Not ideal but worth the effort

Sun Sep 20 15:17:03 PDT 2009

Bonjour Suzanne,

What a feat! I’ll say more about that but first, I’d like to share a couple
of things that your story reminded me of.  It’s about possibilities when
people are creating their own post-its with a place and time and secondly,
it’s about creating an endless grid.

At the opening, once the topics are posted and before people go to the wall
to sign up, I have in the past informed participants that “if they want to
create additional place and time post-its that are different from those
offered at the grid, they can do so using Post-it packs of a different
colour that will be placed along the wall when they go to sign up.” This
additional post-it offering is especially useful when we’re running out of
prepared post-its on the grid. 

I have learned that it’s better not to place those post-it packs at the wall
before the opening because some participants only catch part of the
explanation and some don’t pay attention to the grid when they post a topic
– they pick up the blank post-it and create one. This has meant that groups
have ended up creating duplicates and therefore were competing for the same
space at the same time.  Self-organization will take care of such conflicts
but with very large groups and a finite number of spaces, it helps to keep
those at a minimum. 

Your story has also reminded me to start being more systematic in always
making that offer of “off schedule Post-its”, if only to create more space
and incentive for creativity and self-responsibility.  

THE ENDLESS GRID - Another helpful way to deal with the need of many meeting
sites. 

On the grid I post times vertically in the first column on the left because
usually, the time possibilities are more limited than space possibilities.
The height of the grid (low enough for people to reach post-its) and the
proximity of the floor both limit the number of options that can be posted
in that column. Placing  names or numbers of meeting sites horizontally in
the first row gives room to almost endless possibilities if you place the
grid far enough from the market place where topics are to be posted.

Now back to you in this great adventure you created. What I know of you from
different encounters we had and from the many conversations, I am not
surprised that you dared make space for OS in the context of that event. It
is worth saying that your courage is equal to your trust in people and your
profound understanding of the principles of self-organization. Having seen
you in action, I think OS is a second nature for you because you have made
it a way of life.

I was just catching up a bit on the OS List. I can’t wait to hear about your
future trips in the unknown and to keep on learning from you. 

Amitié,

Diane

From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of Suzanne
Daigle
Sent: 3 septembre 2009 18:00
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: [OSLIST] 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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