struggling with a client to create time and space (rather long)

[Beverley Neff]

Hi Gerardo,

I'd reassure the client that whoever shows up are the right people,  
and they will do the work that matters to them in their own time. I'd  
open space as you have advertised at 3 p.m. for ALL the time slots.  
If/when people come later, they will add to the market place and  
quickly figure out the process. Trust the people, as Harrison says --  
if they care about the issue they'll deal with it whether they can be  
there the whole time or not. Your job is to hold that knowledge and  
keep the space open.

Both last March and this March I hosted a 1 1/2 day community  
gathering in open space here (on Saturna Island, on the west coast of  
Canada) and there are always concerns about who can't or won't  
attend. In the end, those who care get there, find the space open for  
good work, and leave delighted at what they have explored and  
accomplished together. The effects ripple out to the rest of the  
community and the work continues there...

Good luck, Gerardo. I look forward to hearing the rest of the story!

Best regards,
Beverley Neff
Saturna Island,  BC Canada



On Apr 2, 2008, at 1:25 AM, gerardo de luzenberger wrote:

>
>
> Hi. In these days here in Italy I’m struggling with a client who  
> want to make an OS.
>
> It’s a municipality where I already did a one day OS that was a  
> success on the possible reuses of a dismissed factory.
>
> Now the issue is one road, full of bar and night clubs and where  
> residents are increasingly complaining for noise etc.
>
> I suggested to put all the system in the room (barkeepers,  
> residents, civil servants and clients) to understand how this  
> situation could be solved.
>
> Now the problem is how to schedule the session. Originally they  
> asked me to make a 4 hours OS (I know MMP what are you thinking  
> now), from 6pm to 10pm.
>
> This cause in order to make participate clients, residents etc we  
> should work after business hours. Barkeepers should not be a  
> problem cause we will work on Monday, day in which most of the bar  
> are closed.
>
>
>
> I replied that to make something that could have sense we need  
> longer. At the end we agreed on doing a 7 hours open space (from  
> 3pm to 10pm), hoping that having announced  two months in advance  
> the event people that care would take a day off.
>
> Now the date of the event is quite close. Today I received a phone  
> call from this client. He explained me that some people complained  
> for the OS schedule, saying that being busy at work they could not  
> attend. But that on the other hand they have already advertised  OS  
> as starting at 3pm and ending at 10pm. They added to this that,  
> given the schedule, we will probably have different participants  
> for different time. Residents that are retired from 3pm to 7 pm,  
> and workers from 6pm to 23.
>
> So, he asked me to run the OS in two different sessions. On from  
> 3pm to 6pm (he said for retired people), the other one from 6pm to  
> 23 pm for workers.
>
> My first reply was NO, this is not possible. But my feeling is that  
> I need to find an innovative solution to their requests.
>
>
>
> So I’m thinking of a programme like this:
>
> I will open the space at 3pm (that in Italy means later around 3 an  
> a half pm, but you never know).
>
> Then, when the agenda is ready, one session of 90 minutes. At 6pm a  
> 30 minutes break in order to welcome late comers.
>
> Then a sort of  morning news and a quick explanation of the  
> programme, the principles, the one law etc . Time to add new  
> issues, and then back to work.
>
> To be honest I’m not really convinced with this solution, but in  
> this moment I have no idea about how to approach this situation.
>
>
>
> And as you can imagine ideas and suggestions are really welcome.
>
>
>
> Hugs
>
> ge
>
>
>
>
>
>  n some way
>
> Gerardo de Luzenberger
>
> SSF - Scuola Superiore di Facilitazione
>
> Via Alessandro Volta 12
>
> 20121 Milano
>
> tel: +39 02 45409186
>
> ge at scuolafacilitazione.it
>
> www.scuoladifacilitazione.it
>
> www.loci.it
>
>
>
>
>
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