An OS experience and a question for advice

[Birgitt Williams]

Hi Doris,
it sounds to me as though you have had internal discussions (within
yourself) of all of the key points of facilitating an OST meeting as someone
that is inside of the system. You have already concluded that you are not
going to take part in the subgroups and it seems that you have also
discussed this with the other sponsors. It sure sounds to me as though you
are very ready.

People from within the system facilitate OST meetings on a very regular
basis and it works just fine, so long as they do not participate in the
sub-groups but stay to the role of holding the space for the people to do
their work. In the Conscious Open Space Organizations, it is common for
someone from one department to facilitate the OST meeting of another
department. In fact, we encourage that this facilitation be from within the
system rather than hiring external facilitators.

All the best with your ongoing explorations with the Open Space of the world
and with Open Space Technology.

Blessings to you and to all with whom you make Genuine Contact,

Birgitt

Birgitt Williams of Dalar International Consultancy
www.dalarinternational.com

We provide inspirational and practical “how to” guidance for leaders who
want to achieve healthy and balanced organizations to produce exciting,
tangible results for the organization and for its people.

View the calendar for upcoming training in the Organizational Health and
Balance series of workshops featuring the Genuine ContactÔ program at
http://www.openspacetechnology.com/training.html

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http://www.smartgroups.com/groups/genuinecontact

Contact information for Dalar International Consultancy: Po Box 19373,
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Phone: 919-522-7750     Fax: 919-870-6599

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  -----Original Message-----
  From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU]On Behalf Of Doris
Gottlieb
  Sent: Monday, January 19, 2004 10:52 AM
  To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
  Subject: An OS experience and a question for advice


  HI fellow Listers,



  Next week I am going to be doing an Open Space event for 2 days with a
group of people who all took part in the same educational program for
trainers and organizational advisors.  Actually, I too am an “alumna” of
this training program and several months ago an initiative came from some
people who wanted to organize some sort of “network” opportuntity and a
chance to explore what we as participants of this program carry as a sort of
community of practice into the marketplace.



  For the past year I’ve been focusing on growing in Open Space. I’ve been
interested in it for so long but hadn’t had a chance to work with it. Last
year I made the decision to be open to all opportunities that came to me to
facilitate Open Space and to start talking about it more and more with
clients and others.  I looked at it as a sort of action learning experience
and decided I would take every opportunity I could to do Open Space events
as long as I felt ethically they were okay, even if it meant that they weren
’t “pure” I wanted to find my own way within this method and perspective.



  It’s been a very interesting journey so far, but the I’m having questions
about this next OST that I am going to do. Namely, I am now facilitating
this OST while at the same time being one of the organizers and an
ex-participant.

  I have made the decision that my role as facilitator means that I won’t
participate in sub-group activities and I’ve also made an agreement with the
other sponsors that they would be there for me should I need any support and
reflection. This feels good, but I’m still sort of scared about doing
something where I am also very much inside the system that is using the OST.

  I know there were earlier talks about this but does anyone have any more
advice as to how I can prepare for and best use this time that I have?



  Thanks in advace for any help and suggestions people may have.



  Sincerely,



  Doris Gottlieb



  Consulting for the

  International Environment

  Hof van Versailles 23

  1064 NX Amsterdam

  The Netherlands





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