confessions of a space invader

[Chris Corrigan]

Julie lamented:

>
>  Come to think of it, we should have done a better job preparing
>  participating adults beforehand.  I was surprised by the prolonged
>  advice giving of some of the adults who attended.  Oh dear... is
there a
>  contest for how many mistakes it's possible to make in a single OST?

Time for an OS Errata Laureate?  :-)  I don't know about a contest, but
surely there's a world record, and based on what you are saying, and
stories I've heard from elsewhere, you're nowhere near close.

Anyway, I don't think it's the number of mistakes one makes that gets an
OST meeting off track.  I think it's the magnitude.  I've facilitated
lots of meetings where I've made a bunch of mistakes, but they haven't
sent things off the rails.  I have found however that not being part of
the planning process is a grave error, and I've made that one on a
couple of occasions.  (Why I repeated it is beyond me...).  The thing
is, that OST is so "easy" to facilitate sometimes I've taken for granted
the amount of preparation it really requires.

But I think what I'm hearing in your story Julie, is an illustration of
what happens that big bugaboo raises its head, the one about "the only
way OST will really not work is if people are tied to outcomes."  Seems
to me that what your experience featured was a group that was tied to a
certain set of outcomes (i.e. being in control of the process or
something like that) which didn't get met, because you facilitated an
OST meeting instead.  It's not quite the same as if a sponsor had said
"we are tied to an outcome but we want to put you through the motions
anyway" but it seems like that's the neighbourhood.

At least that sort of what it sounds like from here.  Your mileage may
vary...I might even be totally wrong (first time for everything etc.
etc.)

Anyway, it sounds like one of those situations that Harrison labels as
"when you really earn your money."  So lots to learn from something like
that.  And knowing you, you're going to turn this whole experience into
a deep learning for yourself (and probably pose a question to the list
that will spawn another book!)

Hugs to ya.  Thanks for sharing this one.  The weird ones are the
hardest stories to share, and the most valuable.

Chris

---
CHRIS CORRIGAN
Consultation - Facilitation
Open Space Technology

Bowen Island, BC, Canada
http://www.chriscorrigan.com
chris at chriscorrigan.com

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