyone must go along with his =
or her=20
ideas. The facilitator also must understand systems and large group =
dynamics at=20
a fairly sophisticated level. Several of the stories in Owen's book =
(1992)=20
demonstrate how not taking action can be just as important an act in =
holding the=20
space as doing something.
"In other words, the technology is straightforward and it is possible =
to set=20
up and structure an Open Space by reading Harrison Owen's book (1992). =
What=20
happens in Open Space, however, is always new and unpredictable. =
Therefore,=20
figuring out how to hold the space is not always either simple or easy.=20
" 
Scope of the Open Space
Birgitt Williams
It doesn’t matter if the space is big or it is =
little with many=20
constraints. What matters is that it is authentic. If a group believes =
the space=20
is big and later finds it is much more limited, real anger and a sense =
of=20
betrayal emerge. If the group believes the space is really smaller than =
it is=20
because the constraints or "givens" have been communicated incorrectly, =
there is=20
not enough room for the full discussion that could have taken place, and =
again,=20
after the fact there is a sense of anger and betrayal.
 
"The right time and the right topic are clearly key. =
If the=20
issues are too big or too vague or unclear, they will create lack of =
focus. If=20
they are too narrow or defined, they will not provide enough room to be =
creative=20
and they wilt not engage the imagination. Especially to be avoided are =
clients=20
who have a narrow vision of specific outcomes that they want. They =
should not=20
try Open Space." 
Alban/Bunker, Chapter 13
 
The Role of Leaders in the Open Space =
Technology=20
Meeting
Birgitt=20
Williams
In Open Space, leaders need to be present =
and to=20
participate the same way everyone else does. They set the theme =
(focusing=20
question) and the parameters "givens" for the work, but after this, they =
need to=20
let go of control. If participants feel that they do not have full =
support to=20
move on their own energy wherever it leads them but must second-guess =
what the=20
boss is thinking, the process will not work. Consultants, therefore, =
need to=20
work carefully with the executive group beforehand to ensure that they =
know what=20
type of effect they can have on participation. 
What are the benefits of using Open Space=20
Technology?
 
Breakthrough learning
Appropriate structure
Genuine community
Spirited performance
Playful involvement 
High efficiency
High productivity
Shared leadership
Growth from within
Elimination of barriers to doing a job quickly =
with=20
excellence and pride
 
What concrete information do I get out of an Open =
Space=20
Technology meeting?
A format is laid out for every discussion group to =
record=20
its findings, and the recorder inputs the report into a computer. The =
consultant=20
organizes, indexes, and assures one printer ready copy of the "book of=20
proceedings" with reports from each group, as well as other pages the =
planning=20
committee have agreed upon (such as a covering letter). In a three-day =
event the=20
book is printed during the second night for distribution on the third =
morning,=20
whereas in a one or two day event the book is to be in the =
participants’ hands=20
within two weeks. Criteria for prioritization, feasibility, and =
actionable=20
forward steps may be included in the report.
Far more important and far-reaching, however, is =
the change,=20
which takes place in the minds and hearts of the participants, who =
emerge from=20
the event as ambassadors for the change within the =
organization.What=20
Does an Open Space Technology meeting really do?
Large Systems Interventions by Alban/Bunker 1997, =
Chapter=20
13
"Like =
other systems=20
events, it gathers the whole organization or collection of interested =
parties in=20
one place and enables them to talk about the topics as a whole. =
Therefore,=20
communication changes dramatically, and people have a sense of the whole =
and a=20
voice in the process of change. This can be especially useful in=20
dispersed-network organizations where people do not get together=20
regularly.
The thing that is really unique about Open Space, =
however,=20
falls under the expression that is one of the ground rules of Open =
Space: "Be=20
prepared to be surprised." This intervention allows people to =
temporarily=20
restructure the organization around interests or "attractors," people =
with=20
similar energy, or issues. It makes visible the underlying energy =
patterns of=20
the organization. When these interests connect new ideas and outcomes =
are likely=20
to emerge. As Janice Greene comments (Owen, 1995, p.138), "What we tend =
to do in=20
western society is fix the outcome then decide and complete the steps to =
reach=20
it." In Open Space, people focus on interests. If outcomes emerge and =
catch=20
people's interest, they may become reality, but the name of the game in =
Open=20
Space is following your passion and not worrying about where it will =
lead.<SPAN=20
class=3D620500502-30042000>"
 
What is an Open Space Technology=20
meeting
Billie Alban and Barbara Bunker<SPAN=20
class=3D620500502-30042000> Large Group Interventions, =
Jossey-Bass,=20
1997
 <SPAN=20
class=3D620500502-30042000>"Open Space Technology is a meeting =
methodology=20
that enables individuals and groups become more effective in work =
environments=20
that are rapidly and constantly changing by developing their skills as =
lifelong=20
learners and collaborative problem solvers. It creates the conditions so =
that=20
the maximum potential of the individual and the organization can be =
realized.=20
Open Space Technology captures the knowledge, experience and innovation =
in the=20
organization that is not captured through less open =
processes. <SPAN=20
class=3D620500502-30042000>"
What types of issues is Open Space Technology best used for?
 
Almost any business issue
Strategic direction setting
Smoother transitioning of the people part of new IT and other =
technology=20
related processes
Envisioning the future
Identifying the issues and opportunities to realize the desired =
future
Conflict resolution
Morale building
Learning new material
Product development
Leadership development
Community building
Public input forums
conferences
improving communication
organizational transformation to a high performing and high learning=20
organization.
What types of organizations is Open Space Technology Best Used =
For?
 
Large, small, mid-sized corporations in the private sector
Communities
Cities, Provinces/States, Countries
Large, small and mid-sized non-profit organizations in the public =
sector
Large, small and mid-sized non-government organizations
Large, small, and mid-sized government organizations
Established organizations
Organizations that are newly forming
Organizations that are ending
When is Open Space Technology the best meeting =
format to=20
use?
Harrison=20
Owen
 
Any organizational situation in which there =
is:
A real issue of concern
Diversity of players
Complexity of elements
Presence of passion (conflict is an element of=20
passion)
Decision time is now
When should Open Space Technology not be used?
Birgitt=20
Williams
Open Space Technology should not be used if the formal leadership in =
the=20
organization needs to control the outcome. In other words, if there are =
no real=20
degrees of freedom to use wonder, imagination and creativity.
Please note that controlling the outcome is different from =
establishing the=20
theme and "givens" or non-negotiables prior to the Open Space Technology =

meeting. A "given" might be that the meeting is that the Open Space =
Technology=20
meeting is about designing a new assembly line within a certain budget =
and=20
within a certain time line. When we look at the concern about control,it =
is to=20
say that the formal leadership cannot control what the group comes up =
with in=20
creating the design within the "givens".
 
 </DIV></BODY></HTML>

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>From  Sun Apr 30 13:13:04 2000
Message-Id: <SUN.30.APR.2000.131304.0400.>
Date: Sun, 30 Apr 2000 13:13:04 -0400
Reply-To: lpasoc at inforamp.net
To: OSLIST <OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
From: Larry Peterson <lpasoc at inforamp.net>
Subject: Re: ADVERTISING ONESELF!!
In-Reply-To: <002801bfb1c7$bf1fbe00$80bb17cf at marks>
MIME-Version: 1.0
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Marks:  Good to see that you have pursued Open Space. You can also refer
people to www.openspacecanada.org for contacts and stories.

Larry

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        charset="iso-8859-1"
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<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN">
<HTML>
<HEAD>

<META content=3D"text/html; charset=3Diso-8859-1" =
http-equiv=3DContent-Type>
<META content=3D'"MSHTML 4.72.3612.1706"' name=3DGENERATOR>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D560062512-30042000><FONT color=3D#0000ff face=3DArial =

size=3D2>Marks:  Good to see that you have pursued Open Space. You =
can also=20
refer people to <A=20
href=3D"http://www.openspacecanada.org">www.openspacecanada.org</A> for =
contacts=20
and stories.</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#0000ff face=3DArial =

size=3D2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D560062512-30042000><FONT color=3D#0000ff face=3DArial =

size=3D2>Larry</FONT></SPAN></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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>From  Sun Apr 30 11:58:11 2000
Message-Id: <SUN.30.APR.2000.115811.0700.>
Date: Sun, 30 Apr 2000 11:58:11 -0700
Reply-To: ric at spiritemployed.com
To: OSLIST <OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
From: Ric Giardina <ric at spiritemployed.com>
Organization: Spirit Employed
Subject: Invitations and "Selling" Open Space
MIME-Version: 1.0
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Dear OS Friends,

For several years now, I have been using Open Space for a men's
spiritual retreat (Associated with the Unity Church) which draws men
from the western region of the US.  The first year just trying to
explain OS to the planning committee to get permission to try it was
hard enough.  Each year, attempting to explain it in a brochure to
potential attendees poses a challenge.

Last year, I had one of the attendees who is a close friend document
much of the weekend with photographs, and we put up a website that
explains in words and pictures both what the weekend is and what and how
Open Space is used.  It seems to be helping a lot.  Most of the textual
description of Open Space we included came from OS documents, Harrison's
books, etc.  (Thank you, Harrison, for not being a copyright fanatic!)

If you are interested in seeing what we put together, you will find the
website located at:

          http://home.earthlink.net/~spiritemploy/

Be sure to check out the sections on "The Process," "The Program," and
the "Photo Gallery" to see all the OS references.  As it turns out, this
year's event is coming up this next weekend, and I will be facilitating
the Open Space on Saturday.

Blessings,

Ric Giardina
--
   *          *          *
What If Work Actually Got Easier?
       Spirit Employed
      16190 Harwood Road
     Los Gatos, CA  95032
 408.264.9723 or 800.538.2001
 http://www.spiritemployed.com

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<!doctype html public "-//w3c//dtd html 4.0 transitional//en">
<html>
Dear OS Friends,
For several years now, I have been using Open Space for a men's spiritual
retreat (Associated with the Unity Church) which draws men from the western
region of the US.  The first year just trying to explain OS to the
planning committee to get permission to try it was hard enough.  Each
year, attempting to explain it in a brochure to potential attendees poses
a challenge.
Last year, I had one of the attendees who is a close friend document
much of the weekend with photographs, and we put up a website that explains
in words and pictures both what the weekend is and what and how Open Space
is used.  It seems to be helping a lot.  Most of the textual
description of Open Space we included came from OS documents, Harrison's
books, etc.  (Thank you, Harrison, for not being a copyright
fanatic!)
If you are interested in seeing what we put together, you will find
the website located at:
<blockquote>
<blockquote><A HREF="http://home.earthlink.net/~spiritemploy/">http://home.earthlink.net/~spiritemploy/</A></blockquote>
</blockquote>
Be sure to check out the sections on "The Process," "The Program," and
the "Photo Gallery" to see all the OS references.  As it turns out,
this year's event is coming up this next weekend, and I will be facilitating
the Open Space on Saturday.
Blessings,
Ric Giardina
 --
    *         
*          *
 What If Work Actually Got Easier?
        Spirit Employed
       16190 Harwood Road
      Los Gatos, CA  95032
  408.264.9723 or 800.538.2001
  <A HREF="http://www.spiritemployed.com">http://www.spiritemployed.com</A>
  </html>

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