story: learning circles OST (long)

[Lisa Heft]

It is so interesting, Chris, to read your story.

In a situation with so many things to have to recommend
before 'liftoff', I would have told the client that I felt
Open Space was not the method they needed.  That they had a
perfectly good method already and to help them design and to
facilitate the experience based on that.

I am smiling right now because I am toying with partial
images in my head.  Does that mean I am unable to give
myself fully to OS? I don't think so.  I still think OS is
not the answer (my answer, anyway) to every, even every
would-work-beautifully-with-OS situation.  Hmm.  Control?
Or just knowing myself?  Or just having a blend of
approaches at my fingertips?

No answer to that one.  Doesn't really matter.  8o)

What matters is what I feel might work best for what I hear
the client is saying and for what I hear my intuition is
saying.  Which is exactly what you did.  Which is why you
learn and teach us so very much.

I would n-e-v-e-r have inserted myself in the discussion
process (!).  And this comes from someone who --  socially
-- inserts herself into EVerybody's business, when allowed
8o)   (!!)

It is just my training that being the opener / leader /
facilitator carries with it such strong power dynamics that
to get involved in such things changes them and includes me
when it should be about them.  But then, I have worked so
much in *learning* facilitation that I do weave myself in
and out to take advantage of "teachable moments".  So there
are times...and there are times.

But guess what?!  Next week Jeff Aitken and I begin our
adventure of holding our first OST workshop for ... training
is not the right word... more like sharing and learning ...
and Jeff has shared with me that on occasion he has even
posted agenda items in an Open Space he is facilitating.  I
cannot *wait* to learn from him!

I love the ways we share big surprises and approaches that
turn our heads around (in a good way).

So often as a facilitator one never gets the chance to see
one's peers at work -- I mean those of use who work alone --
so learning is slower than ideal. Here, with you amazing
leapers into the intuitive unknown, we get to ride on your
shoulders to taste a little of the new to us without
hesitation and with your eloquent and thoughtful writing as
our virtual eyes and ears.

As some USA kids are known to say,

You RoCk my world!

Lisa Heft
Berkeley, California, USA
www.openspaceworld.com  for more info on the workshops


- - -

Chris Weaver wrote:
>
> Thanks for the feedback.
>
> My conclusion about the hybrid preamble issue:
> Harrison asked, what would have happened in the absence of
> prescribing group behaviors?

> What to do, since the preamble was very
> important to the sponsor?
>

*
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