Evaluations of Open Space in Novi Sad, Serbia

[Michael M Pannwitz]

Dear Birgitt,
my fascination is neither with OST nor with COSO and certainly not with 
  staying involved with organisations as a consultant.
My fascination is with selforganisation and seeing groups, systems and 
people transform in it...which is something not tamed by methods, 
concepts and certainly not consultants.
So, I guess I will keep plugging away at supplying groups, 
organisations,businesses with my feeble tools to experience a little 
more of the forces of selforganisation...
My most recent and very deep encounter with this was the retreat of our 
own open space workers organisation - berlin open space cooperative - 
last weekend...three days in continuous os with amazing results that 
none of us even dreamed of before the event...with different ones of us 
(we are now 11) at different stages minding space and time to invite 
more selforganisation and spirit, I felt...
has anyone put his mind to the connection of spirit and selforganisation?

Love and Blessings
mmp


Birgitt Williams wrote:
> Harrison, thanks for your reply. 
> 
> A different way of looking at 'givens' is that they do not restrict the
> space. They simply define what space is really being opened in the
> ongoing life of the organization. 
> 
> A conference such as you facilitated usually has minimal givens. Yes,
> they are there....whether implicit or explicit. Often, what trips a
> group up is when they surface part way through the OST and come as a
> shock of dashed expectations. 
> 
> As you know, I have worked using 'givens' for over a decade. Because my
> fascination is not with OST, but with the Conscious Open Space
> Organization (COSO), I tend to have a different approach. I am one of
> those consultants who stay involved with organizations over the long
> term including to track what happens as a result of an OST meeting, or
> multiple OST meetings. It has been fascinating. Including to understand
> the variables that create the conditions in the organization for maximum
> long term benefit from even one OST meeting....with consistency...no
> matter who they are.
> 
> Blessings,
> Birgitt
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of
> Harrison Owen
> Sent: Sunday, April 02, 2006 8:59 PM
> To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
> Subject: Re: Evaluations of Open Space in Novi Sad, Serbia
> 
> Having worked some of the same territory as Elwin (though not nearly as
> extensively) and with the same clients (USAID etc) I find the notion of
> "givens" to be somewhat off the mark. To be sure, there are "givens" --
> the
> world is round, gravity affects all of it, and the like. But basically
> the
> issue is to invite people to put it all on the table, no holds barred.
> This
> does make some folks very nervous, but they would be nervous under any
> circumstance, and I can't really worry about their inner feelings. I
> understand they may be my "client" -- but I make it very clear to folks
> who
> are foolhardy enough to hire me -- that in the run up to an Open Space I
> will do my best to honor their wishes as client. And if I can't do that
> (honor their wishes) I will withdraw from the assignment. However once
> things are under way, my "client" is the people in the room, and I will
> do
> everything possible to do whatever I can to open the space just as
> widely as
> I can so that they may experience their own selves in their fullness.
> Good,
> bad, and indifferent.
> 
> This may sound revolutionary, off the wall, and contrary to good
> client/consultant relationships. All of which may be true, but for me it
> makes absolute sense. Take the recent situation in Seville. Had there
> been
> any "givens" (non-negotiable, non-speakable issues) which were taken off
> the
> table in advance -- you can be absolutely certain that with the
> participants
> that we had -- all of that would have forcibly been put back on the
> table.
> What allowed us to escape a major blow-up (we certainly had some minor
> major
> ones :-) -- was to open sufficient space so that everything was out
> there.
> And then the participants had to take full responsibility for their
> passions, statements, their selves. Some people call this deep
> democracy.
> That works for me.
> 
> 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 
> 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 Elwin
> and
> Joan
> Sent: Sunday, April 02, 2006 6:30 PM
> To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
> Subject: Re: Evaluations of Open Space in Novi Sad, Serbia
> 
> Birgitt-
> 
> For some reason I have never figured out this thing called "givens." So
> the best I can do is to give you a copy of what I wrote as the
> Invitation to the Conference. For me, that is the given. 
> 
> The Invitation tried to capture what I learned in discussions with the
> Project Director. he hired and paid me. In short, the objective was to
> get 100 people with a common interest together and Open Space in the
> hope that they would develop some strategy to sustain their activities
> after USAID is gone.
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> Here's the Invite: (Followed by my evaluation response.
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> "Managing the Future of Our Festivals" 
> 
> You are invited to join 100 colleagues for a 2 1/2 day conference to
> create a plan to ensure that Serbia’s cultural heritage will continue
> to be shared with the world.
> 
> It is an opportunity for you to discuss, plan, and organize the
> management of Serbia’s festivals and fairs at the village and national
> level.
> 
> The Conference will have a professional facilitator.
> 
> However, YOU will create the conference agenda. 
> YOU will decide what needs to be discussed. 
> YOU will conduct the workshop meetings.
> YOU will write and publish the plan.
> 
> This unique conference methodology has produced outstanding results
> throughout the Balkans.
> 
> Start thinking about what should and can be done to improve the
> coordination, cooperation and support needed for your festival. 
> 
> Bring those thoughts to the conference. 
> 
> They will become the agenda.
> 
> Finally, dress comfortably and be prepared to be surprised.
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> Birgitt, below is what I said to the Project Director that paid me
> regarding his Staff's evaluation of the Reports issues.
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> TKS FOR SHARING SANDRA AND DARJA'S THOUGHTS AND CRITICISMS. IT IS
> HELPFUL TO ME.
> 
> ONE POINT IS PARTICULARLY VALUABLE, DARJA'S COMMENT/CONCERN ABOUT THE
> REPORT OUTCOME/VALUE.
> 
> I CONCUR WITH HER FINDINGS. 
> 
> IF I COULD DO ANYTHING DIFFERENTLY IT WOULD BE TO CAREFULLY CHECK THE
> "FORMAT" FOR REPORTING PROVIDED ON THE COMPUTERS. AS IT TURNED OUT,
> VALDO DID NOT INCLUDE THE REPORT ELEMENTS:
> "RECOMMENDATION(S) AND 
> NEXT STEP(S). 
> 
> THAT WOULD HAVE PROMPTED MORE WORKABLE/SUPPORTABLE OUTCOMES. OH WELL,
> IF ONLY I COULD READ SERBIAN.
> 
> I hope this helps.
> 
> Elwin Guild
> Future Development International
> Baltimore
> 
> --- Birgitt Williams <birgitt at dalarinternational.com> wrote:
> 
>> Elwin,
>> Congratulations on your work. 
>>
>> I have some questions about how the report was set up, and what the
>> 'givens' or 'non-negotiables' for the event were. We also are doing
>> work
>> for organizations funded by USAID and they are looking closely at the
>> investment in OST and whether it is worth it beyond simply an
>> exchange
>> of good ideas.
>>
>> I am looking at the comment in the evaluation:
>> "On the other hand, I am not sure exactly how the results of this
>> great
>> event can adequately be recorded (and what are they,in the most
>> concrete
>> sense, other than truly great exchange of ideas, meeting and coming
>> together of people with similar problems who will now have the chance
>> contact each other in the coming period...Which is perhaps more than
>> enough). I understand the report was supposed to serve this purpose ,
>> but looking through them, I believe there could have been a better
>> way
>> to put the actual results together - what that would be, and how it
>> could have been implemented, I don't really know. Furthermore, I am
>> also
>> not sure how much follow up action will there be in the foreseeable
>> future."
>>
>> It would assist me greatly in our current USAID work and
>> relationships
>> re OST and the COSO to understand how the reports were done and what
>> the
>> 'givens' were. Thank you in advance for the time it will take to do
>> the
>> response.
>>
>> Birgitt
>> www.dalarinternational.com
>> Providing a holistic approach to business success
>>
>> -- 
>> No virus found in this outgoing message.
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>> 3/31/2006
>>  
>>
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