How much planning and preparation time do you find you need?

[Chris Corrigan]

Susan:

You ask good questions...keep 'em coming...

I fall more in line with Harrison's recommendations, in that there is a
minimum of investment required, and I try to give groups what they need
without getting too heavily involved.  I have found that the more I get
involved in set up, the more the group relies on me to see the project
through, and I find that to be antithetical to holding the space.  So
generally I have one or two meetings with the group at the outset.  The
first one of a couple of hours at the most is to explain Open Space to
the group so they can decide if they want to use it.  That meeting is
always free unless they end up hiring me.  That way there's no risk to
them and I can be objective about assessing whether or not OS is right
from my perspective.

The second meeting is a half day and focusses on the invitation and the
theme.  Ideally the group does this without me and I check in to see
that the things they have doen will actually work (like avoiding closed
questions).  But at any rate, I'm happy to work with the group in this
process.

In terms of personal preparation for the actual event, I insist on
adding a day before and a day after.  The day before is used for
nothing, or more precisely, it's used for grounding myself, preparing my
opening comments, walking at the beach and playing music.  Your milage
may vary, but I need that 24 hour buffer between the rest of my
life/work and the 20 minutes I give myself for an opening.

The day after is used for sleeping.  Holding the space is the most
exhausting thing you can do (just ask any parent!).  I am completely
incapable of any productive work on the day after an OS, so I just sleep
the whole day and bill my client for it.  I sort of fudge the wording on
the contract a little so it clears interal audits and that sort of
thing.

I find those two days VERY important, and if you get into doing this
alot, you'll probably find that too.

Chris

--
CHRIS CORRIGAN
108-1035 Pacific Street
Vancouver BC
V6E 4G7

Phone: 604.683.3080
Fax: 604.683-3036