Convergence or Group Consensus
Worsley, Stuart
sworsley at snvworld.org
Fri Mar 14 08:30:54 PDT 2008
I had this quite recently. It's a difficult one, and I am not sure I
handled it well. But, for what its worth, I converged around a number of
headings that the client was comfortable with. We did get a good result,
and people were overall happy, including the client boss. BUT, I
received some feedback after from some participants that they felt the
process had been excellent to the point of convergence, and somewhat
contrived afterwards. I vowed not to do this again. I would recommend
that you try and ask your client to trust the process, and keep it open.
There is the sense that you liberate boundaries only to reimpose them
again.
Hope this helps
Stuart Worsley
Director, Kenya and Sudan
Head of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene - East and Southern Africa
Head of Livestock Value Chain Development - East and Southern Africa
SNV - The Netherlands Development Organisation
Ngong Lane, Off Ngong Road
P.O.Box 30776 - 00100
Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: +254 (0)20 387 3656
Fax: +254 (0)20 387 3650
Email: sworsley at snvworld.org
Web: www.snvworld.org
________________________________
From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of Martin
Boroson
Sent: Friday, March 14, 2008 4:08 PM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: Re: Convergence or Group Consensus
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
________________________________
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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 www.openspaceworld.com
<http://www.openspaceworld.com/>
Open Space Institute www.openspaceworld.org
<http://www.openspaceworld.org/>
Personal website www.ho-image.com <http://www.ho-image.com/>
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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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