Facilitator training

Caroline Ehmann mcehmann at coastnet.com
Tue Sep 26 22:31:05 PDT 2000


As a participant in this training session and a "lurker" on this listserve
for the last four months it is time to jump in to the discussion.  I was
very much aware during the power point presentation that the material had
come from other sited sources.  For this I am glad as it means that Laurel
was using credible sources and was actively building on existing consistent
practice.

This was particularly relevant to me having read the recent discussions on
the list serve regarding "real" Open Space facilitators.  Short of
certification which for me does not fit the essence of Open Space, I believe
the constant triangulation of learning from the masters in this process, the
books, the lived experience of Open Space, the constant updating and lively
discussion of the list serve are very real ways of keeping current and
moving forward in our ability to use this technology well and respectfully.
I am impressed with the very real sense of community that the list serve has
created and a safe place to ask questions and be supported in our learnings.
So far I see the list serve as an elegant and simple of way of building on
all our experiences and ensuring that Open Space is practiced appropriately.

Caroline Ehmann
----- Original Message -----
From: "Doersam, Laurel" <Laurel.Doersam at CAPHEALTH.ORG>
To: <OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
Sent: Wednesday, September 20, 2000 4:39 PM
Subject: Facilitator training


> Here's a report on the OS facilitator training in Capital Health Region:
>
>
> We started on Wednesday evening with 30 people.  I did an introduction to
> Open Space Technology with a power point presentation (which I'd be happy
to
> share if it would be helpful to anyone) that introduced the group to the
> theoretical underpinnings of OST.  This inspired a brief discussion about
> the role of ritual in creating the magic, a theme which recurred over the
> following days.  We then had a conversation about what the theme for the
> Open Space the next morning would be, and the group decided on "Creating a
> collaborative workplace".
>
> One of the new facilitators who had attended several Open Space sessions
in
> the past and who intends to use OST for data collection for her MA thesis
> research volunteered to open the space on Thursday morning.  She did a
> wonderful job, and before we knew it the marketplace had 23 topics.  The
> discussions were lively and heartfelt.  One of the topics was about what
> should be done with the information that the group had generated in their
> discussions, so we crafted convergence around this issue.
>
> There was a lull in activity for about half an hour in the afternoon,
prior
> to convergence, with some people entering stuff into the computers, some
> reading the breaking news and some butterflying about, deeply engaged in
> their own discussions at the food table or reading the articles at the
> information table. (This table, incidentally, was full of dozens of
> wonderful postings I had pulled off the listserve!).  One man, a rather
> intense person with a very strong work ethic came up to me and wanted me
to
> get things moving.  I explained that we had lots of time to do what needed
> to be done and that sometimes lulls do happen in OST.  I refused to
> intervene. (Remember, I wasn't the facilitator here - not that I would
have
> intervened anyway!!!)  At any rate, it was an interesting perspective on
> time and timeliness.  He came close to leaving, then decided to stick it
> out.  He convened a session the next day on the role of the facilitator in
> moving the process along in sensitivity to the culture of the
organization.
>
>
> The group reconvened shortly and seemed satisfied with the work they'd
done.
> The group decided that the information should be sent to the chief nursing
> officer, all four VP's and the CEO of our organization.  The excitement in
> the room was palpable.  Several of the participants commented in the
closing
> circle that they had expected this "artificial" Open Space to feel quite
> forced and phony, but they'd been amazed at how real issues had emerged
and
> how spirited the discussions had been.
>
> At the end of circle, we took some time to go over the nuts and bolts (2
> pages, already!!). The woman who had facilitated spent some time talking
> about her experience and how it had felt.  When she mentioned the feeling
of
> vulnerability and nervousness she'd felt walking the circle for the first
> time, I had an inspiration!  We had about half an hour left in the day, so
I
> suggested that everyone who would like to try it could walk the circle.
One
> woman immediately jumped up and walked it, giving a brief introduction to
> OST as she walked.  The next person to try it told a story about his kids.
> One woman gave a delightful, hilarious demonstration of a pivoting
technique
> she'd learned in charm school when she was a teenager.  The mood was
light,
> playful and warm.  One fellow recited the entire theme song from
"Gilligan's
> Island" as he walked the circle.  All in all, it was a wonderful way to
end
> the day, and did a lot to alleviate the anxiety of this new and scary
> facilitation method. I then asked for volunteer facilitators for the next
> day and we had 6 facilitation pairs within about a minute.
>
> Friday was our marathon day - we went from 9am to 9pm.  We had three
> separate OST sessions, the first two being four-hour sessions, and the
last
> one only two hours.  While I know this will shock many seasoned
> facilitators, it's the sad reality of our workplace that it is very
> difficult to get groups of people together for ANY length of time.  With
the
> worldwide nursing shortage, I expect those of you who interface with
health
> care will understand the challenges.  We divided the large group into two,
> and they headed off immediately after morning news for their separate OS
> events.  The theme for both sessions was "The role of the facilitator in
> OST".  I worked between the two groups and mostly provided moral support
for
> the facilitation teams, and also was able to participate in some of the
> discussions.  I bumble-bee'd about and got to feel a part of the
community.
> Both sessions went wonderfully.
>
> The next Open Space was on "Convergence".  Again, it was a hit, a theme
> people felt strongly about.  (BTW, I divided the group differently for
each
> of the three events so that we had some fluidity within the larger group -
> since I was hoping to build a supportive facilitator community, I didn't
> want little cliques to develop - it worked well)  Each session did their
own
> convergence, then we met as a large group.  During the large group, I
walked
> them through one of the methods I've had the most success with - the one
> where the convener writes his/her topic at the top of a flip chart, writes
> key issues, and puts a heading for next steps and who will take
> responsibility.  The group meandered around the room, visiting each
> convener, and several had things to add to the flip charts.  The ongoing
> discussions and level of engagement around the flipcharts was amazing.
>
> After this exercise, we had a group discussion about convergence.  There
was
> lots of confusion in the room around convergence (gee, sound familiar??).
A
> woman suggested that we needed to agree upon a clear and definitive recipe
> for convergence.  One fellow intervened and said that in his opinion the
> role of the facilitator (me, in this case) should be to lead this
discussion
> toward resolution.  What a perfect opening for me to clarify that to do
that
> would rob the group of resolving the issue on their own, and that in Open
> Space the facilitator does not lead or direct discussion!!  They finally
> decided that they could live with some ambiguity and uncertainty around
> convergence and that there was no clear formula.  Having come to that
> conclusion all on their own, I read them Harrison's wonderful listserve
> posting about convergence and how it depended on the group and the
> circumstances.  ("Am I anti-convergence?. . . ")
>
> A really interesting session had been held in the morning on "The Unpure
OST
> facilitator".  The participants agreed that the ritual elements of OST
were
> optional and that the facilitator could pick and choose between what to
> include and what not to include.  I raised the issue of ritual with the
> larger group during this circle, and asked the question about how we
> maintain the integrity of the process so that when someone asks for OST,
> they can know what to expect.  (Walking the circle, the 4 principles, the
> law of two feet, bumblebees, butterflies, etc and FOOD).  The discussion
was
> amazing, and the group ultimately agreed that the only way to maintain the
> integrity of the process was to include ALL the ritual elements that
> participants might come to expect.  Again, it was neat how the group
taught
> itself with minimal intervention from me.  I simply posed the question.
>
> The last (two-hour) Open Space events of the day were around the topic:
"How
> can we best train facilitators?"  We again divided the group in two (again
> with a different mix of people).  The intent of this OST, of course, was
to
> evaluate the training.  I got lots of positive feedback, and some great
> ideas for the future!  The group felt a lot of anxiety about managing
> sponsors' expectations and negotiating with sponsors.  We came up with an
> action plan and some committed workers to formulate an information sheet
for
> the managers in our organization about the logistics of OST, when it is
> appropriate and when it is not, the role and responsibilities of the
> internal facilitator, and the sponsors role and responsibilities to follow
> up on the recommendations. (I've had sponsors wanting me to do all the
> groundwork from photocopying and putting together information packages to
> organizing space, booking rooms and catering - this stuff ought to be done
> by the sponsor, I believe.)
>
> The next morning, we spent most of the day on nuts and bolts.  At the
final
> circle, several people commented on their about-face on the issue of
ritual.
> One woman mentioned that it was comforting to know what to expect in some
> small way, as we sit on the edge of chaos.  Three people said that they
had
> been skeptical about the value of ritual, but had been converted.  (All
this
> conversion, and I didn't proselytize even once!!)  We decided on some
> tactical issues such as how to engage the new CEO of our organization.  We
> have planned an OST event in early October for our management group (of
> close to 100), with our CEO as the sponsor!  The theme will be "Creating a
> supportive community of managers".  The invitation went out today.
>
> We've set a date near the end of October to meet again, after everyone has
> one or more OST events under their belt, to share stories.  We'll meet
> monthly for whoever can make it - "whoever comes . . ." !  One of the
> fellows is setting up a discussion group on the internet for our little
OST
> community - and I expect that there are already a few newbies lurking on
the
> listserve.
>
> My task this week is to collate all the information from all the sessions
on
> our marathon day to put together into a facilitator's manual.  I've
already
> sent copies of our proceedings from the first day to our CNO, our CEO and
> all the VP's.
>
> And the best thing of all . . . I now have a wonderful community of OST
> colleagues that I can meet with in the flesh (not to disparage the
> incredible community on the listserve that has been my lifeline the last
few
> months!).  We've set up a meeting for end of October - and, of course,
we'll
> be doing our meetings in Open Space.
>
> Thanks to all who helped and advised me on this training.  Special thanks
to
> Jimbo for sharing his slides, for Peggy, Birgitt, Lisa, Annette and Chris
> for their support and suggestions.  And a gigantic hug to Harrison for his
> generosity, support and mentoring - not to mention the great training!
> (Hope I haven't missed anybody - I've been so focused on this training the
> past few weeks that it has occupied every waking moment - I've been a bit
> foggy about everything else!)
>
> I'm counting the days until Berlin. . .
>
> Laurel.
>
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