Doing it all in one day?

Wendy Farmer-O'Neil wendy at xe.net
Wed Jul 26 22:40:51 PDT 2006


Thanks Ralph, I like your simple design.

 

I suppose I need to say that I only use this format for visioning-where the
outcome the sponsor is hoping for relates to organizational direction,
rather than a need for concrete or detailed plans of action.  It's unfair to
ask folks to attempt that in one day.  The convergence is about getting
clear on where the passion is, not prioritizing for action. And the 'action'
plans are about continuing the conversation-and the space.  

 

Greg, that may be something that is important to check in with your sponsor
about.the one day can give them full discussion, a clear sense of group
passion, and some emergent leadership in terms of continuing conversations
on what has arisen during the day.  If they are looking for movement,
change, reflection, deep integration, or anything detailed or concrete, they
really need to honour the folks present and give them the overnight
integration time and add the extra half-day.  

 

I find that the sticking power of any Open Space event is directly related
to how well the leadership embraces and understands open space. 

 

Cheers,

Wendy

 

  _____  

From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of Ralph
Copleman
Sent: July 26, 2006 5:54 AM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: Doing it all in one day?

 

Greg Vaughn and all,

Here's what I think about trying to do it all in one day...

I don't bother trying to get proceedings printed, let alone distributed and
reviewed.  That's for later.  I operate out of the belief that one day is
not enough to truly explore the territory (the "issues and opportunities")
plus come to conclusion about priorities plus formulate action plans.  You
can do it, but it will not, in my experience, have much sticking power.  And
the larger the group, the more challenging it is to make the energy last.  

So I open space, hold the space, close the space.

The latter, for me, requires about 20 minutes (not counting a closing
circle, which I always do in one form or another, sometimes abbreviated to
one word or phrase per person).

1.	Ask people what themes came up repeatedly regardless of topic or
session.  Ask someone to note these on flip charts. 
2.	Keep going until everyone who wishes has a chance to mention the
theme they noticed. 
3.	Take the resultant flip charts, spread them on the floor, ask people
to mark their favorites.  Might be three, five, seven, etc.  Depends on the
size of the group and the number of items on the chart.  Count them up if
there's time.  Certainly count them up if you'll be moving on to action
planning the next day.  Otherwise, simply promise the info will be available
shortly in written form (after the coordinators pull it together and send it
out).


(Where did I learn to do it this way?  I do not remember, but I think from
Harrison.  Is it in the book?)

Simple, fast, everyone's involved, no fancy footwork on my part.  I can
think of a thousand group dynamics issues and eventualities that I have not
covered by doing things this way.  My conviction is few if any of them
really matter.  Dealing with them, I have learned from finally acknowledging
feedback I could not hear for years, was more about my needs than the
client's.  Organizations of all types may be better served if we open the
space W I D E and let lots of air and light in than if we merely crack a
window for a brief time in the name of completing the entire exercise in a
short period.

Ralph Copleman 

* * ==========================================================
OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU ------------------------------ To subscribe,
unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of
oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu:
http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html To learn about
OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist

*
*
==========================================================
OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
------------------------------
To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
view the archives of oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu:
http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html

To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs:
http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.openspacetech.org/pipermail/oslist-openspacetech.org/attachments/20060726/5145e4bb/attachment-0016.htm>


More information about the OSList mailing list