opening space with very small groups

[Tree Fitzpatrick]

I have opened space for a small board retreat.  There were five board
members present.  I opened space and then they created their agenda.  The
agenda started out having nine separate topics, which got combined into
three or four.  And as the small group discussed the agenda, combining
topics, etc. they also discussed how they were all interested in all of the
agenda items.  Then, without any consultation with me, they decided they
would stay together for the three hours they had and work through each of
the agenda items (they ended up with three topics).

As they worked, I considered closing in a different way. . . but my
consulting partner insisted that we have a closing circle.  In the closing
circle, it was reflected that 'everyone' liked open space:  they liked
creating the agenda together,they liked deciding how to spend their time
together, they liked, well, the openness.

I felt a little bit shaky at the beginning, when I heard them suggesting
that they could all stay together.  It took a littl effort to say nothing,
to trust the power of self-organization.

It was just fine.  I have been invited back to facilitate their retreat this
year, too. .. it is coming up in early October.

On 9/19/06, catherine corbaz <c.corbaz at hispeed.ch> wrote:
>
> hello, Esther,
> i did not open space my self, with such a small group. However, i intended
> one last year. We were 6 people.It was in a seminar of for those, who
> wanted
> to animate OS within the genuine contact program.
>
> the OS was facilitate by Marainne Gerber (sonetz at bluewin.ch). According to
> me it worked well. We worked in a large room, so people courl walk from
> one
> groupe to another. However the law of the two feet was not much used.Maybe
> we where to shy to move in such a small group. Marianne has done from the
> afternoon to the next day morning. the convergence took place on the
> morning. And she did not walk inside the circle usual.
>
> I found it pleasant as a participant and i'm sure its possible. finally i
> end up in the cafeteria with a colleague. Like in OS with a large group.If
> you don't get other ideas, i suggest you contact her.
>
> Good luck
>
> Catherine Corbaz
> Ch.des Roseaux 20
> CH-2503 Bienne
> Switzerland
> +41 32 323 38 43
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Communications Esther Matte" <ematte at excellence.ca>
> To: <OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
> Sent: Tuesday, September 19, 2006 2:29 PM
> Subject: opening space with very small groups
>
>
> > Hello everyone!
> >
> > First, let me say thank you for the wonderful learning I found in the
> > OSList.  I'm new to Open Space, and even though I have yet to make my
> > "first big circle" as Ted put it recently, I feel more confident thanks
> to
> > you all.
> >
> > I may have two possible projects with very small groups (5-7 people) ­
> > which is what worries me.  I have participated to one OST in my
> > experiential training with Diane Gibeault (fantastic!), and
> co-facilitated
> > one with 45 people. But I simply cannot visualize how it works with as
> few
> > as 5 people. How do you do this? Do you have several rounds of
> discussions?
> > In separate rooms? Do people actually work by themselves and team up?
> Can
> > you do it in approximately 3 hours ? (Maybe 20-30 minutes opening, 2 X
> > 40-minutes rounds of discussion or 3 X 30-minutes, action planning and
> > closing).
> >
> > I'm sure some of you have done this. I'll be meeting with the first
> > possible group next week, and nothing is set in stone yet for the other.
> > Any comments, suggestions, ideas or warnings will be very much
> appreciated.
> >
> > Thank you very much in advance for your time!
> >
> > Esther Matte
> > Communications Esther Matte
> > 1011, Marie-Victorin
> > Verchères (Québec) J0L 2R0
> > www.excellence.ca
> >
> > "L'art de dire"
> >
> > Tél. : (450) 583-5849
> > Téléc. : (450) 583-3513
> >
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-- 
Love rays,
Tree Fitzpatrick

. . . the great and incalculable grace of love, which says, with Augustine,
"I want you to be," without being able to give any particular reason for
such supreme and unsurpassable affirmation.  -- Hannah Arendt

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