OST following a creative enhacing training

[Michael M Pannwitz]

Dear Lisa, dear Artur...
basically, Lisas notes reflect my experience with about 200 os events 
over the last 14 years.
In the early days of my practice I spoke quite a bit about "Open Space" 
(how it came about, the originator, etc.).
For some time now, I might  mention "Open Space" once (if you look at 
the introduction which is part of the book "Meine open space Praxis" I 
pick up on "Open Space" in response to something the sponsor/my client 
said in his remarks...in this case he mentioned that Open Space is also 
fun).
There always are a few sentences in the invitation to the event about 
OST, however.
Also, I say practically nothing about the "Theme" but encourage the 
sponsor/my client to do a bit of that in his "Welcome" (where he 
actually opens the space with traditional welcoming words, saying 
something about the Theme and, most importantly, talks a bit about his 
own passion...no more than 5 minutes for all of that).
And I also "explain" or rather illustrate each principle, the law, the 
bumble bees, the butterfly in my words...
All this is done to reduce the time before the participants start to act 
themselves...and I discovered over the years that the simpler, shorter, 
more matter-of-fact... the introduction became, the easier it seemed for 
the participants to get "into the spirit" , forget about the 
facilitator, do their thing...and in my observation expanded the 
possibilities for the forces of selforganisation to do its thing (which, 
I find, is not the same as the apparent self-organizing mode the 
participants get into).
On first reading, I was comfortable about what you said about "training" 
and that Open Space meetings are not trainings. And then I remember how 
I used to do "trainings" twenty years ago and how I facilitate trainings 
for Open Space Technology these days... and that is certainly vastly 
different from the "traditional" trainigs I used to do. Perhaps this is 
a different topic but briefly, in OST trainings I am involved in there 
is absolutely no "explaining" on my part (participants explain it to 
themselves and to each other, I suppose)... I tell participants before 
the training that there is no way to learn or teach OST but, at best, it 
can be "remembered"... and that takes about 5 days.

Greetings from Berlin
mmp

Lisa Heft wrote:
> Hi, Artur -
> 
> Regarding the outdoor experiences the day before an Open Space: many 
> things can happen the day before an Open Space. But as Open Space 
> delivers intimate passionate discussion, relationship-building, a sense 
> of community or team, energetic interchange and even laughter - I not 
> only see no reason to design in preliminary activities *but* have 
> actually seen an Open Space suffer after these.  And I have seen the 
> same as Harrison noted - participants have often said 'why didn't you 
> give us more time for our work / play / discussion in Open Space - we 
> could have used it'.
> This includes introduction / warm-up / 'icebreaker' activities. Even 
> going around in a circle hearing what everyone's name and title is seems 
> to be taking up valuable time for participants - they always say how 
> they came to know and remember each other much more deeply because of 
> their shared interests and spirited discussions in the Open Space and 
> that a traditional introduction both is hard to remember plus can often 
> set up assumptions about who is supposedly who.
> 
> Regarding the introduction / explanation of Open Space - I feel strongly 
> that one should explain the principles and law BEFORE opening up the 
> floor for topics / agenda co-creation.
> Because you are explaining / inviting a different way of being. You are 
> explaining when you explain principles and law that everything is 
> possible, including visiting multiple discussions during a single session.
> You are letting people know to follow the energy of the conversations 
> rather than their pre-conceived agendas.
> And you are also letting people know that even if one person comes that 
> is exactly the amazing perfect thing - they can write in silence and 
> contribute even if they have a completely different way of thinking.
> The explanation of principles and laws (not just the reading of the text 
> on the posters) is one of the essential invitations in Open Space, I 
> believe.
> 
> Also: your client said that they do that certain way (explaining only 
> each thing as needed) for ***trainings****.
> That is a very good way to do a training.
> Open Space meetings are not trainings. 
> 
> A very important difference for design, explanation, dynamics, 
> information the participants need for their self-organized work, 
> objectives, outcomes and more. Right?
> 
> Lisa
> 
> 
> *
> /
> Lisa Heft
> /
> *
> Consultant, Facilitator, Educator
> *Opening Space*
> lisaheft at openingspace.net <mailto:lisaheft at openingspace.net>
>  
> On Nov 13, 2010, at 1:19 PM, Artur Silva wrote:
> 
>> Thanks for your answer(s), Harrison.
>>  
>> And have you (ou others) any comments on my point 2 (the possible 
>> two-step opening)?
>>  
>> Rgds
>>  
>> Artur 
> 
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-- 
Michael M Pannwitz, boscop eg
Draisweg 1, 12209 Berlin, Germany
++49-30-772 8000
mmpanne at boscop.org
www.boscop.org


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