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Mon Mar 1 14:56:15 PST 2004

         Thanks Tova…there is lots of food for thought here.  And
congrats…my favourite line: “Being the action-biased people they are –
they came up with wonderful ideas, fun, appreciation, recognition, and
programs and it is on its way….!”

Thanks again

Chris

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CHRIS CORRIGAN
Bowen Island, BC, Canada
(604) 947-9236

Consultation - Facilitation
Open Space Technology

Weblog: http://www.chriscorrigan.com/parkinglot
Homepage: http://www.chriscorrigan.com
chris at chriscorrigan.com
(604) 947-9236

-----Original Message-----
From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of
averbuch
Sent: Friday, February 27, 2004 1:13 AM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject:

Dear oslisters'

Remember my call for help how to pick 150 out of 750?
 I want to start with thanking, Gerard Muller, Chris Corrigan, Harrison,
Joelle and all of you' and here is my debt of story to you :

150 out of 750 – continued: the story of a two day OS with a division of
an Israeli high-tech global company

Tova Averbuch

        As I was preparing for Practice Of Peace conference on Whidbey
island on November 2003 I got a phone call inviting me to consider
working with a division of an Israeli high-tech global company " to
promote motivation" after very hard three years in this business-market
in general and for those people in particular. Since I do not do
"promote motivation" work I was trying to look for the picture of the
desired future the person talking to me had in mind and we both became
more and more interested in exploring working together. We met a month
later, when I was back from the US. They were eager and impatient to
move on. I was in the beginning.

       The way I generally view my work with organizations is as short
term interventions with the intention of transformation. OS gathering is
a very powerful and preferred practice I incorporate in this process and
the most visible one. Because open space is about inviting and about
choosing it is very important for me to provide it both in my very being
and in doing, so… after meeting the HR people and the CEO and the
management we moved from "promoting motivation" to " creation of a
division we would like to work in and be happy to belong to.." They were
ready to move on. My gut was that it was too soon. My clear sense was
that 'what OS actually is' didn't seem to get through and their everyday
culture was 180 degrees deferent. Another barrier was that this
management who, until recently, was a management of subsidiary company
now became management of a division, much more dependent on the mother
company feeling limited in what they can do by themselves and for
themselves. Fallowing my senses I insisted on the regular process we
use: having a diagonal preparatory committee as means of still
questioning if OS is what they really choose and distilling the unique
way to do about it.  Meet again with the management team in an OS format
(this I usually do not do) to learn more and explore their issues and
challenges as managers/management in this process and particular
situation.
        In the preparatory comity people were very reserved, skeptical,
cautious and cynical. Sooner then latter – I was in the middle of a
battle field with this or that person from senior management in front of
20 other people (stirring or steering? committee). Anxiety of letting go
was very high, fear to raise expectations and fail them was enormous so
ideas like: "let the preparatory committee be the OS event" or: "we can
guide it a little, who said we have to do it exactly the way you say?"
were offered along the process. Let me tell you I was defiantly bruised
in this battle. For those of you who know me personally this will not
come as a surprise that I wished I was not so direct and I wished I
could shut up …neither the client nor I were sure we can make it
together or that we are a good fit but thanks god we stayed together
long enough. Slowly but surly too things emerged very clearly:
• No way a management can go to OS 'to see and get ideas' and then do
whatever they wish, regardless (not because I say so but because through
the preparatory committee and the talk about trust, management
commitment etc. it became very clear)
• One can confront high rank and stay alive (bruised but alive): maybe
everyone can choose to make a difference, after all.

    People from preparatory committee decided they go for OS and "dare
hope". They created a remarkable process of invitation formulation and
talks to inform everyone in the deviation (750 people) in 2-3 days
(50-70 every time with a member of the committee who is not 'the boss'
of those who listen and question – it was the first time I had people
create such a process). After the talk was over the person who was in
charge beautifully informed everyone else that had still to go, of what
were the challenges of the meeting and how was it resolved. It was so
lovely to be on their list and witness these little tips and care. When
they decided the OS will be for 150 people I had asked Avner to join in
with me and had the pleasure to learn again how beautiful and fun it is
to work together!

       170 people from all departments registered and 180 showed up on
the morning of the first day. How shall I sum it up in "bottom Line"
language? (We maid a joke out of how they will report to those who chose
not to come): "In the beginning people were very skeptical!" ye' but
what happened at the end? – "they were not skeptical!"…

        I opened the space asking them to do something revolutionary,
something they do not usually do – to take 3 breaths… (thank you Gerard,
Harrison and Brigitt for building in me the courage to actually dare
start this very way with 180 people, technical people, mainly men…) Like
taking a lid off a steaming pot 50 out of the 180 people, who were
seating very quietly (too quietly) for the first half an hour, jumped
out off their chairs to create their agenda for 4 breakout sessions that
day and one the next day. Wonderful energy of finding one another again
as people, after three years of survival mode on the personal and
organizational level, they began to shade prickly porcupine skin and try
on new, softer modes. 44 conversations, 44 summaries attended with care
by the evening and collected as a book of proceedings from
'everything-culture' to 'working patterns' in general and in specific.
Trust… open, candid, genuine words were spoken and heard. One
participant put it beautifully: 'we had told them every thing before
this event. We talk it in the corridors, in 'round table talks',
everywhere! So what difference will it make'? Another, standing by,
said: (this could be a day of grace) 'you know what the definition of a
psychologist is: a person to whom you pay for hearing all the things
your wife has been telling you for so long …, maybe today it will sink
in'.

       Evening news with a shift: transparent, open to all public.
Evening decision meeting together (some traps we glided through) also
added a pillar of trust and transparency.
        Most amazing was the depth of wisdom on day two (10 more groups
added their conversation proceedings in writing and orally (in 10
minutes, all together!). All an all, 54 active and vibrant ideas merged
into 16 implementation groups who had their first session in the
afternoon. That was just blooming energies – seeding and harvesting work
together. Being the action-biased people they are – they came up with
wonderful ideas, fun, appreciation, recognition, and programs and it is
on its way….!

Up in the sky Avner and I drove home
Knowing this is a very unique time in this industry, they are in a
turning point, seems they chose to turn.

Last one:
         This morning the CEO called saying "thank you, you know I don't
speak much and I am very cynical but it seems to genuinely matter for
many people; the sales man's singing, in the closing circle, "you and I
will change the world" (a Hebrew song, like 'Imagine') was moving even
for me.
         We may have some challenges in the coming six months; we shall
need a little your help from you during this 'crossing the minefield'.
And- if you need recommendation I will be glad to do it. I didn't
believe this phone call; he hardly ever had the time (or preference) to
talk one sentence to me…

Thank you for hanging there with me until now, there was a lot of
learning on my side and on Avner's side (he even came up with some
computer and logistics break through). A little bird told me Avner is
going to say more…

Thank you all again
With much love
Tova

Tova Averbuch             טובה אורבוך
34 Rabinovitz St.   רחוב רבינוביץ 34
Holon            58672               חולון
Israel
               972-3-5523476
         averbuch at post.tau.ac.il

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