FW: Open Space research, University of Groningen

Tue Mar 31 05:54:32 PDT 2009

Several days ago I received the following note from two graduate students in
Holland. They had some questions and I tried to offer some answers. And I
thought you might have some more (answers). So take a look, and if you have
anything to add, let the good folks in Holland know. Their email is
I.Iprenburg at student.rug.nl 

Harrison

Dear Mr. Owen,

Our names are Tom Steffens and Ivo Iprenburg and we are 

Master students Strategy and Innovation at the University 

of Groningen, the Netherlands. We received your email 

address from Professor Caroline Quispel, our supervisor 

for the course Management Consulting.

For the next weeks we are working on a research about the 

positive and negative elements of the Open Space Theory. 

Due to the fact that you are the founder of this 

groundbreaking approach to group-interaction and 

organization enhancement, we would love to hear your 

perspectives on this topic. Could you answer the following 

questions for us?

. What are the main advantages of Open space, according to 

you?

. How does Open Space create value for its participants?

. What could be the disadvantages of an Open Space 

conference?

. How can a consultant try to prevent these disadvantages 

like political games, mutany, etc.?

Your cooperation will help us gain valuable background 

information for the article we have to write in the 

Netherlands on this topic. If you need some more 

information please do not hesitate to contact us. Thank 

you so much in advance.

Yours sincerely,

Tom Steffens

Ivo Iprenburg

My response:

I will do my best to answer your questions -- and with your permission I
will post your letter on OSLIST -- which is the listserve for the Open Space
community. There are about 600 people world wide, and it is likely that they
will have some interesting contributions. Or you can post it for yourself.
OSLIST is free. To join go to:

www.listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html 

To Your Questions---

. What are the main advantages of Open space, according to 

you?

The major advantages are that it is very efficient, effective, and fun.
Efficiency occurs because there is little to no time wasted before a
gathering preparing an agenda (all those endless, boring meetings which
never work out the way the planners planned). It is also efficient because
no effort is wasted with multiple facilitators and program managers during
the meeting attempting to do what they can never do -- keep in control. And
if they did succeed, the meeting would be a disaster because nothing new or
innovative would have emerged. Lastly -- OS is fun. When people address
issues they really care about in a way that is efficient and effective they
always have a good time -- even when the issue is a very serious one. I can
remember Palestinians and Israelis working together on really tough issues
and laughing as they did their work.

. How does Open Space create value for its participants?

In Open Space the people who care about an issue care about what they do and
they do what they care about. Caring people working carefully create
enormous value every time.

. What could be the disadvantages of an Open Space 

conference?

The only disadvantage I have ever seen is that the participants become
inspired, creative, innovative, and energized. When this happens, all those
other people who thought they were in control and made all the plans
typically become upset and try and regain control. If such people are
successful all the inspiration, creativity, innovation and energy are wasted
and/or destroyed.

. How can a consultant try to prevent these disadvantages 

like political games, mutany, etc.? 

I can't begin to tell you how many Open Spaces I have done over the years,
but I can tell you that world wide, space has been opened something in
excess of 200,000 times in 136 countries over 23 years. In all of the Open
Spaces I have done, and all those I have heard about -- the "disadvantages"
you identify have never been a problem PROVIDED the essential pre-conditions
for doing an Open space were met. These conditions are: 1) Participants are
there because they care (voluntary self-selection). 2) The issue is a real
business issue they care about. 3) There is lots of complexity such that
nobody could possibly know all the details or the answer. 4) Lots of
conflict and passion. 5) There was a decision time of yesterday. -- The
issue is an urgent one. 

In every situation when I have ever heard of anything like what you are
talking about becoming a "problem" some of the pre-conditions were not met.
The "issue" was just a "pretend" issue. The people were forced (assigned) to
come. The issue itself was so simple all you really needed was two cups of
coffee and you had it solved. There was no real sense of urgency --
something could happen some day. . .

But when the conditions are fully met, the "right" people show up, the job
is done (usually with excellence) and nobody is playing "games," political
or otherwise.

********************************

So there is a fast bunch of "answers." Off the top of my head! I would
understand if you felt they were somehow shallow or "flip" -- but that has
been my experience. I know of no way to "prove" to you that what I say
except to invite you to try the experiment for yourself. The experience
(experiment) has been that if the conditions are met, and the procedure is
followed (sit in a circle, create a bulletin board, open a market place, and
go to work, and the facilitator -- that's me --  takes a nap :-)) -- "it"
always works. Have fun.

And you might enjoy my latest book, "Wave Rider: Leadership for High
Performance in a Self Organizing World" (Berrett-Koehler, 2008). Amazon will
get it to you and I think you will find a more robust set of "answers" to
your questions. 

Please say Hi! to Caroline Q., your professor. She is a wonderful person,
and you are very fortunate.

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 

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