Just Do It / Make it Happen - Story of an Open Space

Fri Nov 23 13:11:31 PST 2007

Judy – Only one word. Superb! Well maybe a few more words like: Fantastic
tale, well told, by a grand lady. As you may have gathered over the years, I
am one of your biggest fans. Keep it up.

Harrison

Harrison Owen

7808 River Falls Drive

Potomac, Maryland   20854

Phone 301-365-2093

Skype hhowen

Open Space Training  <http://www.openspaceworld.com/> www.openspaceworld.com

Open Space Institute  <http://www.openspaceworld.org/>
www.openspaceworld.org

Personal website  <http://www.ho-image.com/> www.ho-image.com 

OSLIST: To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives
Visit:  <http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html>
www.listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html

-----Original Message-----
From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of Judy Gast
Sent: Friday, November 23, 2007 11:34 AM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: Just Do It / Make it Happen - Story of an Open Space

In keeping with the vein of  ‘Just Do It and resources will appear’
(formerly Finding Funding for Community Work), this is a report on an Open
Space event I facilitated this week wherein, I ‘Just Did It’ and 
 resources
appeared (or will appear). 

The title of this story and the theme of the OS event is (was); “Making It
Happen”.

Background on me (for context):

My life was forever altered the week of May 27 – 31, 1996 when I took the
Open Space Train the Trainer at St. Ignatius College (a monastery in Guelph,
Ontario) with the Man with the Hat, Larry Peterson and Birgitt Williams.  At
the time, I was an Organizational Development/Training and Development type
working for a large prestigious (at the time) multinational corporation.  

I had just spent a year of my life working for a Type A micromanager (who
was located in Australia) planning, organization and implementing a series
of conferences for the senior level executives outside of North American.
It was a huge and cumbersome project. I was on the phone 24-7. I spent
thousands of company dollars – doing a detailed needs assessment, designing
workshops, hiring facilitators around the world, and managing the onsite
logistics in four international locations.  All while playing the role of
group psychologist and attempting to manage the emotional roller coaster
inherent in a micromanaged, remote team. While the hotels were nice and the
food was good, at the end of the day (or month or year), most people
involved (participants, sponsors, organizing team) would say (provided they
were guaranteed confidentiality) that we did not get a good return on the
investment. 

If it weren’t red, I would have grey hair as a result of this experience.
After that, unless I found a better way, I swore I would never get involved
in planning large group events again.  Fortunately, at St. Ignatius College,
I found ‘the better way’. 

After that I introduced the approach to my company.  While I had
considerable success at the lower levels, my inroads with the executives
were limited.

I was let go from this company several years ago. Since then, as an external
Organizational Development/Training and Development type, I have had several
opportunities to Open Space with organizations and sponsors who ‘get it’ as
I do.  I also had child number two.  

This past spring, as both kids would be in school in September and our
finances were faltering, my husband and I agreed that it was time for me to
seek full time employment again.  To help me learn ‘how to get a job’, I
joined a local networking group comprised of ‘Executives in Transition’. 

This is where my story begins. 

The Story – ‘Making It Happen’

The first session I attended, I felt a bit awkward.  The group, about 60
‘Executives in Transition’, were mostly 40-60 year old men in suits and
white shirts   The few women attendees were wearing dressy suits, high heels
and pantyhose (not attire this mother of young children is familiar with).
I tried not to feel too self-conscious, as I stood up in my Birkenstock
equivalents and corduroy pants to introduce myself and give my ‘30 second
commercial’. (I had failed to read on the website that the dress code for
these meetings is ‘first interview’).

However, it appeared like a group where I could work on my 30 second
commercial, interviewing skills, and, network to make connections to those
who might hire me. So I dusted off my ‘professional woman’ jackets and pants
(no pantyhose for me
) and showed up at the second meeting better ‘suited’
to fit in. 

The format of the group was conventional.  The first half hour was “Good
News’ – reports from people who had interviews or had landed, and then new
members were asked to give their 30 second commercial (aka ‘You never get an
second chance to make a first good impression.).  Then a keynote speaker,
followed by 1 ½ hours of table team ‘networking’.  For networking we were
numbered off and asked to go to the appropriate  table.  In a round robin
fashion, each person at the table talks about their career background and
direction, practices their commercial, and the group supports with
suggestions and advice. 

At the first networking session I ended up with a group of men (mostly in
white shirts), most of who were in the Food Packaging industry.  I learned a
bit about this industry and asked some relevant questions, and they were
polite and worked to understand my field and come up with appropriate
suggestions and advice for me.  

Of course, I know that this process would be much more valuable (and fun) if
we did it in Open Space.  To me, it is a ‘no brainer’ application.  So I
suggest it to the Man in Charge.   He was intrigued, and amongst other
questions asked me how he would ‘measure the success’ of such a session.  I
told him that we would measure it by the number of people who showed up
(there are about 1500 members of this group, but only 100 – 150 show up for
the weekly meetings at three locations) and the formal and anecdotal
feedback from the attendees of the session.  He agrees that it might be a
good idea to ‘try something new’ and says he will fit me into the schedule. 

Several months later, after numerous exchanges of emails and conversations
(discussing Open Space and agreeing on the theme and invitation), the Man in
Charge schedules the session for November 20th.  In the announcement on the
organization’s website and in the local paper, and at the November 13th
meeting, the session is announced as “Open Space Technology – The Next
Generation of Networking” by expert speaker – Judy Gast. (Wow
. an Open
Space and a Networking expert
if only...life would be beautiful
)   I raise
my hand and clarify that I am not an expert on networking and will be
‘facilitating’ a session where participants have an opportunity to get into
conversations about whatever they have passion for.  I say our theme will be
“Successful Career Transitions – Making it Happen”.  The boss of the Man in
Charge (i.e. the founding father of the organization) interrupts me and says
curtly, “Oh, I didn’t know, no one told me about that”. 

Weeks before the event, I discuss the set up for the room with the Event
coordinator for the facility.  I give her a hand drawn diagram.  She sends
me back a computer diagram with 60 chairs in a square.  I email her back
that the chairs need to be in a circle. We go back and forth.  She sends me
a terse email and says that the square is the best her software can do.  I
explain how once before I showed up early in the morning before an Open
Space and had to rearrange 200 chairs into a circle.  She reassures me that
her staff will understand the concept of a circle.  (They didn’t.)

I patiently wait for the Man in Charge to send out the short, pithy,
intriguing announcement (as we had agreed) to the entire group (all 1500
members).  He doesn’t.  I call him a couple days before the event and
politely tell him that if members think that a speaker named Judy Gast (i.e.
an unknown person who hasn’t written a book) is going to talk about ‘Open
Space – The Next Generation of Networking’, then he will get less than the
normal number of attendees.  He sees my point and emails the announcement to
the entire group. 

The day before the event I am shopping in my local drug store and I see a
cute little battery-operated massager in the shape of a bee.  I think this
will be cute to use when I describe the bumblebees.   At 25 dollars it is
overpriced, but I fork over my grocery money for the week and buy it
nevertheless. 

I show up for the event early, concerned about whether the facility staff
understands the concept of a circle.  Forty five minutes later, after having
rearranged chairs, put the bee and the pens and paper in the centre, put up
the posters and garnered flipcharts for the breakouts, I am ready and
confident that everything is going to work just fine.  After all, The Man
with the Hat’s number one mantra is: “Anyone with a good head and a good
heart can do it”.  I had loving parents who sent me to good schools, so I
should qualify. 

About 75 people show up by 8:30, the scheduled start time. A different Man
in Charge welcomes everyone and announces the ‘workshop’ agenda.  First he
says we will have ‘Good News’ and ‘Introduction of New Members’. That will
be followed by Part One of the Open Space Workshop, followed by a 15 minute
break, after which comes Part Two of the Workshop.  Obviously, he didn’t
know and no one told him either.  I don’t say anything.  

We have about 20 new members (the average for any previous meeting I
attended was 6).  It takes forever for them to get through their ’30 second
commercials’ per the required formula, which is projected on the wall. (I
couldn’t convince them that an overhead projector was really not required
for this piece.)  The group patiently and politely listens. 

The original Man in Charge is handed the mike to introduce me. I had emailed
him a short, pithy biography. Since I hadn’t written a book, I thought the
group would need some information about me to let them know they were not
going to be turned over to a complete incompetent  (this group is
particularly sceptical of touchy feely HR/OD types).  He doesn’t read it.
He says something to the effect of “At this group, we are always willing to
try something different.  After all, if you always do what you’ve always
done, you’ll always get what you always got.  Judy Gast, a member of this
group, twisted my arm to try this new process for our networking. It is
called Open Source Technology.   Please be sure to give us your feedback at
the end so we know whether to do it again. Please welcome Judy Gast.”  

I sigh, under my breath, but loudly.  The man sitting next to me notices. I
stand up, thank the Man in Charge for the opportunity to present something
new to the group, and start walking the circle.   I breathe.  They are all
staring at me, sceptically, with their arms crossed.  Or so it appears to
me. In the interest of time, or perhaps because I was nervous, I don’t say
half the things I had planned.  Actually, I cut it short because...at the
last moment..I remember the words of the Man in the Hat.  His second mantra
is ‘Think of one more thing not to say
 or was it not to do?’  Whatever, it
works.  (That, by the way, is the Man in the Hat’s third mantra: ‘It always
works’.)

I didn’t forget to give tribute to the Man in the Hat – even told the group
about the Utube video wherein he does a 30 second elevator speech on Open
Space in the back of a cab.  (They were not interested, probably should have
left that piece out.)  

When I get to the part about bumblebees and butterflies I turn on the
battery operated bumblebee.  It makes a loud racket on the wood floor as it
buzzes around.  People laugh.  I am glad I spent my grocery money on the
bee
 I know I have plenty of oatmeal and peanut butter in the cupboard. 

When I say ‘Go for it’ and point to the paper in the centre, half a dozen
folks rush to the centre.  Others are amazed.   After several periods of
silence, wherein people and potential topics lurk, twelve sheets of paper
are posted on the wall - six for each time slot.  Perfect – just what the
grid allocated (there were more stickies/spaces if needed).  I invite
everyone to go to the wall and get to work. Everybody goes to the wall.  The
mingling, shuffling and buzzing starts.  Several ask me questions about what
they are supposed to do.  I think; perhaps I left out too much. Oh well,
they get it and go to work.   

A couple minutes later I go to the wall to peruse the topics.  There are
only four topics posted for the first session and numerous people are still
hanging out deciding where to go.  Where are the missing topics?  I look
around.  The initiators took their papers and posted them on the walls next
to their flipcharts.  I scurry around and collect them and retape them to
the agenda wall.  

A woman wearing a dressy suit, high heels and pantyhose comes up to me.  She
tells me that she would have posted a topic but she didn’t want to get down
on the floor in her skirt and heels.   I smile apologetically and tell her
that I am sorry I didn’t think of that.  I hand her a piece of paper and
encourage her to post her topic.  She carefully writes her topic on the
paper and tapes it on the wall.   I’m glad that I don’t own a dressy suit,
high heels or a pair of pantyhose.

When it is about 10 minutes past the time for the second session to start,
people are all over 
 mingling and talking to each other (being
butterflies).  Two people come up to me, plainly worried.  “Aren’t you going
to ring a bell and ask people to move to the next session?”, they ask.
“Whenever it starts is the right time”, I reply politely.  Turns out, they
were topic initiators - worried that no one would show up for their
sessions.  They returned to their flipcharts, people showed up, and the
discussions flowed. 

The boss of the Man in Charge is concerned as one group has about 20 people,
and one person appears to be dominating.  He tells me a story about how for
a while they ‘had’ to put an external ‘person in charge’ at each of the
networking table teams to make sure that everyone got equal air time.  I
smile and make an inane comment noting that; ‘if you treat people like
adults, they are more likely to act like adults’.  He doesn’t get it. 

When it is time for the closing circle, I do ring my bell.  Every seat is
occupied.  I explain that this time is for comments, reflections, insights
on what they learned
 whatever people feel like saying.   I walk the circle
with the mike.  Numerous comments are made about how much fun it was, how
people really opened up and shared what was important to them. There are
several poignant comments about new insights, new connections and actions
planned as a result of the conversations.  A man volunteers to write up the
session, include all the Reports and post a consolidated document on the
website. A woman asks me how often this group plans to use this approach for
our meetings.  I carefully deflect the question and turn to the Man in
Charge to answer it.  He smiles (at me) and asks the group; “How many people
would like to see us use this approach again?”.  Everyone raises his/her
hand enthusiastically.  He says that they will for sure use it (and me, if I
am available) again. 

When it is over, numerous people come up to me and thank me for the great
session.  Several people want to talk to me about potential applications for
their not-for-profit or other group. One person asks me to be a speaker at a
course that she is organizing. I am happy the ‘trial’ worked.

After cleaning up, the Man in Charge comes over to thank me.  He says he
wants me to do it for the other two locations and he will deem those
sessions ‘workshops’ (vs. speakers).   I tell him I don’t really care what
it is called (after all this one was announced in the beginning as a
‘workshop’).  He tells me; “We pay people to run the workshops.”  I reply,
“Fine, make it a workshop”.  

After all, I need money to buy groceries for my family. 

Postlude and thanks

I want to thank Larry Peterson for encouraging me to write up this story.
He has been my colleague, friend and mentor ever since I met him at St.
Ignatius College in May 1996. 

Judy Gast

* * ==========================================================
OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU ------------------------------ To subscribe,
unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of
oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu:
http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html To learn about
OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist

*
*
==========================================================
OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
------------------------------
To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
view the archives of oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu:
http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html

To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs:
http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.openspacetech.org/pipermail/oslist-openspacetech.org/attachments/20071123/96e9b79c/attachment-0016.htm>