1-day OS with action planning

Peggy Holman peggy at opencirclecompany.com
Tue Apr 10 15:56:34 PDT 2007


Yup...the phrase that comes to mind to describe what is going on when inviting people to host sessions for "next steps", as Chris described below, is "follow the energy".  When people take responsibility for what they love, they follow their energy.  

BTW, I use "love" rather than the language of taking responsibility for what you care about because I find the use of the word love, even in business settings, really wakes people up, calling both head and heart into play.  Further, I find when people are operating in this way, it becomes exquisitely clear that it isn't about ego and selfishness, but about service - to self, others, and the whole.

from cloudy, cold Seattle,
Peggy

________________________________
Peggy Holman
The Open Circle Company
15347 SE 49th Place
Bellevue, WA  98006
(425) 746-6274 

www.opencirclecompany.com


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the fire".
  -- Drew Dellinger
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Chris Corrigan 
  To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU 
  Sent: Tuesday, April 10, 2007 3:11 PM
  Subject: Re: [OSLIST] 1-day OS with action planning





  On 4/10/07, Communications Esther Matte <ematte at excellence.ca> wrote:

    I would like your input on something if you have time and wish to
    share your experience. This particular client was very specific not
    to insist very much on the responsability side of OS, because people
    are disseminated in a large territory with low access to technology, 
    so it's not practical to work in groups, and all have an already very
    heavy workload. The client still wanted action planning in order to
    have a basic game plan for each priority and act as a "global
    coordinator", calling on people for their help when needed. ...

   


    That being said, I still wonder if maybe I should have put a little
    more emphasis on personal responsibility anyway, as it is really what
    makes things happen. Even though people are geographically apart with
    low access to technology, there's still that need for the first phone 
    call or action that will bring others. Any thoughts?


  So a couple of things come to mind.  It could just be that the client could have used a poll to find out where the energy lay for follow up, and that would have been fine if she was prepared to act on what the group wanted.  I'm not a fan of that alone though and, like you, am always looking for where the responsibility might help things along.  So, if I were doing action planning following a polling exercise, I'd simply invite people to not only vote with their hearts but with their hands as well and ask themselves, "what next first step am I willing to take to help move this along?"  There is nothing that can completely stop responsibility from showing up, not lack of technology or distance or money.  

  But perhaps even better would be to open space again at the end of the day for "what wants to be born now?" or some variation of that theme.  I find that in cases like this, a convergence in the heart (as opposed to on the wall) finds deeper patterns that simply grouping and voting cannot uncover and more importantly it invites people to show up one more time and apply themselves to the "first next step" which is all it takes to get something out of the room and into the world.  It is a more effective way, in my experience of discerning emergent themes and patterns for action which are supported by an appetite to actually get the work done.  In most meetings I do, clients report this as the magic formula.  It's important to prepare the process with this eventuality up front so that you are not generating action and movement that the system cannot support of course, but if prepared well, there is ALWAYS action of some kind at the end of OST meetings, and a higher level of engagement than if people were simply to make recommendations and go home. 

  Congrats on this one...a well practiced learning and a generously shared story!

  Chris

   


    I'm looking forward to facilitating more OS events in the future, and
    thank you all for your support!

    Esther

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  -- 
  CHRIS CORRIGAN
  Facilitation - Training
  Open Space Technology

  Weblog: http://www.chriscorrigan.com/parkinglot
  Site: http://www.chriscorrigan.com

  Principal, Harvest Moon Consultants, Ltd.
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