Bullying and OST

Harrison Owen hhowen at verizon.net
Mon Nov 9 06:20:13 PST 2009


Rose - Thank you for sharing and do be careful with all that "planning." I
have found that the best preparation for an Open Space is to do it. And
choosing the opportunity is not rocket science, but it does take some
thought. First thing is to make sure that the appropriate conditions are
present. They are: 1) A Real "Business" Issue, something that people REALLY
care about - it is not sufficient that you care, or that "The
Administration" cares - but the people care. My rule of thumb is that if you
have to think about this for more than a second, you don't have an issue. Of
course it may take a little longer to phrase it for the Invitation, but that
is a different thing. The issue needs to hit you in the face, and if it
doesn't, it is not an issue that will get the people who care to come. 2)
Lots of complexity - in a word nobody knows the answer. 3) Lots of diversity
- as in differing points of view, backgrounds, genders, ages, etc. 4) Lots
of passion and conflict - There is some real heat not just a flash in the
pan sort of thing. 5) Decision time of yesterday - otherwise known as a
feeling of urgency. My experience has been that unless the organization is
dead there are 4-5 such issues on the plate if people care to face them.

 

When the conditions are right, "organizing" an Open Space is virtually
instantaneous if you have the people and the space. Almost any space will
do, and reaching the people who "might" care to come can happen in amazingly
short times when the issue is the sort I am talking about. I happened to be
in Cape Town RSA when Mandela got off the island. Just about everybody was
sure there was going to be blood in the streets, and nobody was really sure
what to do or not do. My hostess happened to manage a hotel so we had the
space. And in 24 hours the "guest list" was full for an Open Space to take
place 48 hours later.  And when the issue is hot, take your time - one day
for sure and two days to go really deep. And if you need to go deeper, just
do it again.

 

In 48 hours 100+ folks were sitting in a circle, creating a bulletin board,
opening a market place and going to work to become, as they said, "The new
South Africa."

 

 

 

Harrison

 

Harrison Owen

7808 River Falls Drive

Potomac, Maryland   20854

Phone 301-365-2093

Skype hhowen

Open Space Training  <http://www.openspaceworld.com/> www.openspaceworld.com


Open Space Institute  <http://www.openspaceworld.org/>
www.openspaceworld.org

Personal website  <http://www.ho-image.com/> www.ho-image.com 

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-----Original Message-----
From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of Rose
Tassone
Sent: Sunday, November 08, 2009 6:36 PM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: Bullying and OST

 

Thank you kindly - To all the people who commented, for the very helpful
questions posed and the number of useful suggestions that were made. All
your responses are going to help me stay busy in unpacking what preparation
is required prior to facilitating OS, the impact of psychosocial and
developmental stages on individuals and group dynamics, the principal's and
teachers' input and in particular my part in all of this.

To begin with, I can now see in hindsight that I was way too ambitious in
what the participants were capable of and the principal really wanted to
believe that she was leading a community that did want to take
responsibility, so much so that the students were probably too
enthusiastically encouraged to accept the invitation.  The parents were
probably the true barometer of the community as they did not show a
significant interest and trust to turn up.  It seems that much more is
needed at the consulting and planning stage with all parties to determine
their interest, willingness and capacity to be part of creating a better
community prior to the OS event.

 

Regards

Rose Tassone

 

 

 

 

 

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