What would you do?

Peggy Holman peggy at opencirclecompany.com
Fri Feb 27 10:19:26 PST 2004


Christine,

I have a different take on the idea of one session.  I say do three.  Here's
why: in 90 minutes, it is impossible to do any subject justice.  Given that,
rather than set the expectation of even one quality conversation, use the
time for another purpose: to invite people to notice who else has passion
for the same topics as you.  20 minutes to open, three 15 minute sessions,
20 minutes to close about does it.  In that time, people will find out the
range of subjects of interest and who else cares about them.  They'll be
able to touch in with the folks they meet after the OS.  And another benefi
is that it leaves participants with a very different embodied experience of
what OST is.

This suggestion is based on a real experience.  A few years back, I did a
keynote in Open Space for the Bowling Green MSOD Alumni conference.  They
wanted the 150 or so participants to experience Open Space.  After my first
thought of "impossible", I thought, "why not?"

It worked incredibly well!  I was amazed at the energy of the group and that
they really did move from topic to topic.  It was like watching a speeded up
video of an OS.  For the closing circle, I invited people to reflect using a
word or phrase.  This actually left time in the closing for Q&A on OST.

Mind you, I did this for graduates of an OD program who were as interested
in the form as they were the content of the gathering.  However, I think it
would work for your purpose as well.

foggy in Seattle,
Peggy

_______________________________
Peggy Holman
The Open Circle Company
15347 SE 49th Place
Bellevue, WA  98006
425.746.6274
www.opencirclecompany.com



----- Original Message -----
From: "Christine Whitney Sanchez" <milagro27 at cox.net>
To: <OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2004 9:41 PM
Subject: Re: [OSLIST] What would you do?


> Michael, Birgitt and Jack,
>
> Thanks so much.  You have done a wonderful job of expressing most of the
> concerns I've had and then offering concrete suggestions about how to work
> with them.  It's a very good idea and not too late to narrow the topic
> (Birgitt - thanks for that) so that this very important larger topic can
be
> given much more time and space in future events.  Fortunately, it's never
> been billed as Open Space Technology but rather Open Space Dialogue (this
> was in the program description before I was even hired) so it will quite
> possible to set this up as intentional self-organization (thanks Michael)
> and only later mention what might be accomplished in 2 or 3 days of OST
(the
> sponsor and I are having that conversation already).  And Jack, thanks for
> the suggestion of using this time to open the conversation about how to
> frame the much larger conversation.
>
> I will stick with the one longer session, be clear about outcomes and yes,
> Birgitt, the closing circle will close the whole forum.
>
> I will let you know how it goes.
>
> Namaste,
>
> Christine
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU]On Behalf Of Jack
> Ricchiuto
> Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2004 6:31 PM
> To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
> Subject: Re: What would you do?
>
>
> Yes to Michael's points about normalizing the expectation to days not
hours
> for this scope, and weeks if the process needs to include the minds and
> heart of multiple diverse stakeholders and stewards of current geographic
> capabilities. 90 minutes may be a good first step just to open the
> conversation on the givens, knowns, and unknowns of the focus.
>
> Jack
> ____________________________
> JACK RICCHIUTO / 216.373.7475
> www.DesigningLife.com - you can now check my calendar availability online
> (updated daily)
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Michael Herman [mailto:mherman at globalchicago.net]
> Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2004 7:53 PM
> To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
> Subject: Re: What would you do?
>
> whoops.  i missed the numbers part on the first pass.  yep.  this is
> trickier.
>
> i'd try to not even say OST until the end when you could say "this has
> been a tiny, 1.5-hour slice of what normally would be 2 or 3 days."  in
> situations like this, i've played the opening really quick and dirty and
> called it "intentional self-organization" and only called it ost later
> on, after they have an experiential context and can really appreciate
> how it could go on for a couple of days.
>
> also seems important to be really clear about what to expect as
> outcomes.  as in, it might take another 20 minutes or so to get any real
> miracles. <grin>
>
> michaelh
>
>
>
> Birgitt Williams wrote:
>
> > Christine,
> > If it was me, I wouldn't do a 1.5 hour meeting for 120-180
> > participants (non profit leadership and management)  with a topic as
> > broad as "what can we DO in the next year to build the capacity of
> > our sector in Arizona?" .
> >
> > I believe that 3 1/2 hours is the shortest meeting in which one really
> > experiences the open space of an Open Space Technology meeting.
> > Anything shorter than that, in my experience, is a demonstration of
> > people self managing within a set of instructions. Having said that,
> > the topic is a very broad one and a very important one for this
> > sector--not to be handled lightly. It is truly too bad that they
> > didn't give you at least one whole day, preferably 2  1/2 days to
> > really do justice to these people and the topic.
> >
> > Having said that, I think one of the challenges that you will face is
> > the unlikelihood that all of your participants will be ready for you
> > at the start of your appointed time, so you are unlikely to have your
> > full 1 1/2 hours. So...I suggest you do your planning as though you
> > have 1 1/4 hours. You need time for opening including making
> > statements about the fact that OST has the capacity to include action
> > planning but there won't be a special opportunity for this at this
> > meeting. I think you will need to make the most of your words to
> > explain what OST is when the right time is given or else you might
> > have 180 people going off and leading exactly this kind of OST meeting
> > throughout Arizona (often there are lots of people who imitate what
> > they experience). Now, you can't prevent that--I realize it but maybe
> > your words might help. Okay, you will have about ten minutes of your
> > words, another ten minutes for topics to be posted, and then about 20
> > minutes for your closing. I think you would be best to have only one
> > session time. If you attempt to go with two and then even more time
> > gets cut away by unexpected events, you might end up with big problems.
> >
> > Have they given you the right to use a closing circle to close their
> > whole conference or is your closing only going to be the closing for
> > your OST portion.
> >
> > I hope this helps. I can see why you would want to take advantage of
> > the opportunity to showcase OST. However, having spent a long time in
> > the social service sector, I know my own reaction to such a short time
> > to discuss something so important would be very distressing.
> >
> > I wish you joy, peace, God's grace and blessings, and that you prosper
> > in all things,
> >
> > Birgitt
> >
> >
> >
> >     -----Original Message-----
> >     From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU]On Behalf Of
> >     Christine Whitney Sanchez
> >     Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2004 2:57 PM
> >     To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
> >     Subject: What would you do?
> >
> >     Dear Friends,
> >
> >     In a little more than a week, Arizona State University Center for
> >     Nonprofit Leadership and Management is sponsoring the 6th Annual
> >     Forum on Nonprofit Effectiveness:  Building the Capacity of
> >     Arizona's Nonprofit Sector.  There will be between 120 - 180 NP
> >     leaders from around the state who are well accustomed to the
> >     format they will experience most of the day...expert panels and Q&A.
> >
> >     As a bold move on ASU's part, I've been asked to facilitate a very
> >     short open space to finish the day focused on the convening
> >     question, "What can we DO in the next year to build the capacity
> >     of our sector in Arizona?"  No action planning, obviously but the
> >     sponsors hope to stimulate a different level of dialogue.  Since
> >     there is only 1.5 hours available for the open space session I am
> >     leaning toward having only one 45minute breakout session with the
> >     remainder of the time devoted to opening and closing.  But I've
> >     also been considering 2 half hour breakout sessions with less time
> >     for brief reports and the closing. Given that this is going to be
> >     the first OST experience for nearly everyone in this group, I am
> >     looking for a balance between longer, richer discussions in the
> >     breakouts with the fuller self-organizing experience that 2
> >     shorter breakouts might offer.
> >
> >     I would especially appreciate any examples of times where you've
> >     opened space for this number of people in this short time frame
> >     and what you found most effective.
> >
> >     Thanks in advance for sharing your insights and suggestions.
> >
> >
> >     Christine
> >
> >     Christine Whitney Sanchez
> >     Triune Milagro, LTD
> >     2717 E. Mountain Sky Avenue
> >     Phoenix, AZ  85048-8990
> >     milagro27 at cox.net
> >     480.759.0262  phone
> >     480.759.0403  fax
> >     VISIT OUR WEBSITE:  www.triunemilagro.com
> >     <http://www.triunemilagro.com/>
> >
> >
> >     Invoking the wisdom and capacity of the human spirit!
> >
> >
> >
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>
> --
>
> 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
>
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