Working over a theme with a group on a conference call

[Marks & Margaret McAvity]

Neat story Chris.
Marks
Marks & Margaret McAvity
Site 50, Comp 16
Galiano Island,
BC, VON 1P0
CANADA
Tel 250-539-2881 (Gal)
Tel 604-827-0305 (Van)
Tel (604)-328-4406 (mob)
mcavity at primus.ca (us)
mcavity at netinfo.ubc.ca (Marg)
----- Original Message -----
From: "Chris Corrigan" <corcom at INTERCHANGE.UBC.CA>
To: <OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
Sent: Thursday, September 06, 2001 4:11 PM
Subject: Working over a theme with a group on a conference call


> 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
>
> *
> *
> ==========================================================
> OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
> ------------------------------
> To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
> view the archives of oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu,
> Visit:
>
> http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
>

*
*
==========================================================
OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
------------------------------
To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
view the archives of oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu,
Visit:

http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html