After the OST event...

[Douglas D. Germann, Sr.]

Hi--

A couple of years ago a community OST event was held involving
professionals with a common set of clients/patients. There was great
enthusiasm and an on-going task group came out of it. It met for about 4 to
6 months and then fizzled out.

Another community event recently resulted in an on-going group and an
e-mail list-serv. The first month's meeting had about 10 or 12 people from
the original 20+. The second month's meeting had 3 people.

It occurs to me that what is needed to carry things through beyond the
event is some open space in which we can re-enter dialogue. Open space is
not something that goes into old skins: it bursts them. It is not the same
kind of business meetings with pre-set agendas--it has to be open in the
moment. It is not the networking function where we share small talk about
experiences and titles and advertising slogans and elevator speeches. It is
about encountering persons. We need a theme or a method of meeting that
will allow the same kind of being to being contact and growth. How is this
to be accomplished?

Can we do the on-going meetings in an open space sort of way? Can we
propose topics within a container topic and go to separate corners or
address them serially? Is there another way to open space? Can we "post"
topics virtually, say?

What has been your experience? What has worked? How do you see people
keeping it going?

                              :-Doug. Germann
                              Seeking people making community change.

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