Begining in OS

Wed May 6 19:26:14 PDT 2009

David

Good question you've raised.

I echo what Lisa has said and add the following:

1.	Recommend you to F. Capra's book, "The Hidden Connections - a
science for sustainable living" which is a very readable invitation to
shift our thinking from competition to collaboration (using the
ecological paradigm). I have personally wrestled with this, and some of
the competition psych dynamics which Jack refers to. I am now finding
that the more I give away (including equipping and empowering other OS
facilitators), the more keeps coming in. Capra's observation is that
what is good for the entire ecosystem is also good for the individual
components.

2.	if you can link up (by which I mean face to face) with a few
other OS facilitators who share the above philosophy, then that can be
very mutually supportive. We have a great emerging network on that front
in Western Australia.

3.	Given it seems you are willing to travel - try to get along to
the next World Open Space on Open Space (WOSONO) in Taiwan.

4.	Attending a training program in OS, particularly with someone
who has attended a WOSONOS, can be useful. This can offer more than
learning the "technicalities" - it can help deepen one's own integration
of the "spirit" of Open Space (which is related, I think, to what
Harrison said about how comfortable we feel about doing less and less!)

5.	In terms of attending an OS with another experienced
facilitator. Two benefits: a) watching/experiencing/picking up the
"vibe" of how other people Open Space (for example, one of the best
learnings I got from the last WOSONOS was simply watching Lisa open the
space) b) as in point 4 above, learning what it feels like to do
nothing.

Hope this helps

Michael Wood

Perth

________________________________

From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of Lisa
Heft
Sent: Tuesday, 5 May 2009 10:59 PM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: Re: Begining in OS

...and that's how we are all delightfully different.

Jack, I honor how you feel and see things.

And yet I do see them differently.

	I see abundance instead of competition. 

	I see inviting others to help me in events that I facilitate as
an opportunity for wonderful help, greater service to the client and a
colleague who is rich with observations and insights.
	Plus the extra added value of helping a colleague grow into the
field and gain more experience.  And I see it as my 'pay it forward' for
having received such rich learning and opportunities from my diversely
experienced colleagues.

	I see their putting these jobs on their resumes (for example,
'Newsroom Coordinator' as an essential role assisting an organization in
utilizing their own documentation for their continued growth and
learning) as a real job with real responsibility required, whether or
not they were paid or pro bono consultants on that job.

	I ask all clients if I can bring someone along to assist and ask
them if they have funding for this. Often they do. If not, I try to find
funding from my own resources. If I do not have resources it is often
seen as an unpaid collaboration for the benefit of learning.

	I find that offering learning opportunities for colleagues helps
strengthen our work and our field.

I invite some of you on this list to share with us your experiences of
being invited to help on Open Space events as you were / have been
emerging into this field and this practice.

I invite others of you to share your experiences of bringing a newly
emerging facilitator into a job of yours.

Tell us the (mutual) benefits and the learning - even your stories of
when it has not been a good idea for the client, participants, or for
you.

I think we have a learning opportunity here. 

Thanks to David and Jack for tickling these thoughts in my head and
opening up the learning opportunity.

I look forward to hearing others' thoughts on this.

A warm hello from a gray Berkeley California morning,

Lisa

Lisa Heft

Consultant, Facilitator, Educator

Opening Space

lisaheft at openingspace.net

www.openingspace.net

	 Jack Martin Leith wrote:

*	What the client is really paying for is the consulting work and
the design and organisation of the event. Facilitating the event is the
easy bit that happens at the end. So to get maximum value from working
with an experienced practitioner you'd really need to be involved in the
entire project.

*	How do I explain your presence to the client?

*	What would your role be on the day, aside from helping get the
space ready? Once the agenda is created and the sessions are up and
running, there's very little for the facilitator to do.

*	I'll probably get shot down in flames for saying this, but what
the hell: Here in the UK, OS consulting is a crowded marketplace. Do I
really want to help make it even more crowded?

I mentioned that last point because I suspect that the "training a new
competitor" issue is often there, if unconscious, when an OS consultant
is asked "Can I be an extra pair of hands?" and it's best that you're
aware of it. Although the Open Space community is very supportive, and I
do whatever I can to share knowledge and help others, the reality is
that we're operating in a very competitive environment. I've competed
with friends and collaborators for OS work on several occasions.

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