Not ideal but worth the effort
douglas germann
76066.515 at compuserve.com
Mon Sep 7 10:43:42 PDT 2009
Suzanne--
How inspiring you are! I especially like "Seems that we've forgotten
that sitting in a circle, having simple conversations about stuff that
matters, is action and leads to action."
"I will figure this out so MORE people get to Sit in a circle, etc.
etc." Please share with us from time to time what ways you figure out,
Suzanne! We all need your inspiration!
:- Doug.
On Fri, 2009-09-04 at 09:21 -0400, Suzanne Daigle wrote:
> Doug, Harrison, Catherine, Thank you for your comments. Now here goes
> with what's really bothering me. Four steps: sit in a circle, create
> an agenda, open a market place and go to work! As I faced this
> challenge in Boston, I looked at those 4 steps worried that I was
> compromising and yes, even betraying OS and this community. I wrote
> some serious emails to the client explaining that I would not do that
> although I would try to be flexible. I did not know then how it would
> turn out. Sneaky, stealth OS, I did not plan that cause a big part of
> me wants to be totally authentic. Actually as I stood reading the
> Principles out loud to the audience that morning, looking at the 2
> Feet, the butterfly and bumble bee, these words just came out of my
> mouth: "Live your conference according to those principles, not just
> in Open Space; meet everywhere and anywhere, use the LAW of 2 feet
> throughout the next 3 days and in your life. How often do we give
> ourselves permission to choose, really choose. Have fun!".
>
> I can remember not too long ago the first time I sat in a circle. I
> was totally stressed, feeling out of control (oh my!) so now I can't
> help but feel compassion and intense frustration because after I
> experienced OS and learned to let go, it's wonderful. Unfortunately
> people don't know this as they rush through their lives (worse when
> you're in a control/command hierarchy). What action, what end result,
> how do you measure it is what I get asked all the time when I talk
> about OS. Seems that we've forgotten that sitting in a circle, having
> simple conversations about stuff that matters, is action and leads to
> action.
>
> The day before the OPEN SPACE event, I took a morning jog in a
> beautiful park on the water. I smiled quietly at people as I normally
> do, lots of people. Nobody smiled back. I then watched everyone and
> noticed that no one was even looking at each other, or seeming to
> notice the sunny day, the flowers, the trees, the water, the park.
> After about an hour, perhaps 3 people smiled tentatively. I was
> scared and so sad. Then I thought of Open Space and told myself, if I
> need to do this in a conference setting, in a dirt pit or wherever, I
> will figure this out so MORE people get to Sit in a circle, etc. etc.
> etc.
>
> Sneaky, Stealth...whatever! So now you know, that's my hidden agenda!
> And hopefully all I'll be doing is "opening space, holding space and
> closing space" not organizing others. - Suzanne
>
>
> On Thu, Sep 3, 2009 at 10:28 PM, douglas germann
> <76066.515 at compuserve.com> wrote:
> Suzanne--
>
> Wonderful! You did it better than well! Courage looks good on
> you.
>
> Please say more about inviting people to open sessions
> wherever and
> whenever. It feels very viral, and not at all confined to the
> times
> allotted to you. And a little sneaky!
>
> :- Doug.
>
>
>
>
> On Thu, 2009-09-03 at 17:59 -0400, Suzanne Daigle wrote:
> > 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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>
> --
> 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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