that is the question

[Harrison Owen]

Kerry -- I am not quite sure which stream you are flowing in -- but if your
comments about Action Planning / Convergence relate to some of the things I
said about -- "It is all action planning" -- I think maybe you misunderstood
me. I have not problem at all with convergence, priority setting, action
planning. In fact I am perhaps more rigorous and direct in my approach than
many others. I certainly like the idea of opening space again at the end --
however, my preference actually is a straight balloting procedure with the
TASC software or equivalent. I don't think it is a question of right or
wrong -- but I like, and my clients seem to like, the sort of decisive
conclusion that occurs when you have nice bar charts indicating the levels
of interest/passion attached to each of the issues. Certainly the engineers
like it. You can almost hear the folks saying -- Enough of this Open Space,
let's get some hard numbers and go to work. Actually I have heard them say
just that. I feel even more comfortable with this "direct approach" because
I know that in a real sense it probably isn't needed, or more to the point
it has already happened. I am not suggesting that everybody "knows" the
relative position of some of the more marginal issues -- but in terms of the
biggies, folks are already there. They may not always like what they know,
but knowing what is important doesn't seem to be a problem. So why do
something that has already been done (if I am correct)? Well, it makes
everybody feel good, brings closure, and may actually add something. But I
think the final part may be more important ceremonially and symbolically
than in terms of concrete contribution. And I love symbols and ceremonies --
as do most people, I think.

Harrison

Harrison Owen
7808 River Falls Drive
Potomac, Maryland   20845
Phone 301-365-2093

Open Space Training www.openspaceworld.com
Open Space Institute www.openspaceworld.org
Personal website http://mywebpages.comcast.net/hhowen/index.htm
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-----Original Message-----
From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of kerry
napuk
Sent: Saturday, April 24, 2004 3:22 AM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: that is the question

Hi HO, Raffi and Artur et al

To converge or not to converge, that is the question.

Call me old fashion, but I feel that's a matter for the planning team
and sponsor about desired outcomes from an event.  If the
participants agree and put their energy behind selecting priorities
and making detailed action plans for those priorities AND any other
burning issues, what's wrong with that?

The major advantage of doing action planning at the event rests on
people being together when motivation, creativity, commitment and
ownership are at a high point.  Moreover, sometimes a detailed plan
makes the actions seem real and possible, giving a running start to a
project planning team. After an event, the return to work lives,
organisational entropy, operational detail and memory fade can often
take a punishing toll on outcomes.

If the planning team, sponsor and participants do not want to do
convergence or action planning OR find some other way to do something
after an event, it's up to them.

Sometimes sponsors want a dialogue on issues, others seek tangible results.
So, it's different courses for different horses (a quaint British saying.)

I do feel, however, the planning team and sponsor should be aware of
the options and decide what they want to do with outcomes before
making a commitment to an event.  Accordingly, if there is time, we
always offer the option of taking a half or full day to do action
planning around priorities or any other issue that emerges after an
overnight "soak."   In any event, as facilitators, we need to clarify
this point before drafting a timetable.

Cheers

Kerry
Open Futures
Edinburgh
www.openfutures.com

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