SV: [OSLIST] Bad OS experiences

Tue Apr 14 05:29:19 PDT 2009

Dear Bui,
a week before an event with 150 youngsters on racism in Hannover in 2001 
("Me, a racists?")I broke my ankle and had the privilege to facilitate 
the event sitting and rolling around in a wheelchair. Not only did the 
youngsters find it perfectly ok but I also had that eye-level contact 
(ho reported on it) and had to cut down on a whole bunch of activities I 
usually engage in with the result that lots more space was opened for 
everyone involved (including myself).
Birgitt Williams (back in 1998, when she was Birgitt Bolton) reported on 
an event with people with acquired brain damage...my wife and I 
translated it into German and I cant locate the english 
original...probably someone on the list can point you to it.
It describes how everybody in the care organisation (patients and all)
met in two consecutive os events under the heading "The future of our 
organisation" in one day...22 issues in the morning event and 32 in the 
the afternoon event...the pace was very slow, the results stunning.
Greetings from Berlin
mmp

Bui Petersen wrote:
> Harrison wrote: "But let me ask you this. If not Open Space – what would you do? 
> Go ahead and tell me that you are going to keep in control of the situation?"
> 
> I agree. There are not many good alternatives. Except possibly an army of 
> facilitators trained in managing power dynamics, somethings that is not feasible 
> for most. I tend to think that most issues can be dealt with in the planning 
> process. What about people with special needs? People with difficulty speaking, 
> not very mobile or able to use their feet, etc.?
> 
> Bui
> 
> Harrison Owen wrote:
>>
>> Bui – Not to worry about odd balances of power. More often that not the 
>> “offender” (Chairman of the Board, President, etc) will get the picture and 
>> will simply be blown away by the rich resources in the room.  And if they are 
>> not impressed, they are the real losers. Of course, it may be that the Big 
>> Cheese is SO good that nobody else has anything to contribute – if so he/she 
>> is REALLY a looser. After all he/she is the person who hired all those folks 
>> and if it turns out that they are all just plain turkeys, that does not say 
>> much for his executive ability. To say the least!
>>
>>  
>>
>> But let me ask you this. If not Open Space – what would you do? Go ahead and 
>> tell me that you are going to keep in control of the situation J
>>
>>  
>>
>> 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/>
>>
>> OSLIST: To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the 
>> archives Visit: www.listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html 
>> <http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html>
>>
>>  
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> *From:* OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] *On Behalf Of *Bui Petersen
>> *Sent:* Wednesday, April 08, 2009 10:33 PM
>> *To:* OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
>> *Subject:* Re: SV: [OSLIST] Bad OS experiences
>>
>>  
>>
>> Thank you everyone for you great and varied responses. I think I am reminded 
>> of the importance of preparation and of clearly assessing if OST is a good 
>> choice for the situation.
>>
>> The more I think of the OS my wife participated in, the more I start to 
>> believe that the conditions may not have been right and the problems may have 
>> exacerbated by the some of the modification of the format.
>>
>> I do have a concern about using OS situations where there are significant 
>> power imbalances. I'm sure it has worked such on occasions but I am also 
>> nervous that it may not always do that.
>>
>> Thanks again,
>>
>> Bui
>>
>> Thomas Herrmann wrote:
>>
>> The other day I had a participant in an Open Space-meeting telling me that she 
>> had a not so good experience in something called Open Space – where the 
>> facilitator used an alarm-clock – I guess to “tell” participants when “it was 
>> over” – and on top of that the alarm went off every now and then – so it 
>> seemed not even the alarm-clock could be managed... That participant, by the 
>> way, signed up for our upcoming training in October...
>>
>>  
>>
>> One thing I do is to provide participants with an invitation to start with a 
>> round at hte start of each session. That gives everyone the opportunity to use 
>> his/her voice directly and share what thoughts they brought to the session – 
>> why they chose to come and also presenting their name to the workgroup. My 
>> experience is that this adds to the conversation and highlights that there is 
>> such richness in the group – straight at the start of their meeting.
>>
>> I’ve personally experienced working sessions in Open Space where one or a few 
>> people in the group occupied the space talking and talking – and of course yes 
>> I used my feet...
>>
>> Cheers
>>
>> Thomas Herrmann
>>
>>  
>>
>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> *Från:* OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] *För *Jack Ricchiuto
>> *Skickat:* den 8 april 2009 22:22
>> *Till:* OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
>> *Ämne:* Re: [OSLIST] Bad OS experiences
>>
>>  
>>
>> Thanks Harrison, and I resonate with the "no bad open space" experience 
>> because it always does in a community exactly what it can to reveal, heal, 
>> evoke, provoke and connect. It may not satisfy obsessions with speed and 
>> scale, but often delights the tenders of organic growth.
>>
>> With gratitude, Jack
>>
>> -.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
>> DesigningLife.com
>>
>>
>> On Wed, Apr 8, 2009 at 3:36 PM, Harrison Owen <hhowen at verizon.net 
>> <mailto:hhowen at verizon.net>> wrote:
>>
>> How wonderful to return to find BAD OPEN SPACE! I didn't know there was any,
>> and truthfully, I never met an Open space I didn't like. But then again I am
>> biased. My own experience is that as long as the conditions are OK (Real
>> business issue, voluntary self-selection, lots of diversity, lots of
>> complexity, real passion/confusion, and a decision time of yesterday) and
>> the procedure followed (sit in circle, create bulletin board, open market
>> place, go to work) just about everything comes out perfect. Does that mean
>> that everybody is 100% happy? Have they ever been? -- and if not, why now?
>>
>> The president of a company whose employees decided to dissolve the company;
>> he was un-happy. Control freaks that were sure that their way was the only
>> way -- they were unhappy. People who suffer from Freedom Shock pretty well
>> go out of their gourds. People who think so little of themselves that they
>> permit the blowhards of this world to brow beat them without employing the
>> Law of Two Feet are definitely unhappy -- and must also understand that they
>> alone are responsible for their misery. Neither Open Space nor anything else
>> will turn raving idiots into towering Einsteins for silk purses do not
>> ordinarily come from sow's ears -- and that is a bad rap on sows! Goodness
>> me -- we have problems. But are those problems attributable to Open Space?
>>
>> All of that said most people, most places, most of the time find the
>> ordinary to be extraordinary, the mundane to be magnificent. Just an average
>> day in Open Space, relishing the wonderful world of self organization --
>> which truthfully is the only world we have.
>>
>> 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>
>> OSLIST: To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the
>> archives Visit: www.listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html 
>> <http://www.listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU 
>> <mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>] On Behalf Of Elisabeth
>> Tepperk Kofod
>> Sent: Wednesday, April 08, 2009 2:14 PM
>> To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU <mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
>> Subject: Re: Bad OS experiences
>>
>> I believe the key is in preparing the right question or issue.
>>
>> Elisabeth Tepper Kofod
>> Venezuela
>>
>> -----Mensaje original-----
>> De: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU 
>> <mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>] En nombre de Larry
>> Peterson
>> Enviado el: miércoles, 08 de abril de 2009 10:52 a.m.
>> Para: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU <mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
>> Asunto: Re: [OSLIST] Bad OS experiences
>>
>> Bui:
>>
>> In Toronto, I've also experienced some people who were not happy with their
>> experience of open space.
>>
>> Some people prefer the sense that somebody is in control of a meeting
>> (particularly in Canada). Others, particularly in healthcare, who are used
>> to dominating get upset when they are not able to do that.
>>
>> To me a critical component is the preparation of the sponsor by the
>> facilitator. This is especially important in smaller groups from my
>> experience. How they frame the space that is opened before the facilitator
>> asks the question has a big impact on the sense of freedom that participants
>> have or do not have. It is also important to have enough time in open space
>> to get beyond the usual suspects shaping the discussion particularly when
>> the culture of the group has not encouraged participation in the past.
>>
>> Certainly the setup of the room and the breakout spaces particularly in
>> smaller group have a real impact. A clear articulation of be done with the
>> results is also critical.
>>
>> I have led many open space events of 15 or fewer people that were lively,
>> new ideas emerging, new leadership surfacing, over six hours to two days.
>> Some individuals, however, are not quite ready to be full participants in
>> riding waves. They only find this out in the experience of open space.
>>
>> Larry
>>
>>
>> Larry Peterson & Associates in Transformation
>> Toronto, Ontario, Canada
>> larry at spiritedorg.com <mailto:larry at spiritedorg.com>   416.653.4829 
>> http://www.spiritedorg.com
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU 
>> <mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>] On Behalf Of Bui
>> Petersen
>> Sent: April-08-09 10:11 AM
>> To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU <mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
>> Subject: [OSLIST] Bad OS experiences
>>
>> Hi everyone,
>>
>> Having almost settled in living in St. John's, Newfoundland, I am
>> looking for opportunities to open space. It is a slow process to
>> introduce something that people are not familiar with, especially as I
>> am new in a town where everyone seems to know each other.
>>
>> My question is, what do you do in cases where you meet people who HAVE
>> been exposed to OST but did not have a good experience. My wife for one
>> participated in one OS forum, and she is not at all convinced. Her
>> experience was that the usual suspects did all the talking and those
>> that usually are quiet, stayed that way. I wasn't there myself, but from
>> what I gather there may have been some factors that contributed to this
>> such as, the size of the group (only 15), the breakout spaces had tables
>> and a couple of other factors. Nevertheless, my wife is not convinced it
>> could have been much different.
>>
>> What do you more experienced think is a play? My own experience is
>> limited so I'm not sure what to say about this. Is it the case that some
>> OS events just don't have the right energy and don't work out that well?
>> If so, what can you do to make people consider doing it again? The best
>> I have come up with is that even if OST may not be perfect, it is better
>> than most other things I have tried.
>>
>> Your thoughts would be much appreciated.
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Bui Petersen
>>
>> *
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