Inviting the Competition ?

[Gerard Muller]

Dear All,

I had an interesting Open Space last week that I would like to share
with you.
It really started almost a year ago, when an association of small
companies (a cooperative) asked me to facilitate a seminar to discuss
their strategy for the next five years.

They made the previous one three years ago, and were ready implementing
it ahead of time.
Participants would be all Board members and all employees, some 20 in
all.

I discussed their situation and wishes with the director, and he agreed
to an OS.
So I had a preparation meeting with him and 4 Board members to prepare.
Good people, and a very constructive team

After having made a draft of the invitation, I asked them who else would
have important knowledge relevant to their meeting. And we made an
analysis of the network around the central theme.

They agreed to invite all the key persons - except of course the
competition: two main competitors in Denmark, and one in Sweden. But
somehow I felt it would be more beneficial than dangerous, and we ended
with a model where all “guests” were invited during the day, and the
original 20 would continue.
That way - was the reasoning - they would get the input but limit the
:risk”.

All three competitors sent their directors as well as the chairman of
their Boards.

During the Open Space it was not visible to me these people were
competitors.
And one of the main conclusions of the first day was something like “The
main issue is not how to grow a little in Denmark, but how to enter the
German market with our superior product - none of us alone would have
the resources to go in succesfully, but together we could”.

The Open Space last week was for one of the competitors. And they
invited their competitors - who all came.

Any other stories about inviting the competition (or working for the
competition) ?

Greetings from




Gerard
Open Space Institute Denmark

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