Report From the Field (Longer than I thought it would be)

Thu Dec 15 02:21:17 PST 2005

Thanks Harrison for your story from the field.
I especially liked the birth of the Open Space Institute-Italy story.

Though we had "planned" to create the Open Space Institute-Russia at
some point, it was officially "born" October 7, 2005. Before that we
had not been "ready" for it?

If in Italy it took a question for OSI to be born, here it was born from an
argument, again by accident.

And OSI-R's online presence is currently at Mikhail Pronin's Cursus.ru
website-- http://www.cursus.ru/riop.html

Raffi

---------------------------------------
Raffi Aftandelian
consultant
essenceworks consulting group
organizational health and balance
Moscow

                          mailto:raffi at bk.ru

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>From  Thu Dec 15 07:31:26 2005
Message-Id: <THU.15.DEC.2005.073126.0500.>
Date: Thu, 15 Dec 2005 07:31:26 -0500
Reply-To: hhowen at verizon.net
To: OSLIST <OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
From: Harrison Owen <hhowen at verizon.net>
Organization: HH Owen and Co.
Subject: Re: What Have we Learned (update)
In-Reply-To: <NOEPIGMAFNFLGJPILKKFIEJHDNAA.thomas at openspaceconsulting.com>
MIME-version: 1.0
Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit

Well Thomas -- better late than never. After all, the "Birthday year" is
just about to expire, but your contribution is greatly appreciated. And for
those of you who may have missed this little OSLIST collaboration, it all
began in the Spring (when else do things begin?) with an invitation to
reflect on our 20 years in Open Space. Many people responded and you can
read all the material at http://openspaceworld.com/os%20learning.htm Check
it out! And of course if you care to add your reflections, the Talking Stick
is in your hands.

Harrison

NEW EMAIL ADDRESS!!!!
hhowen at verizon.net
Harrison Owen
7808 River Falls Drive
Potomac, Maryland   20854
Phone 301-365-2093
Skype hhowen
Open Space Training www.openspaceworld.com 
Open Space Institute www.openspaceworld.org
Personal website www.ho-image.com 
OSLIST: To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives
Visit: www.listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html

-----Original Message-----
From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of Thomas
Herrmann
Sent: Wednesday, December 14, 2005 4:40 PM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: SV: What Have we Learned (update)

Dear Harrison, dear friends in Open Space, dear birthday-technology
I had the stick for a while now, I hope you didn?t fall to sleep...
So, the question for the closing circle (hmmf.. new beginnings...) was:
> reflect on the past 20 years (or at least that part of the 20 years in
which you participated in the OS community) - and
>offer up your understanding of what you, personally, have learned - about
Open Space, yourself in Open Space, about
>organizations in Open Space.

Hmmmm, actually never thought about that before, in 1985 I was in Open Space
the whole year - what a start! I was travelling around the globe(Asia,
Australia), just following the principles and the law (without ever having
heard about them), WOW never thought about that in quite that way before.
Then a quick jump to 1998 when I first heard about a meeting methodology
called Open Space Technology or Oppet Forum as my first teacher Ingrid
Olausson would say. I got hooked immediately! And now Open Space and ways of
working which are in line with the values of OST are my livelyhood and a big
part of my life and me. I am a trainer of the Genuine Contact program, and I
think I have most of the tools I need in order to do the work I love,
although there are many many lifetime homeworks to do!

So, what did I learn about Open Space? Well I learnt that I am always in
Open Space - that?s life! There are so many layers to Open Space...
Regarding the methodology I learnt all the details it takes to facilitate a
good meeting(hmm not all maybe but many). I learnt that, for me, the
pre-work and follow up are essential parts to make a difference. I have
recently started to also include an evaluation(4-6 months after the meeting)
in my proposals - and all sponsors have so far cheered and said yes, yes I
want that. I have learnt that many many times great things happen as a
result of an OS-meeting and nobody remembers where it came from - Open Space
was fun but nothing really happened - until they take a closer look! I also
learnt to take the stage when opening up the space - the ritual. I?ve also
learnt that there are as many ways to work with Open Space as there are
facilitators - it is very personal.

So, getting into the personal aspect, what did I learn about myself in Open
Space? Actually I think that I was attracted to OS partly because I had a
lot of OS in me already. Thinking about the journey I mentioned above, two
friends, my brother and myself bought each a one way ticket to Beijing,
China by train. We had agreed on that this was an individual project for
each of us so no one was tied to anyone else (the law). So whatever happened
was OK. I spent 1 year in Asia and 6 months in Australia on that journey.
Stayed wherever I wanted to stay as long as I chose. Met a beautiful girl in
Sydney(my wife Mia, Swede too!)- whatever happens - again! And when it was
over it was over. I learnt a lot about OS on that journey!!!

Having the privilege to work a lot with OS has of course deepened my
understanding about myself and my role in life. The four fold way has
journeyd with me for long too and I learnt a lot about these aspects through
working with OS.
I have come to understand that what I offer people is something very
special. People in our "developed" part of the world have (or rather take!)
so rarely the opportunity to act from what they really want to do. To meet
other people and talk/take action on things that really matter, on equal
terms is so rare. Especially in organizations.

Invitation, openness, equality, diversity, humbleness, fun, inspiration,
love, play, efficiency, focus - are just words that come to me right now
(sitting on the train from Norway).

So, Open Space in organizations... Although I know that many organizations I
have worked with have learnt a lot and changed some of their behaviors, this
is really something that I wish and intend! to work more with in the near
future. Anyway, it?s funny how the law and the butterflies and bumblebees
seem to stick around. I think these metaphores are so brilliant! Actually I
am involved in one organization where we have chosen OS as the operating
system. This is not paid work (NGO) but I am trying to work as much as I can
with it to gain experience - and for a good cause. I have also come to base
all of my own collaboration and my own projects on these values using the
tools that I use with my clients - that?s a good start too!

Well, that?s it for my little contribution in this closing - new beginnings
circle.
Cheers & thanks everyone for being an important part of my life
Thomas Herrmann

> -----Ursprungligt meddelande-----
> Fran: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU]For Harrison Owen
> Skickat: den 13 april 2005 20:53
> Till: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
> Amne: What Have we Learned (update)
>
>
> Well not only am I back, but I think I have caught up on the
> Great learning
> taking place here. I have harvested the most recent additions and placed
> them on www.openspaceworld.com/os%20learning.htm so if you want
> to check out
> the growing tale, you can do that. And if, perchance, I have missed some
> contribution, please let me know soonest.
>
> Since threads have a way of disappearing in this wonderful forest
> of ideas,
> which is OSLIST, I will take this opportunity to repost my original
> invitation with updates. Just in case anybody wonders what it is
> all about!
>
> Harrison
>
> *********************************************
> The Invitation
>
> In 1985 the first Open Space happened in Monterey California.
> This year (in
> case you haven't noticed) is 2005. In short OS has been around
> for 20 years
> (not counting the 14,000,000,000 years previously). So what have
> we learned?
>
> My hope would be to inspire/goad/embarrass/encourage each one of you to
> reflect on the past 20 years (or at least that part of the 20
> years in which
> you participated in the OS community) - and offer up your understanding of
> what you, personally, have learned - about Open Space, yourself in Open
> Space, about organizations in Open Space.
>
> Although it is doubtless Politically Incorrect - I suggest a rule for our
> discussion. Pretend this is a closing circle, and we are passing
> the Talking
> Stick. Take a moment, maybe even a LONG moment (days/weeks) to reflect on
> what you have learned, and then talk as long as you want. And not just the
> "good stuff" - the pain and disillusionment as well, if that is
> your story.
> You have the stick! And please NO COMENTARY! I suggest that we
> just let this
> roll without response - just like a Closing Circle.
>
> There is no rush to completion, and I believe you will find that
> creating a
> considered response will be a rich and rewarding opportunity. As
> they say -
> "We've come a long way, Baby," and remembering just how far and how deeply
> we have traveled will be a rich moment indeed. For newcomers and old hands
> alike, observations on our personal experience can only enhance our
> collective wisdom, I believe. For my part I have opened a space on
> openspaceworld.com as the temporary archive for our thoughts. You
> can check
> it out by clicking on http://www.openspaceworld.com/os%20learning.htm
>
>
> I look forward to whatever comes next as a birthday present from
> each of us
> to all of us, after 20 years.
>
> Harrison
>
>
>
> Harrison Owen
> 7808 River Falls Drive
> Potomac, Maryland   20845
> Phone 301-365-2093
>
> Open Space Training www.openspaceworld.com
> <http://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
>
>
>
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