OST facilitators in Houston?and other places in the world

Mon Jul 23 06:15:04 PDT 2007

Michael,

How do I get on the map?

I am a New York City American.

I am on the OS email list as an avid reader and occasional responder.

I have been to a week long Open Space in Maine with Harrison (& others).

I have attended Karen Davis, Ralph & Harrison's Open Space Peace
Initiatives in NYC.

I use Open Space in my beginning or ending graduate classes for Large Group

Interventions and Organizational Change Management at Milano the New School

for Management and Urban Policy in NYC.  And I have occasionally used
Open Space

in client situations with good outcomes.

Scott Gassman

On 7/23/07, Michael M Pannwitz <mmpanne at boscop.org> wrote:
> Dear Raffi,
> the closest in Texas on the worldmap is David Swedlow (I found him by
> entering TX in the search function of the map)and I think he is the only
> one in Texas.
> Sometimes you can also meet OS-travellers by mails such as the one you
> sent to the list. Hard to believe, not every one on the road reads the
> listserve ... so its good to announce ones trips!
> In case someone came to San Diego and would not know that you are there
> ...there is no way of finding you via your entry in Russia. In other
> words, send me your contact data for San Diego and you will get an entry
> for that great place (multiple entries cost the same as those for just
> one location). So far, there is nobody listed for San Diego, either.
> Which brings me (after this longish roundabout) to another reason why I
> am going into this: Why are there so few of us from the USA in the world
> map? Seems to me that there must be hundreds of us there! Lets become
> more visible! Although we are quite a bunch with 452 of us in the map
> this is not a visualisation of our real presence.
> John Engles observation of how few of the young participants from the US
> and Canada at the World Bank Open space he wrote about had heard of Open
> Space is another hint to those of us who are interested in spreading it.
> Greetings from Berlin
> mmp
>
>
> Raffi Aftandelian wrote:
> > Dear friends and colleagues,
> >
> > I am going to be in Houston (Texas) July 26-29. Are there any OST
> > facilitators in the area?
> >
> > I checked the Open Space World Map (openspaceworldmap.org) and no one from
> > Houston seems to be up there.
> >
> > I'd love to connect!
> >
> > If you know of anyone in the area, please contact me at raffi at bk.ru,
> > raffi_1970 at yahoo.com
> >
> > Thanks much!
> > Raffi
> >
> > p.s. aside to Harrison: Thank you so much for your recent comment which
> > suggested that 22 years on you are still trying to understand os/OST. Might
> > this passion to understand Open Space be yet another mystery of Open Space?
> > Wherever we go searching for understanding Open Space we might end up just
> > where we started?
> >
> > ____________
> >
> > Raffi Aftandelian
> > essenceworks consulting group
> > San Diego, CA
>
>
>
>
>
> Michael M Pannwitz, boscop eg
> Draisweg 1, 12209 Berlin, Germany
> ++49-30-772 8000
> www.boscop.org   www.michaelmpannwitz.de
>
>
> Check out the Open Space World Map presently showing 452 resident Open
> Space Workers in 71 countries (working in a total of 128 countries
> worldwide)
> www.openspaceworldmap.org
>
> *
> *
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>

-- 
Scott Gassman
IdeaJuice
(917) 951 - 0258
scott.gassman at gmail.com

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>From  Mon Jul 23 17:18:49 2007
Message-Id: <MON.23.JUL.2007.171849.0200.>
Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2007 17:18:49 +0200
Reply-To: c.pfaehler at bluewin.ch
To: OSLIST <OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
From: Catherine Pfaehler <c.pfaehler at bluewin.ch>
Organization: Catherine Pfaehler
Subject: Preparation time (used to be: Vignettes of an arts OS)
X-To: Harrison Owen <hhowen at verizon.net>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit

Harrison, the 3 - 6 months are less meant for myself, more for the sponsor.
If unfamiliar yet with OS, and hierarchical, they might have to go through
some kind of a process before they are ready for the OS. Having enough time
and working with the preparation group in an OS way, that usually does the
job well.

Catherine

Catherine Pfaehler Senn
lic.oec.HSG
Open Space Begleitung
Kellersriedweg 8
CH - 2503 Biel
+41-(0)32 - 365 68 41
c.pfaehler at bluewin.ch

-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
Von: Harrison Owen [mailto:hhowen at verizon.net] 
Gesendet: Samstag, 21. Juli 2007 00:31
Betreff: FW: Taking Care of Yourself (Used to be -- Vignettes of an arts os)

Catherine wrote: "Perhaps in your case there simply wasn't enough time to
carefully think about what might be necessary for yourself to stay whole
throughout the entire process, thus ensuring its full success even more. To
clarify your role as facilitator and the roles of others. (Taking a walk
might have been better than cleaning dishes all day.)"

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Taking care of yourself is REAL important! Doing that is both easier and
harder in Open Space. Easier, because if you trust the people, they will
take care of the business. Harder -- because since you don't seem to be
"doing" anything (and the guy who is paying your fee might be looking!) you
may find yourself doing something, anything -- just to appear busy and
earning your keep. I love the title of Marv Weisbord's (of Future Search
fame) latest book, "Don't just do something, Stand There!" Right On!

The only problem I have with Catherine's suggestion is that you "think"
about it! Don't think! Do Nothing!! Creating space for yourself may seem
like a selfish act (it is -- but very useful). The flip side is that when
you have plenty of personal space, freed from all the "shoulds," "ought
to's" and "musts" you also have the room (space) to offer the same (space)
for others.

For whatever it is worth, when I do an Open Space I do my very best to make
sure that I have NOTHING to do -- as in taking care of logistics, housing,
restaurant bookings, whatever. The hotels are very good at making housing
assignments; the travel desk will take care of travel (that is what they are
paid to do!). And the People can take care of all the rest! 

I admit this may sound like a total scam. Indeed one of my friends(?) once
said of me that I had invented the ultimate scam -- The client does all the
work, and they even write the report. All true!

But it is not about me (or us). It is about the people (client, whatever)
taking total responsibility for what they care about. And when they reach
the point of a blinding flash of the obvious -- that they don't really need
me -- I am gone!

One other small different with Catherine. You don't need 6 months. 24 hours
will do. After all you aren't going to do anything! However you will need to
BE a lot. And that may take some time for preparation.

Harrison 

-----Original Message-----
From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of Catherine
Pfaehler
Sent: Friday, July 20, 2007 4:59 PM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: AW: long: Vignettes of an arts os

Doug - thank you, very interesting report, great questions and observations.

I observe that when the OS is small, I naturally want to and do feel part of
the group more than when it is big and I have staff around to help with the
copying, food etc. (in big long or especially complex OS's, I even work with
a personal coach or somebody from the sponsor to talk to about the process
and necessary announcements). Could it be that you felt dejected because you
have been working quite a lot not only holding space, but washing dishes
etc. to serve the group all day long, but due to staying true to your
invisible role you didn't want to get the credit you deserved for that part?
(actually, that was two persons's work done by one...)

My antidote when alone with a small group is to spend time discussing with
friends on the phone or on OSLIST in order to leave the group entirely to
itself and not get in the way of their process. Even on evenings when they
have great fun. And to be sure to have some OS work with me to stay busy in
the evenings and not to get lonely. My checklists can still get a lot
better... Another antidote for me is to insist on a post-event-meeting. Not
only to check if they need further assistance, but also to harvest and get
feedback indirectly, through hearing how the OS was for the group and what
has happened / emerged / been changed or decided since. 

Openings as short as possible are important to me. Often, I don't even tell
anything about how OS was "found" (after all, that's our story, not theirs).

Well done with the extra report. Very respectful to let Anne decide what she
wanted to do with it.

Yes, I'm often exhausted as well when an OS is over. I have learned to
seriously try to sleep enough and leave the evening work to my assistant(s).
To take a day off afterwards. To ask for enough help or at least a caterer
who takes care of food and dishes logistics. To ask for a fast copier if
books of proceedings have to be produced for everybody, and for an assistant
in the office. I do like to have enough time for preparation (in general I
like to have half a year from the first talk to the sponsor till the event,
but will go shorter if needed - but not shorter than 3 months) in order to
let the things which need to be considered surface in their due time.
Perhaps in your case there simply wasn't enough time to carefully think
about what might be necessary for yourself to stay whole throughout the
entire process, thus ensuring its full success even more. To clarify your
role as facilitator and the roles of others. (Taking a walk might have been
better than cleaning dishes all day.)

Catherine

Catherine Pfaehler Senn
lic.oec.HSG
Open Space Begleitung
Kellersriedweg 8
CH - 2503 Biel
+41-(0)32 - 365 68 41
c.pfaehler at bluewin.ch

-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
Von: douglas germann [mailto:76066.515 at compuserve.com] 
Gesendet: Donnerstag, 21. Juni 2007 17:35
Betreff: long: Vignettes of an arts os

Hi friends--

Vignettes of an arts open space

Studio Arts Center is a group of people dedicated to the arts in South
Bend, Indiana, and its work consists of the 4 Es: Education,
Exhibitions, Events, and Eating.

It was started by 3 men who wanted to improve their art and have a place
to show it. After a few years, they sold it to the present owner, Anne.
Sold is perhaps overstating—as the story goes, one of the men offered to
pay her $5 to take his share!

A picture SA emerged in our conversations leading up to the OS: what was
holding SA back (from Anne's vision of a foundation that advances the
arts in all of Northern Indiana), was in fact Anne herself. More
precisely, Anne does everything: develop the curriculum, write the
catalogues, design the Web spaces, book the shows, cook the food for the
community breakfasts, buy the food, clean the toilets and sweep the
floors in all three buildings on the campus. If SA was to flourish, it
needed to outgrow Anne. Anne agreed this is so.

Anne was wonderfully open to, and frightened of, the notion of giving SA
to the community. So she decided to go ahead.

Anne first thought that it would be a good event if she got 10 people to
come. We actually had 16 people at the Sunday evening circle, and 26 at
the Monday all day Open Space.

All was pretty much standard OS, except perhaps the time between the
invitations being completed and the event: On May 31 we had the final
version of the written invitation done, and the OS was June 10 and 11,
less than 2 weeks later. Anne personally handed out the invitations to
most of the people, but finally ran out of time and put the last bunch
into the mail. Her invitation was something special, being hand
addressed in calligraphy on fancy black paper for the envelope, and
being composed of 5 quarter sheets of paper on the inside. Pictures of
the invitation are on Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8850949@N06/sets/72157600414362562/detail/

The OS was held inside a wonderfully open art gallery with many windows.
A challenge: there was a show ongoing in the gallery, and we could not
use any of the walls. Challenge met: we put the principles/patterns and
the law up on artists' easels throughout the room. The wall for the
postings consisted of two folding walls, each about 8 feet by 8 feet.
Pictures of these are also on Flickr.

Sunday evening was a wine and cheese party plus a circle for the people
attending. We did two listening stick rounds, using a large artist's
brush. The first question asked for a story of how SA or the arts had
engaged each person, a story of a peak experience. The second question
asked for people to remember the future 10 years off, telling a story of
what SA looked like back in 2017. Sunday evening went from 7:00 to 9:00,
the actual circle convening a little after 7:30.

Monday started with a buffet breakfast at 8:30 with space opening at
9:00. We had 3 sessions of 90 minutes, with a lunch set out for people
to get and take back to their groups during the middle session.

During the opening, which I admit was dragging, but before I got to the
four patterns and law, a gentleman said “Let's just get going and do
it.” I said OK, I will go faster, but there are a couple things you need
to know. Has anybody else experienced this, and what was your response?

Everything happened as usual: 13 topics were posted and combined into 9
groups. By end of day there were 10 reports submitted, totaling 22
pages.

About the extra “report:” Sunday night, after we had adjourned, one man
handed me a typewritten note saying what he thought needed to be done.
Much of it was complaint against the current director. I wrestled on
Monday about whether to include this document in the Book of
Proceedings: It came out of the event, so had a claim to being part of
the results. It did not come out of the conversations of either day, so
it was not actually a part of the meeting; besides it was in the nature
of backward looking and sour grapes. In the end I included it in the
Book and offered to Anne to remove it; she decided to leave it in. What
would you have done?

After the sessions concluded at 2:30, we posted the handwritten reports
on another movable wall. People gathered around the wall and read parts
of the reports, but they were lengthy and people were more interested in
conversation. I suspect they did not read very much. Perhaps we could
have spread out the reports giving room to congregate around each one.

We had scheduled to reopen the space at 3:00, have groups meet for a
half hour after that, and then reconvene for the closing circle at 4:00.
The group remaining, about 12, decided to stay in one group.

Out of this circle came the decision to have a “working committee” to
carry out the ideas of the various groups. Anne was flabbergasted that
so many people wanted to help and were willing to volunteer. That alone
made it a great day for her.

After that decision, and people had signed up for the working committee,
we went to a listening stick circle, again using the large artist's
brush; then stood, faced out, and stepped out into the world.

I was physically exhausted at the end of the day. There was much
standing and walking. Picking up the coffee cups took on an added
meaning as I washed the coffee cups and dishes throughout the day!

But I was also dejected, and wondered whether I ever wanted to hold
space again. Some of this was the exhaustion. Some of it was the fact
that I was not part of the conversations and so shut out from the
interactions—and magic—that the participants had. Some of it may have
stemmed from having worked so closely and directly with the inviters,
and now here I was on the outside looking in. Whatever it was about, I
was left with a big emptiness. I have noticed this in many other open
spaces, but this seemed stronger. Has anybody else experienced this?
What's your antidote? Or should I even be looking for an antidote?

One other thing learned: in the closing circle, Anne called herself an
“event junkie.” This might be a clue for us as to who is open to OS—
people who already believe in the power of getting people together and
in holding events.

:- Doug. Germann

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