Conversations that Matter at Girl Scout Convention

Mon Nov 3 17:34:10 PST 2008

I love how a café can seed the relationships that strengthen an open space.

In the Art of Hosting 3-day trainings, we have often used a café the first
night to invite a sense of purpose. What time is it? Why did you choose to
come here? What is going on in the world that makes it important to be
meeting in this way? Usually one question travelling through three rounds of
café so that we can begin to see the pattern in the room – the ideas that
travel and bump into you again at a new table.

There is a founding principle for me – the Maturana notion that “if you want
a system to be healthy, connect it to more of itself.” Café helps accomplish
this in that context. If the intended harvest is learning, relations, and
work, the café really strengthens the relations and the learning. Then, the
OS builds on that and really amplifies the work part.

I’ve used this pattern with several client systems and community groups
also.

Love what it sparks.

Tenneson

Tenneson Woolf

Lindon, Utah USA

tenneson at berkana.org

skype: tenneson_woolf

801 785 2276

801 376 2213 Cell

  _____  

From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of Michael
Wood
Sent: Monday, November 03, 2008 6:09 PM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: Re: Conversations that Matter at Girl Scout Convention

I have not used World Cafe but I often see it pop up in the same emails as
conversations about Open Space. 

>From the WC web site, my limited understanding is that:

1. WC is a more controlled process than OS in that it is the Sponsor who
frames the questions about what they want from the group

2. The Facilitator of WC plays a more directive role in what happens and
when

3. WC moves towards converging themes to a kind of "collective mind" of the
group. 

4. There is not necessarily any expectations that participants will exercise
responsibility for outcomes after the event.

So it seems that WC is a kind of sophisticated brainstorming process to
bring out creative thinking on a particular topic or theme?

Does anyone have any examples of where they have chosen to use WC instead of
OS (or visa versa) and why you made that choice?

Michael Wood

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From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of Christine
Whitney Sanchez
Sent: Friday, 31 October 2008 3:46 AM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: Conversations that Matter at Girl Scout Convention

Dear Appreciative Inquiry, World Cafe and Open Space Friends,

Today, the Girl Scout of the USA opens their 51st Convention in
Indianapolis.  Over 6,000 girls and adults from across the US and around the
world are being invited to use their voice, have conversations that matter
and create the future for the Girl Scout Movement.  

The StoryWeaving Initiative has designed a process that weaves the
principles and practices of AI, World Cafe and Open Space into the business
meeting. Think Robert's Rules meets Conversations that Matter.

Hundreds of girl and adult volunteers are onsite right now, to support the
conversations and capture the stories.  StoryWeaving has already taken off
with 150 Digital StoryWeaver girls using their flip cameras to record
members sharing their stories.  StoryLooms invite members to weave their
stories along with other Girl Scout stories into pieces of art.  The 900
person Open Space for Sharing and Learning has just concluded with members
posting 62 topics over two sessions.  Picture girls standing at the
microphones, thanking the adults for truly listening to them and adults
tearfully expressing their passion and gratitude for everything they
learned.   Lisa Heft did a magnificent job of holding the space and inviting
new thinking.   

Tonight, during the opening ceremonies, I will invite over 6,000
participants to swap their leadership stories in pairs, using an
appreciative question to get started.  Tomorrow, following the Stewardship
Report, Samantha Tan will invite members into café conversations focused on
the core business strategy.  Saturday, Lisa Hinshaw will host a conversation
based on Open Space, focused on the essentials for success, where members
will have posted their topics online and onsite before the session begins.
Sunday, I will wrap up by inviting reflection and commitment to action.

Please send your good thoughts and hold us in your heart as Girl Scouts
model participatory democracy and feminine leadership. 

Warm wishes from chilly Indianapolis,

Christine

Christine Whitney Sanchez

CWS - Collaborative Wisdom & Strategy

2717 E. Mountain Sky Avenue

Phoenix, AZ  85048-8990

480.759.0262

 <http://www.christinewhitneysanchez.com/> www.christinewhitneysanchez.com 

Please consider the environment before you print this email

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