Opening space fast!

Tue Oct 8 21:46:16 PDT 2002

thanks Chris and to the 1 minute opener

great learning - makes we once again say HO to simplicity and being
in the moment called NOW.

love

- toke

*****

>Colleagues:
>
>Just back from a two day training session I gave in Winnipeg, Manitoba,
>Canada to 10 First Nations youth and four government workers.  The bunch
>of them are in the midst of planning an Aboriginal youth conference for
>the end of November in Winnipeg one day of which will be held in Open
>Space, of which I will share more later, as they have a pretty cool
>approach worked out.
>
>But I wanted to relay one story about how fast it is to actually open
>space.  During both days of this training we did a lot of work in Open
>Space.  I opened the first day and for the second day, I asked for a
>volunteer, for anyone who wanted to practice opening the space.
>
>The shyest youth of them all ended up volunteering much to everyone's
>surprise.  I sat with her and covered the basics of the opening: walking
>the circle, things to say, process, principles and law, etc. etc.  I
>referred her to a script that we had and she underlined the most
>important parts.  I mostly told her not to worry, because what ever
>happened it would work.
>
>When it came time for her to open I was confident.  I played the role of
>the sponsor, introduced the theme and introduced her as the facilitator.
>
>Immediately I saw that it was not her way to do it the way I did it.
>She simply sat in her seat and said: "Welcome to Open Space.  Our theme
>is where and when will we open space.  You will put topics on the paper
>in the middle and post them on the wall.  There are four principles, and
>one law.  (she read them).  When you're ready we can start."
>
>And then she sat in her chair, looking at the centre of the circle and
>waiting.  Her opening had been about one minute long.
>
>People were a little taken aback but nevertheless, they started posting
>topics.  In ten minutes we had eight topics.  She waited very patiently
>until everyone was finished posting and then said "okay.  Time to
>start."
>
>The work got underway and it was fine, of course.
>
>Afterwards I remarked that that may have been the shortest opening on
>record, and I thought of Harrison's constant mantra of finding one more
>thing not to do.  In the closing circle I pointed out that although her
>opening was very non-standard and wou8ld need to be more substantial for
>a group that did not know about open space, it was the perfect opening
>for a group who has worked in OST before.  There is no need to put on
>airs about the process.  Once you get it, all you need to do is get down
>to work.
>
>That was my learning.
>
>Cheers:
>
>Chris
>
>
>
>---
>CHRIS CORRIGAN
>Consultation - Facilitation
>Open Space Technology
>
>Bowen Island, BC, Canada
>http://www.chriscorrigan.com
>chris at chriscorrigan.com
>
>*
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--
My own practise is my own learning edge, where both my student and my
teacher  comes alive.

Toke Paludan Møller, InterChange, Dialogue Architects - Learning
Space hosts - by the river at Days like this, http://www.days.dk/
Gudenåvej 60, Voervadsbro, 8660 Skanderborg, Phone +45 702013 35   -
Mobile  +45 2616 6919  http://www.interchange.dk  Home office at the
lake - Stengaardsvej 5 A,   8600 Silkeborg, Denmark

Some of the work  we are  currently involved in:
* Open Space training, Denmark   http://www.concept-for-hire.dk/ostraining
* Knowledge mentorship training, Denmark  - BDOScanRevison - http://www.bdo.dk
* The Open Space Village,  Castle Borl,, Slovenia http://village.borl.org
* The Kufunda Village - learning center, Zimbabwe, http://www.kufunda.org
* Obraz - an emerging leadership education in Zagreb, Croatia

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