How do you respond to unsatisfying experiences of "open" space?

[Lisa Heft]

Hello, Ms. Christy!
 
I am on the road so unsure when this message I am sending will get into
the conversation stream, but.
 
Christy wrote:
 
<What, if anything, do you say/do/think when someone says to you, "oh,
I've been to an Open Space Technology meeting before, and I didn't like
it, and wouldn't want to do it again," .and upon gentle inquiry you
discover that what they were told was "Open Space" was not really so
very open? And/or that something was missing (for example, session
summaries weren't posted or shared or compiled in a timely way, or at
all)? .And especially when the spaces in question were held by really
wonderful people (definitely possessing "good heads and good hearts")
whom you like very much?>


Ahhh, Ms. Christy.  Indeed I have had that experience.  All I can say is
that it's an opportunity to share how choice of appropriate
method/tool/technology, design of time, and attention and respect to
pre-work, detail and follow-up are the cornerstones of good
facilitation, no matter the method.  Maybe even to share your own
'survivors of bad Open Space' stories if you have them, if appropriate.
And to invite that person to another event in future.
 
There are a few facilitators I know (no matter the methods they use)
that I dearly love and to whom I would never refer a prospective client,
alas.  Because I trust the process, but I have seen or experienced a
situation that person has facilitated that I would not like to see
repeated.  And even so, I can still love that colleague for who they
are, for their intention, their passion, their dedication.
 
Your question raises an interesting point.  So not to take you off
Christy's question, but to add another one -- what do you (all of you)
do when you hear that a great client has selected a facilitator you have
seen do lousy work, or about whom you have heard others complain?  Very
tricky.  I had this situation and I had a hard time wrestling with my
own feelings and concerns.  Do I tell the client, with the fear that it
makes me sound competitive or unprofessional?  Do I let them have their
own experience, hoping it will be good?  I have done the latter.  What
have you others done / felt / experienced?
 
As with so many things, my other answer is: I call situations like this
- a breathing lesson.
 
Lisa
___________________________
L i s a   H e f t
Consultant, Facilitator, Educator
O p e n i n g  S p a c e
2325 Oregon
Berkeley, California
94705-1106   USA
+01 510 548-8449
 <mailto:lisaheft at openingspace.net> lisaheft at openingspace.net
 <http://www.openingspace.net> www.openingspace.net 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of
Christy Lee-Engel
Sent: Friday, January 27, 2006 8:30 PM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: How do you respond to unsatisfying experiences of "open" space?
 
Hello dear open space friends,

What, if anything, do you say/do/think when someone says to you, "oh,
I've been to an Open Space Technology meeting before, and I didn't like
it, and wouldn't want to do it again," 

and upon gentle inquiry you discover that what they were told was "Open
Space" was not really so very open? And/or that something was missing
(for example, session summaries weren't posted or shared or compiled in
a timely way, or at all)? 

And especially when the spaces in question were held by really wonderful
people (definitely possessing "good heads and good hearts") whom you
like very much?

thank you,
Christy Lee-Engel
Seattle 
-- 
weblog: http://lifecultivatinglife.blogspot.com * *
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