What is the Question?

[Pannwitz, Michael M]

In my experience, "givens" emerge when their time has come.
No need for me to ask, probe, inquire.
The question or overall theme for the open space is something that
the sponsor and the planning group figure out in the ONE planning
session that precedes the os-events that I facilitate (when the
sponsor feels that there needs to be no planning session since the
question is clear I know there are troubled waters ahead, so I
insist).
The planning group might be anywhere from 5 to 30 people (I suggest
that the group should have the kind of mix that the sponsor wishes to
have at the os-event itself).
In the design that I use, there is an exercise I call "The day after"
(a mindmap depicting what people think the "world" will look like
after the event) which in some ways contains the goals, aspirations,
wishes, visions, etc. of each individual.
Against this background everyone gets to state the question/theme as
they see it.
In pairs they discuss it (if its a larger group I ask small groups to
come up with a theme that the small groups agrees on).
The various themes are weighed (sticky dots) to provide data for the
group on how the entire group feels about the questions/themes.
A discussion (probing, asking, inquiring) follows usually leading to
a "preliminary" theme.
Then there is a break.
Then there is some work on who all should be invited so that the
conditions described by the mindmap and the still preliminary theme
will successfully be achieved/worked on.
Then the group returns to the theme which often goes through another
development resulting in a common theme.

Ok, today I know that this is an important element in working with
open space (the planning group also deals with nitty-gritty stuff and
sets the date for the follow up meeting to have another look at the
action planning some 8 weeks after the open space-event)...the cue I
got for that is from the 3 minute feedback before the group closes
its session: the feedback rarely has to do with the theme or the
givens or the technical details, it is invariably heavy with
statements like "When I came here 2 and a half hours ago, I was
tired, now I feel refreshed", "I didn't really know why I needed to
be at this session, now I am really excited about the upcoming
event", "If this is open space, I love it", "We became a group in
this short time with a common understanding", "As sponsor I am
excited about the support this group has demonstrated", "I know the
event will be a great success" and on.

My experience then is that the givens and the theme are perhaps
important, essential for creativity, productivity and all the other
things that happen in open space-events, however, are the passion and
responsibility (you dont see that neither in the givens nor in the
theme) emerging, unfolding  in the sponsor, the planning group, in
the invitational process and lastly in the group of folks showing up
at the open space itself.
I am eager to hear of your experiences.
Greetings from Berlin
mmp



On Tue, 13 Apr 2004 09:55:04 -0400, Harrison Owen wrote:

when we (I) zero in on The Question, and go as deeply as
>I can (or the folks are willing to go), The Givens take on a secondary
>importance, or else are so obvious as not to need discussion, which may be
>the same thing. I wonder if others have had a similar experience.
>
>Harrison





Michael M Pannwitz
boscop
Draisweg 1
12209 Berlin, Germany
FON +49 - 30-772 8000     FAX +49 - 30-773 92 464
www.michaelmpannwitz.de
www.openspace-landschaft.de

An der E-Gruppe "openspacedeutsch" für deutschsprechende open space-PraktikerInnen interessiert? Enfach eine mail an mich.

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