more convergence talk

[Douglas D. Germann, Sr.]

Michael--

I just noticed this somehow was being sent outside the list, and thought it
might be useful for others to get into this mixer.

Just how do people go about setting the theme with the client?

                              :-Doug.

----Forwarded Message(s)----

Michael--

I am intrigued with the idea of setting the theme at the Open Space itself.
Have you had other experiences with that? Has anyone else?

Seems like an open way to open space. Similar to how Michael Herman opens
space again in the convergence....

                              :-Doug. Germann



Douglas
as almost always:
"it depends"
1. In os-trainings (start at 4pm on a Sunday and lasting till
Thursday noon), I do the "exercise" of arriving at a theme, just as
if it were (and it is) a regular customer/client/sponsor that Sunday
afternoon. This is how the theme is found for the open space (1.5
days) that begins Sunday morning. In these exercises I have learned
that it is possible to arrive at a theme with a crowd of 50 people
(and do a bunch of other stuff) in 2,5 hours.
2. In the case I reported on earlier (with the facilitators), the
theme was decided upon the night before because there was no planning
session as is usually the case lets say six weeks before the event.
Here it was clear from the beginning, that the participants were
present anyway because they met in a week of training and exchange
and the os was part of that.
I doubt that a theme arrived lets say 6 weeks before the event would
have been closer to their passion and responsibility. But this I say
in hindsight.
3. All other os I have done had planning groups or a
sponsor/client/customer that decided on the theme and invited around
that theme. (Part of my planning session design is to ask who all
needs to be at the os so that the "system" can work productively
under the theme...this always leads to an expanded view of the
"system"  -  in the sense of "getting the whole system into the room"
- and often leads to a restatement of the theme).
4. When you look at our OSonOS gatherings, as another special case, I
would bet that most come because of their passion for open space and
to meet the gang, they really are not concerned about the "theme".
5. I invited the os-practitioners of Berlin (there are more than 70
of them in the Berlin area) to a bOSonOS without saying peep about a
theme and some 27 said they will come, 15 or so said they would come
but the date doesnt fit their schedule (it is a 2,5 day complete os).

So, thats my 2 cents worth which I guess boils down to the experience
that normally, os-t events have a planning phase in which the theme
is arrived at and under which people are invited.
mmp

----End Forwarded Message(s)----

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