SV: outcomes and one-off OSTs and OSLIST

Thomas Herrmann thomas at openspaceconsulting.com
Tue Dec 2 04:53:46 PST 2003


RE: outcomesHi friends
Just thought I?d jump in too as the topics are already jumbled together,
thanks for that Lisa;)
I have come to a conclusion that I do think that my facilitating a
post-meeting is of significant importance. In earlier days I didn?t always
have a follow up meeting and sometimes I heard later on that "we just
couldn?t get it together - to move on" or something like that. Well of
course I know "when it?s over..." There may be lot?s of reasons for that,
but I do think that by opening up space for the management group and/or
other invited to think and talk about if and how they want to go on, they
can make a more conscious decision on where to go. AND everyone gets to say
his or her meaning.

Right now I am a bit frustrated by hearing about some big scandals over here
in Sweden. Some top-managers have rewarded themselves 100s of millions of
Kronor. I think that many of these things happen because people rarely get
to speak from their heart about what they think and feel. I have felt that
in many many of my pre and post OST meetings the participants have opened
themselves to each other in ways they haven?t done before (at least that?s
what I think). I use the Whole Person Process in these meetings sometimes
combined with "kind-of-OST" for actionplanning.

Regarding topic #2. I?ve had sooo much learning and joy from all of you and
the OS-list over the years. I don?t know why I have not had so much energy
to read and write lately. I have made other priorities but I think about you
often.

Topic #3. I sometimes work with the worldcafe model and noticed that people
really enjoy graphic recording. At those occasions I usually have a
graphic-recorder(-person) doing a summary. I like the idea to use more
graphic possibilities in OS?s. My way would be to offer it as a possibility
as some people wouldn?t like the idea and some would. I have also thought
about the possibility to have a graphics-person at the newswall doing a
grand picture of it all. I hope to be able to try that one day.
Warmest regards
Thomas

[Thomas Herrmann]  -----Ursprungligt meddelande-----
Fran: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU]For Lisa
Skickat: den 2 december 2003 02:00
Till: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Amne: Re: outcomes and one-off OSTs and OSLIST


  Hello, Chris, Reinhard, Mike, Ashley and others -



  Okay, I thought I'd just jumble all the topics together.  Shows you I've
got sort of a collage-mind working today (serious headcold).



  Outcomes and One-Off (single, isolated) OSTs:  Seems to me this raises the
age-old issue known to facilitators everywhere - how do I measure success?
And I feel that our measuring tools / need for measurement is what makes me
feel we are limiting ourselves and our understanding of success/outcomes.
If a one-time OST helps even one person breathe a little, then to me that is
success.  If that breathing helps someone reinvigorate in their jobs *or*
realize they must leave their job to do something which is more their
passion / find a more nutritious workplace, then to me that is success.  If
I do have the great and delicious opportunity of working with an
organization in an ongoing way, we get to work on the leveraging of momentum
post-OST event, communications systems, ongoing OST meetings and the whole
thing.  But that is not usually my experience, much as I'd like it to be.  I
work with them pre-event to help them design and focus on all that, but I am
often not able to be involved in the 'post'.  Should I therefore not do the
OST?  That, to me, would be a loss to whomever the OST can help, and to me
it is never a waste of time and resources for the folks experiencing the
OST.  Can I control clients who don't follow through?  Alas, no. Or
delightedly, no.  Mine is not that job, anyway.  But I feel I'm serving by
helping people b-r-e-a-t-h-e  and seeing each other in new ways.



  That's my measurement.



  And as for me, I take great delight in this wonderful, generous,
nutritious global learning community that is OSLIST.  I sometimes don't read
threads of conversations that exhaust me (even great ones), and I love
learning from folks reporting on their actual OSs.  And their concerns.  And
their variations.  And their successes.  And their wonderment.



  And I am one who has great difficulty with text-based learning/
environments, including email.  The way I absorb data is graphically and
kinesthetically (by physically interacting with things and people).  Plus I
am very interested in offering environments for participants (of OSTs and of
workshops) which are nutritious for those of *many* learning modalities (not
just those who can or like to read).  I have had many a delicious
conversation about OS without text.  For example with Avner and John Engle
at the Vancouver OSonOS - OS for non-text-based communities (such as in
Haiti or in many prisons).  At the Melbourne OSonOS we got to do some
exciting work with movement and mapping one's life, and witnessing another
person's story through movement.  At the Swenmark OSonOS we had several
sessions in movement, and several without words (amazing as you can well
imagine and full of laughter!).  So I have found those conversations and
experiences in-person very valuable.  Reinhard, I remember you from the
Berlin OSonOS and wish you had been with us for those more recent ones, but
I know how time and resources and life can make travel quite a challenge for
us all -- but you can get the idea and I know you would have posted some
really invigorating sessions, yourself.



  I am especially touched that you share with us, Reinhard, your feelings
about this list and how it is working or not working for you.  It is indeed
your choice to engage here in conversation that enriches us all.  And
Ashley, what is your sense for things?  Let's keep stretching this (the
method and the conversation) and pulling at it and jumping into it and
bouncing on it as we all benefit in the learning, and in our dialogue
('multilogue?').



  Be well, and cheers from rainy Berkeley, California,



  Lisa



  ________________________________



  L i s a   H e f t

  Consultant, Facilitator, Educator

  O p e n i n g  S p a c e

  2325 Oregon

  Berkeley, California

  94705-1106   USA

  +01 510 548-8449

  lisaheft at pacbell.net



  * * ==========================================================
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 * *
==========================================================
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
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.openspacetech.org/pipermail/oslist-openspacetech.org/attachments/20031202/0734c338/attachment-0016.htm>


More information about the OSList mailing list