Theme brainstorm

[Sharon Quarrington]

Charles 'Buzz\" Blick wrote:

> I have had VERY bad results in doing training about Open Space using either
> a made-up theme or a "stock" theme - like "what is the desirable future of
> such-and-such?"  The sessions turned out to be boring and artificial -
> because they had no real relevance, passion or commitment for the
> participants, (or me).

Hi Buzz.  Thanks for your reply.  I too have participated in OS's where there
was little passion from the group and have found them to be so much less
satisfying that those where a group is working on a theme where they have
passion and urgency.  Unfortunately in most trainings the group is being brought
together under rather artificial circumstances.  Even in the multiday OS
trainings I have participated in the OS theme was set by the facilitator
initially.

I have been trying to be a design team of one :) and working on what would the
common interest of a group of people who are only vaguely familiar with OST but
who are interested in learning more about it.   The people coming to the may be
interested in genuinely engaging their organizations at a deeper level, or
perhaps they just want more effecient meetings, or maybe they just wanting to
try something different since what they are doing now isn't working.  These are
the ideas that I am trying to work into a theme - as well as trying to focus on
the essence of OST, passion, commitment, responsibility, and letting go of
control.

Last night I was just really struggling with this and thought it might help to
reach out to the list for ideas, in case anyone else had already struggled with
a similar issue when they were putting a training together.

I also worry about the OS seeming boring and artificial and yet I couldn't do an
OS training without an OS as a majoy key component.  I don't think I really
"got" OS until I had facilitated a real one and yet I am trying to help others
"get" OS in an artificial OS.  It just seems like such a bind - kind of like
explaining colour to a blind man.  If our OS training is sufficient to interest
the participants in trying an OS and we give them some quidance to help make
their OS's successful I will be happy.  The real learning will only occur
when/if these people try out OS for themselves.  We are hoping that our one day
training is just the start of the learning journey in OS.

Sharon

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