Convergence or Group Consensus

Martin Boroson marty at becomingme.com
Fri Mar 14 06:07:52 PDT 2008


Thank you Harrison, Michael and Michael for your simple, elegant
suggestions.

 

I am wondering how you (or anyone else) would handle this situation:  

 

The client is happy to open the space for issues and ideas, and happy to see
some initial steps taken on those ideas, but doesn't want to give too much
away in the convergence process (or the 'invitation to action phase').  The
client just isn't willing to give a green light, in advance, to whatever
project emerges, and doesn't want to mislead the people assembled.  Would
the re-opening of the space on the third day, with the question "What next?"
imply that the setting of priorities is the group's decision?  Or that the
participants can proceed with whatever they want afterward?  I imagine that
many people leave Open Space events with this kind of expectation, only to
face a different reality at work the next day.  

 

How would you handle this with the client?  How would you communicate this
to the group? Any other thoughts?  

 

Many thanks,

 

Marty

 

 

 

 

 

  _____  

From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of Harrison
Owen
Sent: 09 March 2008 21:52
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: Re: Convergence for Group Consensus

 

Harrison, I'd still love to know how you use five dots!

 

This is highly complex, so pay close attention! Simply give out 5 sticky
dots per person. Instructions are: Stick your dots where you care to. You
could put all your dots on your favorite issue, or spread them out over
several issues. You choose.  All of this presumes that the issue papers are
still on the wall. When the pandemonium ceases, just count the dots and you
will have the "winners."

 

Michael, I'd love to know you facilitate a group in moving from reading the
book of proceedings 'directly' to action planning. 

 

Needless to say I am not Michael, but I know how I do it. And this is not
rocket science either. After they have reviewed "The Book" (usually 45 min
to and hour), I say something like - Now you have read the book - where do
you want to go next? It is time for action. At that point I simply open
space again (without all the usual build up) by indicating the pile of
papers and magic markers in the middle of the floor and invite anyone who
cares - to identify any issue they want to move to action (take
responsibility for it). Write it down, announce it, and post it on the wall.
That issue could be one previously discussed, some combination, or something
totally new. Anybody who care to join them does so, and the action teams are
assembled. After about an hour we have q quick round of report outs on
immediate next steps - and it is usually time for the closing circle.

 

So go for it Michael!

 

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>
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-----Original Message-----
From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of Martin
Boroson
Sent: Sunday, March 09, 2008 2:10 PM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: Re: Convergence for Group Consensus

 

Great discussion.  I'm very interested in this evolution of our
understanding, and thanks to everyone for sharing your experience and
wisdom.  

 

I assumed that the ability to facilitate 'natural convergence' is one of the
most wonderful, magical, and marketable features of OST, and that the voting
process, far from forcing consensus on a group, is just a way to reveal that
convergence in a more obvious way (if it wasn't clear already).  

 

But on a more practical note, let me ask:

 

- Harrison, I'd still love to know how you use five dots!

 

- Michael, I'd love to know you facilitate a group in moving from reading
the book of proceedings 'directly' to action planning.  

 

Thanks . 

 

Marty

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of Michael M
Pannwitz
Sent: 07 March 2008 08:45
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: Re: Convergence for Group Consensus

 

After working for a while "by the book" and doing the 55 dots 

convergence followed by action planning around the 7 most highly voted 

issues I came to the conclusion that I, clients,the real business issue 

at hand, the world, etc. dont benefit much from consensus (especially by 

voting) but get real mileage out of PASSION.

Since then I have successfully convinced clients/sponsors to move 

directly from the divergent phase closed by reading the book of 

proceedings to action planning.

Open Space Technology from where I stand is an action orienting (not 

"action oriented")process that runs on passion and responsibility. Of 

course, following that course seems risky to many, lets have consensus 

first. My repeated experience in OST events has been, however, that 

regardless of what "consensus" processes produced, action required 

needed passion and responsibility. Projects evolved independent, outside 

of, in contrast to the "consensus" apparently found in "convergence" and 

the issue with the highest number of dots led to no direct action ...and 

that has to do with letting go of control. So one of my suspicions has 

been that the call for consensus is also fed by control needs that close 

space rather than keeping it open.

Greetings from Berlin

mmp

 

 

Harrison Owen wrote:

> Marty said: Here are my two questions:

> 

> a)  In the Users Manual, you say that "with a sizable group (fifty and

> larger), electronic tallying is infinitely preferred."  But in this email,

> you say that "with small groups (<100) Sticky dots do the job."

> 

> b)  In the Users Manual, you recommend the use of 55 sticky dots per
person,

> but in your email, you recommend just 5.  In the quest for simplicity, it

> seems you have removed about 5 per year!

> 

> My Answer --

> 

> Consistency was never one of my virtues. And when it comes to closure

> (consensus or otherwise) I recommend Sniffy. Works every time, but you may

> not be asked back! But I never was a real fan of consensus. Moving the

> business seemed more important.

> 

> Harrison  

> 

> Harrison Owen

> 7808 River Falls Drive

> Potomac, Maryland   20854

> Phone 301-365-2093

> Skype hhowen

> Open Space Training www.openspaceworld.com 

> Open Space Institute www.openspaceworld.org

> Personal website www.ho-image.com 

> OSLIST: To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the

> archives Visit: www.listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html

> 

> 

> -----Original Message-----

> From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of Martin

> Boroson

> Sent: Thursday, March 06, 2008 5:34 PM

> To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU

> Subject: Re: Convergence for Group Consensu

> 

> Harrison

> 

> I checked the Users Manual (always next to my desk) on convergence, as you

> suggested.

> 

> Forgive me for quoting you back to you, but there are a couple of

> differences between what you said in the Manual and what you've written

> below, and I'm really interested in understanding how your
thinking/practice

> has evolved in the last ten years.  (I'm also planning a couple of 3-day

> events where formal convergence and voting is very important to the

> clients.)

> 

> Here are my two questions:

> 

> a)  In the Users Manual, you say that "with a sizable group (fifty and

> larger), electronic tallying is infinitely preferred."  But in this email,

> you say that "with small groups (<100) Sticky dots do the job."

> 

> b)  In the Users Manual, you recommend the use of 55 sticky dots per
person,

> but in your email, you recommend just 5.  In the quest for simplicity, it

> seems you have removed about 5 per year!

> 

> :)

> 

> Many thanks,

> 

> Marty

> 

> 

> 

> -----Original Message-----

> From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of Harrison

> Owen

> Sent: 04 March 2008 13:15

> To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU

> Subject: Re: Convergence for Group Consensu

> 

> Pretty simple -- Sticky dots or voting. (Details all in the User's

> Guide)With small groups (<100) Sticky dots do the job. Just give everybody

> the same number of dots (5 works well) and invite them to past their dots
on

> the Issue(s) they love. They can place all the dots, a few or none. Then

> count the dots or just eyeball it.

> 

> Harrison 

> 

> Harrison Owen

> 7808 River Falls Drive

> Potomac, Maryland   20854

> Phone 301-365-2093

> Skype hhowen

> Open Space Training www.openspaceworld.com 

> Open Space Institute www.openspaceworld.org

> Personal website www.ho-image.com 

> OSLIST: To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the

> archives Visit: www.listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html

> 

> 

> -----Original Message-----

> From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of
Kimberley

> Willing

> Sent: Monday, March 03, 2008 11:09 PM

> To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU

> Subject: Convergence for Group Consensu

> 

> Does anyone have any experience or advice in 'converging' open space, in 

> such a way that the emerging consensus of the whole group is identified?  

> Specifically, I have a 2 day event coming up - the purpose of which is to 

> develop a best practice framework for reporting on the topic, and at least


> to develop a check list of issues to be addressed in preparing such a 

> reporting framework. 

> 

> Day 1 could be spent diverging (in Open Space) and I am wondering how best


> to converge on Day 2, given that one outcome mine host would like to see, 

> is an articulation of the level of agreement of the whole group on certain


> matters.

> 

> With thanks,

> 

> Kim.

> 

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