Not ideal but worth the effort

Fri Sep 4 04:46:48 PDT 2009

Suzanne --

So you had fun! Great!!  And as I read along I had this strange sense of
déjà view all over again, to quote the great Yogi. This is where we started
with improvements!! OST was born out of the recognition that the really
juicy part of a large conference happened in the coffee breaks, to which I
would add the bar, long walks,  and just hanging out. Sure there were formal
presentations and elaborate processes to include people, expand people,
transform people. But for the most part the formal sessions provided stuff
we had heard before or could have read in a book, and all the elaborate
processes seemed great at the start, but simply couldn’t hold a candle
compared to a good conversation at the bar or wherever. 

My learning from your experience for which I thank you – is that the good
old informal, self organizing system is alive and well, and it will function
regardless of all efforts to structure and control. And if you offer a
little support (your “anywhere, anytime sessions”) it only gets better. Doug
is right – the whole thing becomes rather subversive. You might call it
Stealth OST.

My real learning is that we haven’t invented a thing. “It” (self organizing
systems) always was. We may acknowledge its presence, support its process,
but at the end of the day – it will do just fine all by itself. Of course it
would feel better if folks stopped trying to organize a self organizing
system.

Harrison

Harrison Owen

189 Beaucaire Ave

Camden, ME 04843

207-763-3261 (Summer)

301-365-2093 (Winter)

Website www.openspaceworld.com 

Personal Website www.ho-image.com 

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From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of Suzanne
Daigle
Sent: Thursday, September 03, 2009 6:00 PM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: Not ideal but worth the effort

Back from Boston after facilitating “A Taste of Open Space” at the NAMAC
(National Alliance for Media, Arts and Culture) Conference.  This was my
first large event (300+ participants); did not have that much lead time to
prepare; and the circumstances were less than ideal: blended with workshops,
no opportunity to sit in a circle and for a while, I worried about wall
space and ability to use masking tape on the walls of this ornate room in a
historical hotel. We used blue painters’ tape. 

Looking back, I would not have traded a minute of this experience. Yes, it
could have been so much better but ultimately it was worth it based on the
number of conversations (20 – 25
more?) over the 3 days of the conference.
I had 90 minutes on the first morning with the plenary group to OPEN SPACE:
announce the OS question tied to their theme (Lisa Heft was so helpful in
offering some ideas with lots of other invaluable tips too), to explain the
principles and the Law, to build an agenda, and  to open a marketplace.
Within an hour, no less than 15 groups were talking.  I called it the Speed
Dating of OPEN SPACE clearly indicating that this was just a “TASTE of Open
Space”. I said it would be an opportunity for them to find each other
quickly by connecting with others who shared their passion on common topics.

I thought I would be a basket case but somehow having meditated twice daily
for the 10 days preceding this event, rehearsing on my outside patio over
and over, scouring Diane Gibeault’s training materials, reading everything I
could get my hands on and seeking help from some OS trusted friends who were
so very generous, I felt calm, clear and grounded.  It wasn’t about me; it
was about the participants! The night before, working with a few volunteers,
I took the time to quietly walk the room and did so again the next morning.
And I thought of this audience and my passion for their cause – free press,
documentary film producers, youth, arts, media, culture, democracy, etc.
The hardest part was not having the circle and people writing and posting
the topics at the back of the room. Clearly all the OS practitioners are
right that you NEED a circle to keep the energy focused in the middle in
spite of the fact that I had them visualize a giant circle as part of my
intro. Not the same
at all!  As people were writing and announcing their
topics, many started conversations around their tables and I had to bring
them back to attention a few times.  I feel we could have had 60 to 75
topics in those first 15 minutes instead of the 30 we got.  Others topics
were added later and some folks posted Summary Reports from their
discussions.

Over the 3 days, there were six 90 minute OS timeslots on the program not
including the Closing (no circle there either).  What I invited people to do
was to live the 4 Principles of OS and the Law of 2 Feet  (Butterfly and
Bumble Bee) throughout the conference and even beyond.  We had blank post-it
notes so they could schedule their sessions anytime, anywhere and they did:
in the coffee shop, in the bar (15 people form 10 pm until past midnight),
early morning and lunchtime as well as in the assigned locations in our
plenary room which became the OPEN SPACE hub. What they said they
appreciated most was the gift of choice and freedom.

As I watched the conversations happening from afar, I felt such gratitude to
have had the courage to do this. People came by to share quietly as I
cleaned up coffee cups, trash, etc.  The feedback was extremely positive and
while I know it could have been better, my commitment to be “opening space”
for people wherever and however I can from the heart is what drives me now.
Yes I will always push for optimal conditions as I feel I must. But if I
can’t get there, I will just try to do my best and not shut the door.   If
anyone wants to know more, I’ll gladly share all that I lived and felt
during those three days.  I owe so much to this community. Thank you
everyone. 

Link to some of the NAMAC OS photos:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/namac/page5/

Suzanne
-- 
Suzanne Daigle
NuFocus Strategic Group
7159 Victoria Circle
University Park, FL 34201
FL 941-359-8877;  CT 203-722-2009
www.nufocusgroup.com
s.daigle at nufocusgroup.com

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