Open Space client opportunity

romy shovelton romys at compuserve.com
Mon Jul 17 14:53:35 PDT 2000


Hi all

Thanks for your various reponses to my note about examples of blue chip
organisations using OS - including the Guinness drinkers who identified
themselves !

My request was because I may have the opportunity to introduce Open Space,
to the multinational leadership group of Diageo (the huge consumer goods
company that was formed from the merger of GrandMet (inc. Pillsbury and
Burger King) and Guinness, 2 1/2 years ago.

I believe that this has the potential to be a fantastic opportunity to have
a major organisation really take Open Space to heart.

Having said that, the enquiry is all very new.... and who knows what might
happen (or not) in practice ie. "whatever happens...."

As I sit here today putting together an outline programme for Diageo (as
requested), I realise that I am not as strong as  I might be in myself, in
terms of moving from Open Space events into an on-going Open Space presence
- or in the longer run an Open Space Organisation.  The client has said
that they do not want this to be a 'one-off' - more the start of a journey
- which is perfect.  And they have asked for thoughts on what the follow-on
or journey might look like.   Right now I am feeling that I could be
clearer about what that might be like:  in the note I have written so far,
I have been rather vague about what I've called Part2 of the programme.

Part 1 - "How might we live our leadership promise?" - creating the
fundamentals of a leadership community (2 day Open Space including action
planning and the formation of Action Teams (or some other convergence
activity). I have outlined a potential programme for this event.
Part 2 - building the on-going journey - making this real in our daily
lives
Part 3 - review of our Community - how are we doing ? (in six months time)

This is what I have suggested so far for Part 2............

Part 2 - building the on-going journey - making this real in our daily
lives:
We would work with the Design Team to map out this programme in outline
before the first event.  The detail can be explored after the event, with
the Design Team and co-ordinators of the various Action Teams.  In brief,
we would expect this might include:

· A practical and effective intranet presence for the leadership community
· Co-ordination of the work of the Action Teams - by the teams themselves,
with central support
· Potential clarification of ways of working identified during the event
· The calling of further face-to-face meetings as necessary - for example
using Open Space Technology to discuss 'hot    button' issues as they
arise.


I would love your thoughts on:

* what are some great ways to make cyberspace work with Open Space?
Although I have known about the effectiveness of the cyberspace-Open Space
mix for years (eg. via TMN and the work of Doug Carmichael and others)... I
have not yet put such a thing into practice myself.... and therefore feel
somewhat  vulnerable on this.  I would like to be prepared to be intensely
practical with the folks at Diageo.  While I can read of the services of
Caucus and TASC...... it is also a question of how the use of such
technologies is integrated with the face-to-face opening of space, and how
to encourage senior folks to engage with such technologies etc. If you have
any advice to offer on the brilliant use of cyberspace, I'd love to hear
it.

* what other mechanisms/ processes might you suggest for supporting a
continuation of the journey after the first Open Space event?  Again I feel
that I need to be more specific that saying "they can call an Open Space,
when the issues come up".  As I write this, it sounds a little as though I
am not quite 'trusting the process' - which feels weird, having been a
champion for OS for so long?  And...... I would really welcome some
practical thoughts from colleagues.


so... in anticipation of more OSLIST wisdom....

thanks from

Romy

*
*
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