Leadership Challenging Open Space in the Open Space

[Harrison Owen]

At 10:41 AM 3/2/00 +1100, you wrote:
>Dear Friends
>
>I have just finished what was for me a gruelling 2 day Open Space. From the
>majority of the particapnt's (76 people) point of view it was a spectacular
>success and they came away energised and optimistic, vowing to use OS back
>home.
>
>It was the hardest facilitation I've done in 8 years. Here's what happened.
>Your thoughts welcome.
***********************
Andrew -- great story, and the responses of everybody to this point should form
the core of a new book that SOMEBODY else should write. I have one comment
about taking care of yourself. This is not only a matter of recovery at the
end, but sustenance during the course. I joke about taking my nap, but it is no
joke. It is not so much about getting away as it is about getting into another
mode of being. I feel very much present even in the arms of Morpheous.

This is also a place where thinking of one more thing not to do is not only
good and essential "design" for effective Open Space, it also has no little
amount to do with the preservation of the facilitator. Doing nothing with
elegance can be extraordinarily hard work, even if you are used to it. Like
running a marathon, pacing is incredibly important.

Harrison
Harrison Owen
7808 River Falls Drive
Potomac, MD 20854
USA
phone 301-469-9269
fax 301-983-9314
website
www.mindspring.com/~owenhh
Open Space Institute websites
www.openspaceworld.org
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