Novice OS user

Harrison Owen hhowen at verizon.net
Sat Apr 8 10:20:35 PDT 2006


Herman -- I would judge that you are an intelligent, educated professional.
And you are asking whether you did the "right" thing???? What do you think?
Your participants have already told you what they think! Could there be any
question? CONGRATULATIONS! Now just do it again and you will have even more
fun.

Harrison

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 
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-----Original Message-----
From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of Herman
Kasselman
Sent: Saturday, April 08, 2006 12:47 PM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: Novice OS user

Hi,

This is the first time that I am placing something on the list. I am an avid
reader of all your work in Open Space for the last 6 months but, as I am not
a trainded facilitator and I do not work in this field, I did not
contribute.

Some things changed radically last Friday. I was asked by a colleague to
assist him, as facilitator, in identifying the issues/topics that he needs
for developing his business plan. Just some background about myself first:

I work as a Director in Human Resources in a National Department in the
Public Service in South Africa. I am also a trained Social Worker and
Executive Coach.

Back to last Friday. After I recieved the request I did not know what to do.
I then had the idea to use OS as the method to identify the issues/topics
that will enhance the critical sucess factors of his office. I went home and
during the weekend I read trough all the information I could get my hands
on. I also started to plan a one day event according to the OS principles.

The only environment that bothered me is the invitation part. Here I will
sit with 13 employees and they are there because they are expected to. In
reading the info on OS I though that the principle of "Who comes is the
right people" will cover this as well. So I went along and planned the
event.

Come Thursday, 5 April, I was ready to do something that I never
experienced, but something that just sounds right to me. And may I say, what
an event! I started the event with downloaded info on a file tucked away on
a table where I can consult it when necessary. The participants expected the
old SWOT analysis and soforth, what they got was radically different. 

Everybody participated and they could identify 5 topic/issues to discuss.
After the first session I arranged the 5 in 2,2 and 3 concurrent sessions
and I sat back (with a lot of anticipation). It was exhilirating to sit back
and see what will happen. Some aspects that I noticed as I kept myself
"busy". The groups used different languages at different stages - usually
when they wanted everybody to understand. As soon as someone suggested a
solution the group kind of changed the comment to what their understanding
of the brief was. I thought it was fantastic. Two of the most junior
employees offered topis and acted as convenors - this I tough was awesome!

At the end of the day, after closing the OS, everybody came and thanked me
for what happened. I felt very humbled as I did nothing but allowed the OS
to really work as I thought it should. We accomplished our goal and the
scene was set for my colleague to develop the business plan that will
address all the critical sucess factors of his office.

So here is my question: Did I do the right thing? 

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