opening space with very small groups

Mikk Sarv mikk at ilm.ee
Tue Sep 19 22:52:07 PDT 2006


Dear Esther!

I have several times conducted OS with small groups, one of them was only
with three persons. Two of them had earlier OS experience, so they just used
the co-created space as usually - posted their topics about what they really
cared about and then started to write down to flip charts their thoughts
about it.

When the first outburst of inspiration was over, the time was right to look
around, what others had done and written down. They walked from one topic to
another and got wonderful additions to their original ideas. Third day was,
as usally, for action planning, at it worked the same way.

Just be relaxed and encourage people to select topics they really care
about. Then remind them, that they have wonderful and rare opportunity to be
with something, that they really care about, for 90 minutes and possibly
they can get some enriching comments and additions.

Go and do it!
With best greetings,
Mikk Sarv
Estonia


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Communications Esther Matte" <ematte at excellence.ca>
To: <OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
Sent: Tuesday, September 19, 2006 3:29 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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