SV: using OST for networking

[Thomas Herrmann]

Hi Koos
Thanks for sharing your ideas on networking. I like the words you have used
to describe what it takes to build a network.

I have written some ideas (in Swedish) about the use of OST for networking.
I have used the name Open Space workshop about halfday OST events aiming at
networking and sharing of ideas. So far I did not think about (or have
requests of) making it as open as yours. I like your idea because there will
occur meetings around topics with people who (maybe)never would have met it
the theme was specified (e g golfswinging:)). The downside is that you have
to find a way to inspire people to come. One of my (or my customers) main
challange is usually to find an attracting theme. I guess those invited have
to trust you/the organization inviting or the OST process enough to come. I
would love to come!

We do have spring coming in here as well. Today we have 16 degress Celsius
(warmest day this year!). Cheers to you Thomas

> -----Ursprungligt meddelande-----
> Från: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU]För Koos de Heer
> Skickat: den 2 april 2002 14:25
> Till: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
> Ämne: using OST for networking
>
>
> Dear All,
>
> Last week, I wrote an email to a prospective client about the
> possible use
> of Open Space for a networking event. I liked the way the
> email came out,
> so I decided to share it with you. Any comments are highly
> appreciated and
> of course you are welcome to use this if you like it.
>
>
> The starting point of my thinking around networking is that networking
> solely for the sake of networking is not working. Imagine an
> unknown person
> calling you on the phone and asking: "How about some
> networking tomnorrow
> night?" Your first reaction will most likely be something
> like: "Why, about
> what, what for?". While on the other hand you probably will find it
> interesting when someone invites you to a meeting with a topic that is
> close to your heart and where there is also the opportunity
> for networking.
>
> Networking takes time and the building of trust. And trust
> building happens
> around topics that are close to your heart. The idea that
> playing golf is
> good for networking is true only if you really like playing
> golf. If you
> are walking along the golf course feeling lousy and thinking
> to yourself:
> "What am I doing here anyway?" chances are you won't make
> many new friends.
>
> This is why a networking event has to offer the opportunity
> for people to
> find each other based on those topics they really want to
> spend time on.
> Those could be work-related topics, but they could also be in
> any other
> area. Networking takes time and the willingness to take the
> long route. I
> have met very interesting people at organized hikes, at the
> swimming pool,
> through maintaining the community garden, by being a board
> member of an
> organization etc.
>
> Another important aspect of networking is the idea of giving
> and taking.
> Any network thrives on giving. If you keep asking yourself in every
> conversation that you have: "What's in it for me?", chances are your
> network is not going to work very well for you. People feel much more
> attracted to someone who clearly enjoys life and is willing
> to share, than
> to a bookkeeper with a stingy look on his face. It is therefore very
> important that people come to a networking event with the
> willingness to
> contribute. The opportunity to give a presentation about your
> company is
> nice, but in my opinion it is too  much aimed at taking (I
> want you to buy
> my stuff!) and not enough at giving (What can I contribute to this
> network?). Like Ivan Misner (founder of BNI and author of Masters of
> Networking) says: networking is more like farming than like hunting.
>
> The success of a networking event depends largely on the way
> in which the
> participants are encouraged to get to know each other. It will only be
> successful if this is based on those topics that are close to
> their heart
> and that they want to take some responsibility for. The bad
> news is, of
> course, that it is very difficult to determine ahead of time
> who is going
> to come and which topics have to be put on the agenda for
> those people. The
> good news is that it is not necessary to do it that way.
>
> The technology that I want to use needs little preparation
> and at the start
> enables people to create exactly the agenda that is right for
> them at that
> moment. After the first plenary session, everybody spreads
> out over the
> different break out groups that are created for each agenda
> item. Because
> people only take part in those discussions that they really
> want to, you'll
> always have the right people together: people with a shared
> interest. And
> because everybody can raise their own topic(s), there is
> always something
> interesting for everyone. Including talking about your work
> if that is what
> you want to do.
>
>
> (And then there's one more paragraph about the origins of Open Space
> Technology.I'll save the bandwith for that, trusting you can
> fill in that
> part for yourself ;-)
>
> Best wishes from beautiful, warm, sunny Springtime Holland
>
> Koos
>
>
>
> Koos de Heer
> Auryn management advies BV
> Utrecht, the Netherlands
> mailto:koosdhr at auryn.nl
> http://www.auryn.nl/
>
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