OST as a conference track

Fri May 10 10:07:12 PDT 2002

Dear Peggy,
I had a lot of pleasure from an OST meeting within a larger meeting with
everyone from what was two tracks coming in to the closing circle. This was
at the National level in Canada for an issue regarding public health. My
colleague Susan Lilley was with me and if she is still on this list, might
add her perspective. It worked, and it worked well.

Before I say a little more about that, I wish to address decision making
regarding Working with Open Space Technology. You are aware that we have a
four day workshop by that name. Within that program, we emphasize that every
facilitator must make his or her own mind up about the key ingredients of
the form of an OST meeting. For him/her--what is his/her bottom line of what
he/she won't compromise. Each person handles this differently. We then turn
the attention of our participants to the essence of OST, encouraging each
person to make his/her determination of what is OST, what is the "opening of
space" and what is the "holding of space". We suggest that it is from this
understanding, which is also subject to individual interpretation,
perception, experience, that will serve well into the future for decision
making. From that personal understanding, as the twists and turns come up
both in planning the meeting (and you are right, most have twists and turns
already at that stage) and when one is actually facilitating. The number of
decisions to make are often very many.

For years, I handled these intuitively and didn't know how many decisions I
was making both as I was opening the space and as I was holding the space.
It was not until I had other facilitators working with me, that I became
aware of all of the questions that were raised in their minds regarding the
minute to minute decision making. I equip those learning with me with
developing their own understanding of their own bottom line regarding both
form and essence (I realize this is an artificial separation but it helps).

When I was faced with a challenge just as you are facing now, I used my
understanding of the form but more importantly, my understanding of the
essence to make my decision. I decided that the space was not closed, based
on my understanding of what "open space" is, if there were such a large
number who joined us in the closing circle. The majority of the participants
at the conference were in a traditional strategic planning process "to get
the real work done". As we approached the end of day 2, our group in OST had
generated many reports, many strategies for future action, and had developed
the action plans to go along with the strategies. All of them understood
that there was no funding to move their work forward as a "given" stated in
the opening.

Early in the day, I chose to develop a quick evaluation form and had them
photocopied onto two different colors of paper. It was my intention to have
one color filled out by those in the traditional strategic planning group
and another color for those who had been in the OST throughout. I thought
that was a brilliant way to get some research done. The sponsor agreed.

And again, more twists and turns and decision making and I had to put this
plan of evaluations  aside (it was brilliant but alas was not done). Our
closing circle was scheduled for 4pm. At 2:30 pm we had a contingent of
guests arrive, mostly men, in business suits looking very official. What
gave away to me what they were doing and who they were was that they had a
ladder with them and a cameraman with camera. Oh dear----the typical team of
a federal cabinet minister. A cabinet minister had originally planned on
attending the conference but at the last, gave her regrets. I marched over
to this group (of about 6 people) and asked who they were and what their
intention was. They said they were the staff of this cabinet minister and
that she had decided she would come and that she was going to make a speech
for the closing. And of course, the intention was to film it. I have had
previous experience with such people and I know their total job is to "make
the Minister" look good. I suggested strongly to them that they were on the
wrong track and that if they truly wanted to "make their Minister look
good", they should dispense with the plan for the speech, let the closing
circle progress as planned, and that they should sit her immediately to my
right. I explained that our microphone would be passed to my left and that
each person would have the opportunity to say something and by placing her
to my right, she would be the last person (except for me) to speak. If she
still chose to give her speech, so be it, but I suggested to them that this
would not likely be the case.

The closing circle could not have gone any better if it had been planned.
People from both the "traditional strategic planning" and the OST spoke.
There was a huge and clear difference between the passion, the innovation,
the inspiration, the commitment to action, and great action plans between
the two groups. I think you can guess which of the two groups of people
shone in the brightness of their passion and commitment. The "traditional
strategic planning group" had a plan that was going forward for approval.
The OST group had a plan for approval AND they each had action steps they
were taking whether the plan ever moved forward or not. And in their
contributions in the closing, they said that their actions did not require
funding but that they had figured out how to move ahead despite the
government and the bureaucracy going so slow on what to them was a critical
matter. By the way, when we sorted out the "givens" ahead of time in our
planning, a given was that items could move forward for action in the
different communities if someone so chose, just so long as they could do so
without additional government funding". The cabinet minister was so
impressed, she gave a very moving and short speech when it was her turn. She
never used her planned speech. And she spoke elequently and with passion
about the passion and commitment and her joy about this. As people were
leaving, there was a lot of chatter about what had come out of the OST
group. And the others were in awe, impressed, and in disbelief. It did not
compute logically for them.

I think there were so many important lessons in this for everyone concerned.
If I had not taken the risk, based on my understanding of OST, I would have
denied them the opportunity.

As for the evaluations, I had to give up on that plan because for me to
"hold the space" for the two groups, the cabinet minister, and the
cameraman, I could not turn any of my attention to talking about the
evaluations or dealing with them. I felt if I did this, I would not be able
to keep the space open. There were already too many variables at hand.

I hope this helps.

Blessings to you and all whom you make genuine contact with

Birgitt  Williams

Mentoring for Organizational Effectiveness

We invite you to visit us at www.genuinecontact.com and join the list serve
at http://www.smartgroups.com/groups/genuinecontact

"I believe that Spirit matters and people are precious. I know that
organizations incorporating these values have exciting, tangible results
including wealth, prosperity, and abundance. Daily, these organizations
attend to their health and balance. Participating in the Genuine Contact
program takes you on a learning journey of HOW to achieve the healthy and
balanced organization (the conscious Open Space Organization).”  Birgitt
Williams, Dalar International Consultancy

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  -----Original Message-----
  From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU]On Behalf Of Peggy
Holman
  Sent: Tuesday, May 07, 2002 12:33 PM
  To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
  Subject: Re: OST as a conference track

  Wow, my query sure turned up a lot of stuff!

  Harrison -- I would love to hear the story that leads to your unequivocal
advice.

  To the questions:

  (Koos)
  What is the reasoning behind this? Why do OST for just a part of the
conference?

  It has to do with the purpose of the Open Space.   It is focused on a
particular project that won't be of interest to everyone.  Artur said it
quite clearly:
  > It is (1) to do it for the sub-community that cares about "Building a
  > Pattern Language of Living Communication"

  We did explore doing the whole conference in OS.  This didn't seem to make
sense 1) because speakers were already committed; 2) the purpose and passion
for the OS was tied not to the conference theme but to the specific topic of
creating the pattern language, which is a track within the conference.  BTW,
the OS will have it's own physical space.

  (Winston)
  Has the session been advertised/promoted as open to everyone at the
conference? Could it possibly be of interest to everyone? (sounds like not
from the nature of the topic but...)

  We're planning on providing an invitation flyer as part of the conference
packet and the sponsor will say a few words of invitation at the opening
plenary that introduces the concept of a pattern language.  It will be open
to everyone.  I doubt it will be of interest to everyone.

  ON THE CLOSING CIRCLE:

  Atur said:
  > Now, what I would try is to talk with the organizing committee and say
them
  > that IF they want the closing circle to be open to all the participants,
  > then the opening circle should be scheduled for a time slot where there
are
  > no other simultaneous events, so that every participant that cares can
  > come. Then I would not care about the fact that someone's will not show
up
  > for the opening, neither for the fact that many will not participate in
the
  > rest of the OST sessions. I would treat them has butterflies ;-)

  There is nothing competing with the closing circle.  It is the time for
the conference close.  Artur, I really appreciate your image of those coming
in from outside the OS as butterflies.  That helps.  It's just that there
may be a LOT more butterflies than OS participants.

  What makes me think it could work is that a closing question on what
people are taking home from the conference works no matter where they've
been.

  So, guess I'm taking a real leap with this one.  Any other thoughts are
welcome since the dates are  May 18-19.

  Will let you know what the water's like (or if the pool was dry....)

  Peggy

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