Question: Between Groups

[Harrison Owen]

At 12:58 PM 11/2/01 -0500, you wrote:
>The questions are...
>
>-  Have you experienced sharing the topics/conversations with a
>second/third group, and what was the result (pros and cons)?
>
>-  What ways would you consider weaving the groups together, progressively.
>  I'm thinking that there's a paradox in that sharing too much will put
>unwanted expectations on each successive group.  But I'm also thinking
>there's an opportunity being presented to let successive group go
>further/deeper into what's possible for their organization.
>
>I'm not reluctant to experiment on my own behalf because there's lots of
>opportunities to adjust in the future based on what happens.  But on the
>other hand, it may be the client's only opportunity (in the near term) to
>get some good things going for them

John -- it would help if you could say more exactly what the client really
hoped to achieve with the Open Space. I am sure it is not just "feel good"
or "information gathering" -- both of which are pretty low level uses for
Open Space. One possibility that occurs to me  is to consider the whole
organization as Open Space. As we know, it takes only and hour and a half
to get things moving, and if "everybody who cares" can be present for the
opening, all the succeeding sessions can be at a time and place convenient
to the participants. Thus, in a hospital, which obviously can't close down,
individual sessions were held through out a two day period in such handy
places as the cafeteria, doctors and nurses lounges, supply rooms, etc.
Proceedings were posted in a central place as they happened. Convergence
and closing took another hour and a half. The opening and close were
scheduled at the point of shift change -- so some people had to come in 45
min early, and others stayed 45 min longer. Not everybody could come, but
those who really wanted to be there made the scene. The management was
bright enough not to try and handle all the scheduling. Rather they said
that everybody was encouraged to come, but that each area in the hospital
must work out the best solution for itself. Seemed to work.

Harrison

>Harrison Owen

7808 River Falls Drive
Potomac, MD 20854 USA
phone 301-469-9269
Open Space Training www.openspaceworld.com
Open Space Institute www.openspaceworld.org
Personal website www.mindspring.com/~owenhh

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