first OST Training in Israel - a report (long)

Averbuch averbuch at post.tau.ac.il
Tue Dec 4 08:06:07 PST 2001


 
OST Training “Yad Hashmona”, Israel, Part 1
 26-27 November 2001

                                                            by Tova Averbuch and Avner Haramati

 Many thanks:

We would like to thank dearly our colleagues in the list, who were supportive and encouraging in our expedition to let the spirit lead here in he Holy Land. Special thanks to Harrison, that enabled us to do it and to Peggy, Chris Corrigan, John, Lisa and Laurel, Jim and all of you who sent us warm winds from behind to help us fly. Many, many thanks.

Special thanks to Carolyn Kinsman who was the first to bring the OS to our experience and knowledge in the beautiful and gracious way she did.

                                    *                                   *                                   *

The training took place in the mountains near Jerusalem. It is a small, beautiful place, unknown although so central. The village, “Yad Hashmona”, was founded by people from Finland in commemoration of 8 (“shmona”) Jews who were rendered to the Nazis during World War 2. Today15 families inhabit it: Jews who believe in Jesus (very rare in Israel) and Fins. The lodge is made of Finish wood (very rare in Israel as well) and in a rainy day you feel as if you are in Switzerland. 

The participants arrived in the fog, and were totally surprised to reveal this amazing place. 



About the participants: 

The people who came were 28 by number. Beautiful people, weathered professionals coming from different types pf organizations (military, police, schools, high tech, consulting firm, non profit, therapists ect.) and holding different roles and positions in organizations (mainly consultants and facilitations, staff managers and line managers). There were men and women, ages from 32 to 70. We know many of them for years. A lot of connections in the room (a small country - for better and for worse) yet for every one there were quite a few new faces. 2 people could not make it at the last minute and 3 new participants appeared the night before the beginning…. (See “whoever comes…”) All of the participants were Israeli and the language spoken was Hebrew. Written material was mainly in English. 



Planed:

Day I 

8:00-9:00                   gathering and refreshments

9:00-10:00                 Opening the Training: first OST training ever in Israel!

·         Sponsor’s opening – by Avner

·         My story and passion of OST; Learning expedition; Rational and structure; Getting to know one another; Thanks and appreciation – by Tova

10:15-11:00               Opening space, creating agenda, marketplace -Tova 

to : “Making organizations that work well – what do we want and how do we do it?”

11:00-12:00               small groups #1

12:00-13:00               small groups #2

Lunch

14:00-15:00               small groups #3

15:00-16:00               Convergence (clusters, dots) and closing-Avner

16:00-17:00               presentation (Tova)

17:00- 18:00              Q&A

!8:00-20:30                Working with a volunteers steering committee to adjust plans for tomorrow     

night;                           Created a book of proceedings for all participants 

Comments:

*            ”Recourse corner” open all day (books, articles, OS stories, tool ) Worked beautifully for most people.

*           Q&A            Took a lot of persuasion to take off. Became a “hit “ the Second day.

*           In actuality we started 20 minutes later, people needed breaks (>>>) and the first small group sessions were shortened to 45 minutes each – too short per session.

Day 2

8:30-9:00                   gathering and refreshments

9:00-9:30                   Proceeding “celebrations”   and things people want to say this morning

9:30-9:50                   Video: Harrison Owen & Peggy Holman in “ US West OS”

9:50-11:00                 presentation - Avner

Break

11:30-12:00               Opening space, creating agenda, marketplace –Avner

to “ Me as a ‘space opener’ – Issues, growing edge and personal action plan”

12:00-13:00               small group #1

Lunch

14:00-15:15               small group #2

15:30-16:15               Convergence; what are their learning and doing – Tova 

Break

16:30-17;00               Q&A walk around

17:00-17:30               Different ways of Convergence and closing - Tova 

17:30-18:00               Closing & coming two days of Part 1 -Tova & Avner

                        -------------------------------------------------------------

Reflections:

  a.. The first day started with very high expectations. People referred to it as “expecting a magic”. The participants who have used OS before spoke as “missionaries” and that was a sword with two blades.  
  b.. Many were with psychoanalytical approaches/ tavistock weathered professionals and it was hard to let go of the old and see the new possibilities of OS’ being a non-judgmental, non-interpretative way of facilitation. 
  c.. Trusting the second principle “what ever happens is the only thing that could have…” was out of the Question- 
  d.. … Even we as facilitators fell to the trap of being attached to outcome in the role of “trainers” and used dot prioritization before the participants had the chance to read the typed proceedings…. – we just wanted them to learn and experience one more way of convergence…
  e..  This error of ours come to be one of the most profound learning of what not to do and how to embrace mistakes (with shaky hands….)
  f.. Pro’s and con’s to having two OS simulations versus one are many 
major benefit of this structure were:

    a.. Having OS twice
    b.. Having one OS that I was more involved and one less- to compare feeling as participants in both
    c.. Having two styles of opening and closing space
Major price:

·        Short OS

·        Going too much in and out of the OS part

·        Less passion in the first OS even though the Participants sort of chose the subject by mail.



  a.. THE FIRST DAY PEOPLE WERE VERY FRUSTRATED. THEIR FOCUS WAS OUTWARDS, THE SECOND DAY THEY WERE MELOWER AND THEIR FOCUS WAS INWARD AND DIALOGUE.
 By the end of the second day it was clear that even though OS is a very simple technology, it is not trivial to carry it out. People understood it is very different and requires certain qualities they would like to work on. Some were quit enthusiastic about that `magic`.  

People expressed satisfaction from their learning, their companions to this expedition, the facilities and the facilitation. They loved Harrison on video and we are all waiting for this trip to continue!!!

Love to you all ! 

 

                                    

 

                        

 

 

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