Request for Advice - Contributing to an OS when you can't be there

[Audrey Coward]

Meg Salter wrote:

> First of all - hello to all! I believe this is my first time speaking
> up with this group, though I have been following the conversations
> avidly for some months.Your spirit and words are a real inspiration,
> and often a good laugh too! Here's the situation. I am a member of a
> local professional group "ACCORD" (Association for Creative Change and
> Organizational Renewal and Development - what a mouthful!) It is a
> small, primarily Toronto/ southern Ontario based group of OD types,
> some academics, community people,  a few students, etc. - in my
> experience, a neat group of people! About half are self-employed
> consultants (like myself!) The organization has offered inexpensive
> learning programs with leading edge types, and opportunites for
> networking and informal learning.They have also had, at least some of
> the time, a focus on spirit. Their "Spirit at Work" conference in '96
> is still talked about (I believe Harrison, that you gave a session
> there!). Anyway, the organization is unravelling, membership
> declining, program attendance declining, $ dwindling........... the
> usual. I am on a task force of volunteers that have agreed to advise
> the Board on the road they should follow/ the type of large scale
> intervention they should use to engage the membership and determine
> their future - if they have one! I am going to present how Open Space
> would work..... and then we'll see if that is the way they want to
> go! SO - here is the question!!  How do you provide the opportunity
> for input and participation from those who can't actually attend the
> OS day(s)? Many of the membership are self-employed consultants, who
> book their time well in advance, or may be struggling financially and
> can't afford to give up billable time. Other members or ex- members
> may care about the issues, but not enough to give up their time!! I
> was thinking to include with the invitation: 1)a fax-back/ e-mail back
> response sheet (e.g. "give us your thoughts around...theme...) which
> could then be posted on the marketplace, and sorted and incorporated
> by those there in person, as they saw fit and 2)a tick list indicating
> their desired degree of involvement in action going forwardI've also
> been pondering some sort of dial-in teleconferencing input, e.g. at
> agenda creation time, and at convergence time, but I don't like this
> as much because it creates the illusion of involvement without any
> real responsibility. I'd really appreciate your feedback and ideas on
> how to create opportunities for involvement for those who truly care,
> but just cannot be there at the time. (For those who don't care  -
> well that's a different story!) Many thanks........ I'm looking
> forward to some interesting stuff! Meg SalterMegaSpace
> Consulting416-486-6660meg.salter at sympatico.ca
> Dear Meg,
>
>    From the perspective of a member of Accord for six years,an Open
> Space Facilitator and a human being ;here are my thoughts-
>
> -whoever comes are the right people ( even sole practitioners will
> find the space to come if the passion is there) so I wouldn"t to try
> hear the voices of members at that time. You are doing a lot of survey
> work anyway.
> -whatever happens is the only thing that could have( I remember
> Harrison telling a story about a company that decided to close after
> being in Open Space )
> -the facilitator should come from outside ACCORD membership
> I was involved in the Organization Spirit at Work conference The Open
> Space  facilitated by Larry Peterson.You can contact me at any time to
> discuss
> my experiences. Thank you , Meg,  for working so diligently on this.
>
> Audrey Coward
> Audrey Coward & Associates
> Catalysts for Change
> 2281F Lakeshore Blvd.W
> The Mews at Grand Harbour
> Toronto,Ontario
> M8V1A6
> (416)259-6215
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