Hello From Bill Warner & More About the MassTLC Innovation 2009 unConference

[Lisa Heft]

Hi, Bill, and welcome to the nutritious world of using Open Space for  
conferences and meetings.

I know that a lot of people use the word 'unconference' nowadays  
generically, to mean anything that is not PowerPoint.
I also know that Kaliya really 'gets' the quality and essence of using  
Open Space (specifically) for unconferences.

If you work your behind off to invite fabulous and interesting people  
(entrepreneurs, 'experts', diverse other kinds of thinkers) - you seed  
the pool for great conversations, sharing, learning and exploring to  
happen. Rather than put people together for a great one-on-one date, I  
would invite you to spend your energy on continuing to invite for  
diversity, trust the people, and the process - and let everyone post  
topics, questions, ideas they are passionate about. You might even  
invite folks to feel free to post in the form of a question if they  
wish to invite great thinking on some puzzle they are working on.

I think one of the not-ideal things that can happen in some  
communities is this feeling that 'experts' hold the information -  
rather than engaging people in co-learning. It would give the  
'experts' the ability to post a topic for a small group discussion if  
they wish, wander about to sample discussions they get excited about,  
all things. People would meet each other in rich dialogue, exchange  
cards, contact each other after the event (especially with your list  
of participant information which would be part of a Book of  
Proceedings), collaboration would happen, friendship would happen,  
learning would happen.

Your families would enjoy more quality time with you.
You would be modeling your belief that people are amazing, and you  
would be modeling sustainability and wellness - no small thing to  
offer to emerging entrepreneurs.

Some people who experienced it the other way might say 'gee, I loved  
being the only one that Joe Expert talked to'.  And you can say: 'Go  
ahead: ask for what you want - you'll be amazed at who will come talk  
with you about this thing you are so passionate about'.

And everybody will experience co-leadership, feel they have something  
to offer, and experience how passion bounded by responsibility is an  
invitation to create and ask for what they need.
Seems to me to be some basic essential skills for new business leaders  
in a world where collaboration equals strength and creates even better  
products and services, no?

I say: try it...see what you think...and then tell us the story of  
what you observed and experienced.

Let's hear it for your continuing to invite and host delicious,  
dynamic, engaging conferences,

Lisa


Lisa Heft
Consultant, Facilitator, Educator
Opening Space
lisaheft at openingspace.net
www.openingspace.net

Join me for the Open Space Learning Workshop
December 9-11, San Francisco



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