Seeking Feedback

[Michael Herman]

hi joe,

there are a number of hybrid design stories posted in my ost practice
notebook and dealing with short meetings and demos...
http://www.globalchicago.net/wiki/wiki.cgi?OpenSpaceTech ...just scroll
down when you get to this page to the hybrid designs section.  some
fitting for your situation, some farther afield, but you'll sort through
them all quickly enough ithink.

one session not listed there was a conference we did last year, where i
did do open space in the midst of other workshop session.  did 2 on each
of 2 days of conference.  i asked for time in opening of entire conf to
introduce it, also there was prior history with having done whole
conference two years before in ost, and i asked for time in conf close
to report results.  i opened the space very quickly in each of hte 4
workshop sessions, 1.5 hours long each.  what we found is that folks
came to the first session each day and then didn't come to the second.
this happened both days.  the second sessions were just very small, like
6 folks.  first sessions were more like 40 folks.  we could have done
just one session per day and been fine, i think.  and... whatever
happens is the only thing that could have... all good in the end.  they
wrote up notes from perhaps a dozen or so breakouts and continued the
conversations individually beyond the conf.  many at the end of the
conference were having conversations that went essentially like..."let's
blow off the funder who's spent literally a half million dollars in
three annual conferences and get back to open space and working
together" because the funder was intent on spending money and
controlling the dialogue.  as it turns out, the funding connection did
come crashing down, those conversations about open space provided the
ground for considering that eventuality in detail, and now the conf will
go forward with new backing, though not yet in open space.... funny how
fast new people in control, even those well aware of open space, can
fill up the space with their own new agenda <grin>... and still there is
always the potential for opening there in the background.

so i say sure, go for it, point to that background potential, lean into
it, whatever... as much as you can!

michael



Joe Bowers wrote:

>I'm wondering if anybody has experience with:
>
>1. Doing a 1hour intro of OS at the beginning of a larger non OS conference to give people a taste for OS, eg as one approach which might be taken at future conferences.
>
>2. Having OS as one Workshop option at a Conference - so people could choose to do traditional workshops or engage in a 2 or 4 hour OS.
>
>Thanks for any input.
>
>
>Joe Bowers
>The Centre for Success, Health & Happiness
>p: (612) 9858 1569
>m: 0403 395 488
>joe at successandhappiness.com.au
>www.successandhappiness.com.au
>
>*
>*
>==========================================================
>OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
>------------------------------
>To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
>view the archives of oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu:
>http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
>
>To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs:
>http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist
>
>
>

--

Michael Herman
Michael Herman Associates
300 West North Avenue #1105
Chicago IL 60610 USA
(312) 280-7838

http://www.michaelherman.com - consulting & publications
http://www.globalchicago.net - laboratory & playground
http://www.openspaceworld.org - worldwide open space

...inviting organization into movement

*
*
==========================================================
OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
------------------------------
To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
view the archives of oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu:
http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html

To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs:
http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist