Practical Question

[Martin Boroson]

Thank you all for your suggestions on my practical question.    

 

I went with this structure:  45 minutes for intro and agenda, then 2 x 45
minute sessions, then 45 minutes for a closing circle.  It worked
brilliantly.  

 

Perhaps calling this a 'taster' in my email was not quite right, however.
This event was the whole afternoon in a full-day seminar on leadership that
I presented to about 44 executives from 20 different corporations and one
large charity.  

 

The morning consisted of meditation and laughter (presented as leadership
skills), plus a lecture on complexity, chaos, play, and newer leadership
styles.  At lunchtime, I did a very fast re-set for an Open Space (I had
made the signs the night before).  Thus the afternoon gave the participants
a chance to experience Open Space as a leadership technique and also to
explore any issues that were provoked by the morning session.  The theme for
the afternoon was "What is my cutting-edge as a leader?"  

 

Despite the short amount of time, they took to the process and had very
meaningful discussions.  They posted about 12 topics and I had trouble
getting them to stop talking when it was time to close.  Several people got
significant help from their peers in solving organizational problems (or
discovered the answers for themselves).  Everyone seemed to get into the
spirit of peer-learning, and most importantly, learn the benefit of solving
problems by first asking other people for their ideas.  

 

Despite the short amount of time, there was a definite sense of convergence,
in the closing circle, around one issue:  Many of these leaders had felt
quite isolated in their organizations, particularly in their attempts to
explore more expanded ways of working, and were truly relieved to learn that
other leaders in other organizations were also struggling with some of the
same challenges.  This Open Space gave them a chance to interact
inter-organizationally, and they loved it.

 

Although the event didn't demonstrate the full potential of Open Space, it
sure did give them a meaningful conversation, a lively afternoon, and the
opportunity to explore a different way of leading a group.  

 

So, was that a taster?

 

Marty


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