What I have learned

Elwin and Joan elwinandjoan at yahoo.com
Thu Apr 14 10:32:01 PDT 2005


Opening Space - What Have I Learned?

Keep It Simple.
No buzz words please. Just tell a story that connects with the hearts
and minds that face you as you move about the circle. Bring their eyes
to connect with all the other eyes and you have connected their hearts
as well!

Trust In Humanity.
As we know, it always works. Each time I Open Space, I am adding to my
true sense of trust in people, the core of it all!  So here is the one
aspect of Open Space where more is better. Do it! And do it some more.
It only gets better.

Practice Makes Perfect.
I ALWAYS read the User’s Guide before Opening Space. It’s a mantra, a
Zen that gives me the breath and focus to honor the humanity I have
committed to assist. And yes, every time one thing less…. that’s more!


“Be” The Principles
How simple and how difficult. They conflict with our environmental
conditioning and it takes intuitive faith to live them, not just
perform them. Although a long road lies ahead for me in this case, at
least I’m on the right road, and it takes me to wondrous people and
places on this planet.

Obey The “Law”
Whenever I have nothing to give or get, I get up and use my two feet.
As we all have heard, it is the one aspect of Open Space that all
participants recount and celebrate.

Every Day Do Something That Scares You!
That a quote is from Eleanor Roosevelt. It seems to speak to the notion
of people self-organizing. Talk about scary! As a manager, I made a
practice of “pushing the envelope” thereby testing my belief that self
organization works outside of the formal Open Space setting; it does!

They Won’t Do It If The “Conditions” Aren’t There!
We all lament the difficulty in getting managers to accept our method-
OST. Fact is, they always accept it when the required conditions are
there: 1) A Real problem, 2) Something Complex and potentially
Contentious and 3) Decision time of yesterday.  Call that condition
chaos or desperation or ?  It is the “only” time we can do what we do –
Open Space!

Celebrate And Give Thanks.
Cry when the closing circle asks it of you! Sing when the voices come
together! Hug each other to pass the love around. And finally say,
“Thank you for the gift Harrison. I love you so much!”

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