so how would open space handle this?

[Elwin and Joan]

Dear Peggy,

Chris introduced my small piece when he asked,
"Maybe I am begging the question about how much
you need to know about a client before you work with
them?"

For me the Open Space answer was..."not much!"

Last year I opened space four times for 120 directors
and staff members of the leading NGOs in Bosnia.  The
theme for each 2 1/2 day OST was "Sustaining an NGO"

That's about all I knew going into it; NGOs and
Bosnia.

On the 2nd night of the 1st OST the group
simultaneously organized a party.  They found the
band, singer, arranged the deal with hotel management,
ordered the food, went to town and purchased award
gifts, etc, etc.  They hugged, danced and sang until 3
am.

After the closing circle the USAID official that was
present came to me and said, "this was an amazing
event!  They were all behaving like members of the
same family."

I said, "well that's the result of most OSTs I've
done; no big deal!"

He said, "It is a big deal. Don't you realize the
group is 1/3 Muslim, 1/3 Croat and 1/3 Serb?  Five
years ago they were raping and killing each other!"

I said, "Oh! I thought they were all Bosnians!"

PS- The same thing happened at the following three
OSTs that were also equally represented ethnically!

It works because the right people come!

Elwin Guild
Baltimore


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