Working over a theme with a group on a conference call

[Chris Corrigan]

Today I was working with a steering committee of nearly 15 people on a
conference call setting a theme for a national Aboriginal youth
conference in Open Space.  Most of the participants were government
workers, and a few were Aboriginal youth.

It is damn near impossible to get across the idea that a theme must be
visceral when you can't gaze into people's eyes, but we came up with
another litmus test.  When I asked how one draft of the theme grabbed
people, comeone said "grabbed me where?" to which I replied
"well....where DID it grab you."  She replied that it grabbed her around
the ankles.  I asked what it would take to make it grab her in the gut.

>From that point on we checked in with the theme by referring to
anatomy.  Whe we got something I would ask where it grabbed people, and
the replies would tell us about how close we were.

After a time an Inuit youth blurted out the line that would become the
theme and there was silence.  I suggested that her contribution grabbed
me in the gut and everyone else agreed.  We dwelled on the moment for a
second.  What does it feel like to be grabbed in the gut like that?  How
is it dnifferent from where we were being grabbed earlier?

The process worked well, as it got people in touch with the little spark
of passion that we are going to be fanning into flames in a month or
so.  I think that I would say that this is a taste of OST, for those who
haven't experienced it: you will be invited to be grabbed in the gut.

I'll return to this little tool when I'm next working with bureaucrats
on a conference call...trying to re-introduce the concept of feeling
into work.

Just thought I'd share.

BTW.  Richard's theme grabbed my gut too....for the most part.  I
suggested to him off list that he might try "Men in Transformation: How
will we grow the next generation of fathers?"

Cheers,

Chris

--
CHRIS CORRIGAN
Consultation - Facilitation
Open Space Technology

http://www.chriscorrigan.com
corcom at interchange.ubc.ca

RR 1 E-3
1172 Miller Road
Bowen Island, BC
Canada, V0N 1G0

phone (604) 947-9236
fax (604) 947-9238

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