What I have learned

[Harrison Owen]

I think  Brian also left out some other important stuff.

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MY TALKING STICK INPUT on "WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED"?

I want to answer this in terms of "I" rather than "We".

I think I knew a whole lot about Open Space before I came to encounter it
when I first met Harrison Owen in a pub near his home in Maryland.

The "givens", for me and from my experience, were along the lines that
change had to come from within a person or group, not imposed as much of my
studies in management and change management had proposed. And that unless
people were committed to (passionate about) the issue and/or the outcome, no
improvement could occur. And, from the longer-term contracts I had worked
on, things would happen when the right time came around, provided no one in
management or union tried to force the development. And that those who
wanted to improve things would be those who then took up the task and would
find ways of helping that change to be born/implemented.

My discovery that these insights were consistent with a new (to me)
activity/ program called "Open Space", was hugely encouraging and
satisfying, especially coming from someone who was so widely experienced in
organizations and change programming.

Since then, I have learnt that :

.       Open Space, to be really impactful, has to be lived - at least by
the Space opener.
.       It is a process utterly consistent with the religious principles and
teachings by which I have always tried to live.
.       Unlike so many other "change processes/packages", it allows people
to use their own free will as they see fit to contribute (or not) - and when
they see they are not coerced, they often find it possible to go with the
opportunity and make meaningful contribution; which simply cannot happen in
"forced" or "imposed" programs.
.       The virtue of patience - with myself and with others, despite the
efforts and commitment of some people to get things done before they can be
done.
.       There has emerged a wonderful connection with a small number of
people around the world whose insighting and experience and advice I have
come to value enormously - so much so that I have often gone half way round
the world just to spend a couple of days in their aura. Some of these people
have become lifelong friends.
.       The sharing at OSonOS has been extraordinary in terms of ideas,
opportunities, new initiatives and insights and spirit, and just plain
yarning and connecting. It's a circle of friends that is always there,
always open, always happy to help with whatever can be shared.
.       Patience even when a prospective client decides not to use Open
Space, and to allow that it may not be the right time, that they see it as
too risky, that they would rather use a process with known outcomes, etc. My
patience is always tinged with some sadness - not at not having the chance
to open space, but at their flopping back into less useful (as I see it)
processes, but knowing that they will possibly make the step into this field
of open Space when it is the right time for them.
.       Patience, too, with those who set out to "be trained" in Open Space,
knowing that they will gain some insight into the process and its
applicability, and that the first time they choose to open space is very
daunting - though some never do that.
.       Not to try to "sell" Open Space to any client, rather to expose the
opportunities so that they can decide for themselves - which they always do,
anyway.
.       As the years have moved along, I find it easier and easier to open
space, though I always am nervous (much to the surprise of many who watch
what I do and don't believe such a statement). In fact, almost everything I
do with people is now done in an open space fashion, either formally or
informally.
.       To love the chaos that emerges as people "go to the wall"  when the
market place is opened - I often suggest "this will be a bit chaotic, and
welcome to the real world".
.       I just love using the "talking stick" exercise at the end of a
program, especially if enough time is available for everyone to put in their
bit.  I could "write a book" (so to speak) about the amazing things that
have emerged at that time.  Seems to me we are accessing something of the
spirit of the group when we do this.  I will usually invite people to share
how they FEEL rather than how they THINK about the program time we have
spent together.
.       Re-reading the Facilitator's Guide immediately before I open space
has always been a special mode of preparation for me - at least the chapter
about  opening the space and what to say.  It keeps me grounded in the
process, I believe, and helps me to keep what I say to a minimum.
.       And, finally, Open Space has opened for me connections and
activities in many parts of the world which - arguably - could never have
happened. Which have always been enormously challenging ad enjoyable and, I
believe, contributory to growth and peace and happiness in our world - with
a long way to go yet.

Reverting now to the "WE" side of learning.

.       Some real insighting into the meaning and application and
universality of chaos theory as we understand it, whether we talk in
academic terms of "Complex Adaptive Systems Theory" or whether we label it
as "self-organizing-systems", and considerable improvement in explaining the
way this actually happens in the natural life of humans.
.       Coupled with that, a serious hesitance about the pre-occupation of
20th century management teaching and consultation with outcomes and
certainty, both of which may have worked for a while in that century, but
are also the cause of a vast amount of sadness and inhumanity and damage and
mis-managing in the world of business we have been  bequeathed from that
century.
.       I remain quite unsure about the need for extensive academic or
applied research about the applicability and effectiveness of Open Space
Technology, though I would not discourage the efforts being expended in
these directions.  I sense, perhaps stupidly, that the academic world and
its bestowing of credibility has now not much to really offer our world.  It
seems, rather, to be increasingly out of touch with the reality we see and
recognize in our work and living with Open Space. Better - for the world -
that we get on with applying and helping people to apply (and thus
recognize) the reality and worth of Open Space, using our energy better that
way.
.       It has been - so far - extremely gratifying to now have the
opportunity of using Open Space Technology to enable spirit and energy and
initiative and innovation emerge in the Parish I have been given to care
for. Even if the jury is still out (and things have really just begun), the
achievements so far seem outstanding - and the future looks entrancing and,
no doubt, will be full of even more surprises.    #####

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