1-day OS with action planning

[Chris Corrigan]

Lisa et. al.:

You're into the heart of it I think when you raise these issues at the
outset.  The first conversation I have about the Open Space with the client
is always about the need.  Sometimes it's even a light hearted kind of thing
:"You want to have an Open Space?  Are you crazy?  What do you want to do
that for?"  The answers to this question really help me get a sense of what
role the OST meeting can play for the organization.

Clients are on a journey.  When they invite others in to do work with them,
they are looking for people that can help them travel.  In the context of
the organizational journey, what role is the Open Space expected to have?

I sometimes talk about OST as a process that does for organizations what
slinging a space probae around a planet does for exploration.  When space
agencies launch machines that are built to go to other planets or to the far
flung reaches of our solar system, they often aim them to intersect with
large planets like Jupiter and Saturn and get a big boost from the immense
gravitational fields of those bodies.  It means that the space probes don't
need to carry large amounts of propellant if they can benefit from the
gravitational pull of a large planet.  It's much like watching a discus
thrower spin around and around and then apply that angular momentum to the
discus which then flies in a straight line way down field.

Open Space does that for organizations.  And because it does that for
organizations, it's worth having a clear sense about where exactly you want
to be flung to.

Chris

On 4/18/07, Lisa Heft <lisaheft at openingspace.net> wrote:
>
>  Hello, all –
>
>
>
> Esther mentioned her first OS with action planning.
>
>
>
> She said:
>
> <I read several convergence methods some of you use (on Lisa Heft's
> website - thanks Lisa for posting this!) and found great ideas for the
> future.>
>
>
>
> Here are some of those resources Esther mentioned...
>
> http://www.openingspace.net/openSpaceTechnology_method.shtml
>
> (or just go to http://www.openingspace.net – Open Space Technology / The
> Method)
>
>
>
> ...in the *Resources for OST Practitioners* you will see papers on
>
>
>
> Convergence: A Conversation
>
> Convergence Approaches
>
> Action Plans
>
>
>
> It is interesting to me, always, to have the conversation with the client
> / sponsor / host about what they wish to achieve in their one (or whatever)
> day(s) together.  Many say they want to end with the group identifying
> action items – however upon further discussion it turns out that it is not
> necessarily **action** they needed, but a sense of **accomplishment** -
> and all their previous models of meetings end in action items, votes or
> otherwise naming numbers of things – so that is naturally what they feel
> signals a productive end to a meeting.  So I really like to have a very
> thorough conversation for as long as it takes to get the truest sense of
> this need and then decide what is the design that might accomplish it
> (and/or perhaps we have a conversation that to accomplish a certain desired
> outcome takes a longer OS or something).  Action? Accomplishment?  Next
> steps?  Personal commitments?  Knowing also that a) Open Space delivers
> closing comments and reflections (a useful deliverable) and a Book of
> Proceedings (measure of accomplishment) and b) I am happy to design in
> action identification a la Open Space if appropriate – however if we (the
> client and I) structure a convergence activity we need to be very clear on
> what are we asking, is there realistic support for follow-through if actions
> are identified, do people have the tools they need or freedom to break out
> of their traditional organizational roles to continue work post-event on
> their actions, and so on.  All very rich conversation and detective work
> before finalizing design.
>
>
>
> More thoughts from Lisa's surfacing into email land today...
>
>
>
> Lisa
>
>
>
>
>
> ___________________________
>
> *L i s a   H e f t*
>
> Consultant, Facilitator, Educator
>
> O p e n i n g  S p a c e
>
> lisaheft at openingspace.net
>
> www.openingspace.net
>
>
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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.
http://www.harvestmoonconsultants.com

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