OST with less than 25 words

Fri Dec 16 17:28:00 PST 2005

 "Michael Herman" <mailto:michael at michaelherman.com> schrieb:
> ...and if you/anybody cares enough about this thread to gather up the
> little 25-word quotes into on small pile, i would post, or you/i could
> post them in the osw weblog in the 'what is ost' category.
> 
> michael

Hi Michael,

I gathered up the mails in a document but didn't want to cut out only the little quotes. So here is the complete thread... And I added my contribution on the bottom...

Marei
 *   *

After attending Harrison's workshop in Helsinki we continued at the workshop in Estonia wrestling with short definition of OST - how to respond with less than 25 words, if you are asked, what is OST.

We resulted in 13 words, pursuing the new dimension of High Performance System:

Open Space Technology is surprisingly simple high performance system, bounding passion with responsibility.

Please help, if doesn't sound English/American ;-)

Mikk Sarv,

Estonia
 *  *

Mikk, 
To make it a little more in keeping with English syntax I would add "a" in front of "surprisingly". Do you mean "binding" rather than "bounding"? 
Thus, Open Space Technology is a surprisingly simple high performance system, binding passion with responsibility. 

I would be inclined to substitute  "an elegantly" for "surprisingly". 

Eric (Lilius)

 *  *

First, I like the short statement on OST.

I’ve started to do brief descriptions framed around questions rather than statements. This is especially elegant in describing OS where the media of inquiry becomes the message of authentic engagement in community. For OS, it would be something like: Do you like to be in conversations in this community where you feel alive, inspired, connected, surprised, engaged, and empowered? Well, that’s what happens in open space.

Jack
  __.__.__.__.__.__.__.__.__.__.__.__.__.__.__.__.__.__

jack ricchiuto

 *  * 

 Contributing to this wholesome generic thread ... with tough decision making as to which animating adjectives to leave out if we are serious about the limit of 25 words <smile> 

 Do you yearn to be in conversations about questions that matter where you feel alive, inspired, connected, surprised, engaged, empowered, responsible and open to possibility. Well, that's what happens in open space. 

 Alan Stewart
 *  *

There are some "elevator speech" short descriptions of open space 
posted on the website... 
http://www.openspaceworld.org/cgi/wiki.cgi?OpenSpaceElevatorSpeeches 
...not sure if any are quite as short as 25 words. 

I like what peggy said the other day... taking responsibility for what 
you love.  i've called it "making markets for moving people and 
information."   i like what jack says, too.

(michael h)

 *  *

I think the trick is tailoring it to your sponsor's language and using the appropriate questions, statements and words for them.  

If it's markets, it's markets, if it's activists I talk about getting people to work on stuff that really matters.  If it's business people it's "creating and immediately implementing high performance work teams."  If it's religious people it's "harnessing the power of Spirit to bring meaningful work to our community."  If it's community building we're all about "discerning what's most important and taking responsibility for it."  

OST is just a shell...Harrison described it once as "vapourware."  There really isn't anything there.  What it does is simply strip away all the pretence and get people to work.  In different groups that has radically different applications and descriptions...I always think that it behooves me to find out what the sponsor wants to do and then talk about how OST will do that.  

Chris (Corrigan)

 *  *

My elevator speech:

 Open Space enables groups of any size to organize themselves to deal with complex, important issues and accomplish something meaningful by inviting people to take repsonsibility for what they love.

 from frosty Seattle,

Peggy

 *  *

 From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of John Rapp

Open Space combines the rigor of a great board meeting with the energy of conversation around a coffee pot.

 *  *

silly me, i just wrote one of these for the website sidebar... 

Open Space Technology 
...is a simple way to run productive meetings, with five to 2000+ 
people, and a powerful way to lead any kind of organization, in 
everyday practice and ongoing change. 

...and of course christopher is right again! 

...and if you/anybody cares enough about this thread to gather up the 
little 25-word quotes into on small pile, i would post, or you/i could 
post them in the osw weblog in the 'what is ost' category. 

michael

 *  *

 I, too, am enjoying this 25-words-or-less discussion. 

I especially agree with Chris' suggestion that the language be adapted 
to incorporate the client's language.  I know it was in another thread 
but Harrison has recently shared a great story about offering 
"Practice of Peace" in Helsinki but reframing it as "High 
performance".  Isn't HO's high performance story a great illustration 
of tailoring our language to use language that has heart and meaning 
for the client? 

And then, just on a light note, when I read Chris' comments about 
adapting the definition of OST to use the language of our listerner (I 
rephrase and paraphrase Chris' words), here is what came to me: 

Open space is a lot like tofu, which can be used in countless ways 
because it readily absorbs the flavors and spices of anything. 

Warmly, Tree Fitz

 *  *

Onion Skin Technology...peel back the layers and it makes you cry...but cook it up and it gets sweet and juicy.

We're WAAAY off line now!

Chris (Corrigan)

 *  *

How about “Open Space is the WD-40 of group work. One shot will loosen up just about anything.” (For those not in the know – WD-40 is a marvelous universal solvent.

Harrison

 *  *

 This is not as playful but I still like it.

 In an organizational context I would probably say:

Open Space can do more than a personal development training, a creativity workshop and a big company party altogether: people evolve, they really connect with eachother and they create great results ~ all at the same time, naturally coming from within.

 Marei

*
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