16 European countries represented in first OST expereince OST

Gabriela Ender gabriela.ender at OpenSpace-Online.com
Sun Mar 21 00:37:42 PST 2004


Re: [OSLIST] AW: Open Space experience with African countriesDear Christine,

Congratulation to you and your colleagues!!! Thank you for sharing this wonderful story!
Much success for you and for an ongoing open space story with this organization!!
I would love to hear about further steps ...

Cheers from Berlin!
Gabriela 

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Christine Whitney Sanchez 
  To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU 
  Sent: Sunday, March 21, 2004 12:07 AM
  Subject: 16 European countries represented in first OST expereince OST


  Dear Friends,

  Today, at Rolduc, a 12th century abbey in the Netherlands, two of the most innovative leaders in La Leche League (LLL)of Europe conducted the first OST meeting at their European Mastery Symposium.  Department heads from 16 European countries (Slovenia, Hungary, Greece, France, Belgium, Luxemburg, Germany, Czech Republic, Austria, UK, Ireland, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Switzerland) and the USA have come together to share best practices and discuss ways to grow their organization.

  Of course, it was a fabulous success - they are sitting with me right now as I write to you, feeling shy about telling you just how exciting this is.  Genevieve Treille and Christine Koehler from France said, "nous avons du nous battre" ( we  had to fight) to offer a full day option of OST along side the more traditional workshops that were being offered at this educational event.

  Their OST theme was: Collaborating and working together in order to enhance our effectiveness."  Out of the total 80 participants in the symposium, 25 sat in the opening circle and posted 13 topics over three sessions.  

  At midday, there was a palpable buzz in the air but not due to any bumble bees, because leaving a session was felt to be too impolite.  Some of the participants reported that they were holding the law of two feet in their minds but weren't quite ready today.

  During the closing circle, other women who were not there for the opening, came to find out what all the excitement was about.  All together nearly half of the women from the event were exposed to OST.  Already the Chair of LLL Germany has decided to conduct their entire National Conference as an Open Space.

  One of the women who came to the closing, "borrowed" the sticky wall to hold her next session in Open Space.  Buzzzzzzz.

  Personally, I am excited because colleagues and I from the Chaordic Commons have been consulting with La Leche League International to help develop a distributed system, seed a more appreciative culture and, of course, to encourage self-organizing.  Today, many leaders had the personal experience of just how natural this is to their organization.  I am so moved by listening to these women, nearly all speaking English as a second language, sharing what has heart and meaning for them.  I have the sense that this is part of the magic, too.  Their passion is grounded as they slow down to choose just the right words to express what they mean.  Our national ambassadors could learn much from these dedicated women about authentic communication.    

  Christine Koehler says that this experience proved to the participants that self-organizing is not just for dreamers or just talking to be talking.  It worked wonderfully as a training for the new Department Heads from Eastern Europe.  One of the conference organizers had been worried that the hosts of the sessions would not be properly prepared nor would they have adequate materials.  But just the right people came to each session J   

  Genevieve says, "I thought it was magic, because at the beginning, everyone was worried that there would be no subjects posted.  But as soon as one person posted a topic, one after another came forward."

  One of Christine's innovations:  During the report outs, she read a title of a discussion and then placed the paper with the session topic in the center of the circle so that by the end, the circle was holding the intelligence of the discussions in a very tangible form.

  In the closing circle, they asked for words that represented the experience - renewed, energized, connected, focused, going to the point.  And guess what?  They were not surprised.  This is how they always work when they are at home. 

  Some of the comments heard in the halls afterward were:

  "This was like putting on a coat that fits."

  "I'm really excited about what we did today.  I have the impression it's the first time we worked so deeply."

  "I felt incredible - it is really exciting because when you "prepare" a typical conference session, you never really know if people are there because they have to be there.  With this process, you know that people come because they want to be there and you have the passion for the topic so it is more interesting.

  "We should have done this for the whole EMS meeting."

  "I am happy to be able to discuss what is important to me."

  Genevieve and Christine K. want everyone to know that they are lurkers on this list and appreciate all that they are learning from everyone.  In particular, Christine would like to thank Tova for recently writing up the experience with the Israeli company because she shared that post with an Israeli La Leche League Leader.

  Ho!

  In ten days, these two dynamos are participating in an OST meeting to create the Open Space Institute in France.  Please feel free to contact them directly:
  g.treille at wanadoo.fr
  christine.Koehler at wanadoo.fr.

  Au revoir and many blessings to you all,

  Genevieve Treille
  Christine Koehler
  Christine Whitney Sanchez








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  Mayke - One way to handle the problem with "senior people" is to make sure that you have had a conversation with them BEFORE the OS starts. In most cases if you explain how it is all going to work and how essential it is for everybody to have a chance to speak, I find there is usually no problem. Also, as you may remember, Open Space was "born" in Africa. I spent some long time in West Africa working with a variety of people, mostly the Kpelle in Liberia. My inspiration for the circle in Open Space came from my time with them. And I think there is a real point here - for most people in Africa (certainly tribal people) Open Space will seem very natural. In fact they have names for it. In Liberia it was called Palaver, and I think in Southern Africa it is called Indaba - but Valerie can tell you about that (also say hi to her). In Liberia when there was some major issue to be dealt with, everybody would sit in a circle, sometimes the whole village - and EVERYBODY talked, and usually one at a time. The people would say, "Never let the Sun set on a Palaver" - which meant we don't stop talking until it is over. When it was over, the chief elder would say the final word, usually some parable or saying that captured what the consensus was. Up to that point it was not uncommon for that elder to sit in silence for hours. Just holding the space. I don't know where you are, or what groups you are working with, but I would be willing to bet that they already know a lot more about Open Space than you think. If so, all you have to do is to open the space and let them, get on with what they would do naturally. I have also had a very similar experience here in the US when doing OS with First Nation People. At first they thought it was some strange new white magic. I guess the name threw them - or the fact that I am white made them sure that whatever I might do was going to be strange. But it usually only took about 20 min and they forgot all the strangeness and felt right at home. I remember one Navajo Chief coming up to me after the 1st day saying "What took you so long, White Man?" He said it with a smile. This strange, new, wonderful thing called Open Space had actually been in native tradition from the beginning. We (white people) were only just catching on.



  Have fun!



  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
  OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU 

  To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives Visit: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html

  -----Original Message-----
  From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of Mayke Wagner, essence
  Sent: Saturday, March 20, 2004 3:23 PM
  To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
  Subject: Re: AW: Open Space experience with African countries



  Hi Holger, 
  thanks for getting me in touch with Valerie and also for sharing your experience with OST with African participants. 
  The first aspect you mentioned ("To my experience so far, you should not fall into the African ³trap² that everything needs to be discussed at length. So, after you have introduced the rules, do not accept any discussions but open the market place immediately.") makes perfectly sense to me. 
  For the second aspect ("You might also run into slight problems if there are some senior people who want their status to be honored.") I am wondering how you deal with that. In terms of space invasion I can imagine possible ways to deal with this. Do you have any other recommendations for this specific situation? What did you do? And what did other people do who found themselves in this specific situation?

  Thanks for your support and your willingness to share. I am very impressed by the openness and the readiness to invite newcomers to the OST community!
  Happy trails,
  Mayke
  ___________________________________________
  essence - Beratung, Training, Coaching
  Mayke Wagner
  Hanser 3
  88279 Amtzell
  GERMANY

  mayke.wagner at t-e-a-m.org
  Tel (+49) 07520 / 9232 02
  visit us:  <http://www.t-e-a-m.org>


  Von: Change Management Toolbook <holger at change-management-toolbook.com>
  Antworten an: OSLIST <OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
  Datum: Tue, 16 Mar 2004 10:06:09 +0100
  An: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
  Betreff: [OSLIST] AW: Open Space experience with African countries



    Hello Mayke, 



    I will have a short training session on Open Space in South Africa next week. I will give you feed back once I am back. 



    To my knowledge one of the leading OST specialists in Africa is Valerie Morris from Cape Town. I am copying your message to her and you might contact her if you wish. 



    To my experience so far, you should not fall into the African ³trap² that everything needs to be discussed at length. So, after you have introduced the rules, do not accept any discussions but open the market place immediately. You might also run into slight problems if there are some senior people who want their status to be honoured. 



    Michael P Pannwitz, can we send her Theo¹s dissertation? 



    Regards, 

    Holger 





    Dr. Holger Nauheimer 

    BeraterKompetenz 

    Rosenheimer Str. 5 

    10781 Berlin 



    Tel. +49-30-219 684 49 

    http://www.beraterkompetenz.de/ 



    http://www.change-management-toolbook.com/ 





    -----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
    Von: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU]Im Auftrag von Mayke Wagner, essence
    Gesendet: Dienstag, 16. März 2004 08:19
    An: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
    Betreff: Open Space experience with African countries 



    Hello from springtime Germany,

    I have my first Open Space Conference coming up in April and Lisa encouraged me to make use of the expertise and experience of all of you! 
    The Open Space will take place in Nairobi, Kenya and we will have participants from Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia and Sounth Africa. The topic will be "Towards Sustainability of Healthcare Technology Systems" with participants being stakeholders, decision makers, and maintenance staff from all levels (national, regional, district, facility) of the healthcare technology system.
    My question is whether - from your experience - there are certain cultural aspects I need to consider. Do you have any experience with / recommendations for this group of participants?

    Looking forward to your ideas and stories,

    Mayke
    ___________________________________________
    essence - Beratung, Training, Coaching
    Mayke Wagner
    Hanser 3
    88279 Amtzell
    GERMANY

    mayke.wagner at t-e-a-m.org
    Tel (+49) 07520 / 9232 02
    visit us:  <http://www.t-e-a-m.org> 


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