OST = 500,000$ study

[Jean-Pierre Beaulieu]

J J.P Beaulieu,
         CONSEIL EN GESTION inc.

        _______________________________

        Gestion des organisations et des ressources humaines

         Développement des cadres


      Last week, I opened Space for about 115 citizens of a county in the
Eastern Townships of Québec. They were aiming at reaching a consensus on
important issues that needed to be dealt with in order to promote the
"optimal" development of their county. People from all sectors (political, 6
mayors out of 8 towns, cultural, education, health, social, tourism,
industry, farming...) got together for a 1,5 day event. At the end of the
first day, back in the circle, almost everyone was very positive about the
day's experience. Then, one participant said: " I am a pharmacist but now I
will speak as an accountant. Given our number, given what we normally get
paid for a day of work and there is quite a few people at the higher end of
the scale in this room, given the quality of the work we have accomplished
today, I dare say, and this is a conservative estimate, that the report
from all our conversations is worthed half a million dollars! I hope our
elected officials will pay attention to it."

      It then struck me that I had never "looked" at it that way. But
indeed, while so many organisations (private as well as public) are basing
most of their decisions on figures(costs and revenues) the "economical"
value of an OS event is not to be neglected, to the contrary. How much would
have the county to pay some "expert consultant" to get such a quality
socio-political-economical-cultural.......study? How long would it take to
do such a study? 3 months? 6 months? with zero or minimal mobilisation at
the end...not speaking of its quality given that, most logically/probably,
it would be done in silos.

      At the very end, when we were all done, I talked to some of the
mayors, asked them how they viewed this experience.  While cautious in their
comments, as most politicians are,  they were positive. One said "when our
citizens will come and ask for support for one of these projects, it will be
easier for us to come forward." Another said " Within the same budget, we
will tend to spend our money differently." Another one reitarated the
invitation made in the closing circle " in November 2006,  we will host the
follow-up meeting in our town" (different and smaller than the one for this
year initial event).

      All this to say, that it had been a little while since I have had the
opportunity to Open Space. Altought I "knew" the power of OST, there is
nothing like experiencing it from time to time, to fully appreciate it. And
the " 500,000$ study", I will file for reference.

      Regards,

      Jean-Pierre Beaulieu



        Jean-Pierre Beaulieu, M.B.A
        jp_beaulieu at videotron.ca
        ________________________
        702-1645, av. Victoria tel.: (450) 465-0794
        Saint-Lambert (Québec)
        J4R-2T6



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