[OSList] Intro and inquiry: Open Space with some off-limits topics

[Artur Silva]

Hi Dan:

Thanks for your question.

I agree with Harrison and Chris.

Many, many moons ago, we had 2 discussions about a related question. Shall we 
(or not) define with the client what are the "Givens". The reason I have been 
(and I still am) strongly against that practice, is that when we define some 
givens in the beginning we are "closing the space", and those "givens" will be 
discussed during the coffee breaks, at night, etc.

Best regards from a sunny Lisbon

Artur 



________________________________
From: "Chris Altmikus @ iDeA-Link" <chris.altmikus at idea-link.eu>
To: World wide Open Space Technology email list <oslist at lists.openspacetech.org>
Sent: Wed, July 13, 2011 2:16:51 PM
Subject: Re: [OSList] Intro and inquiry: Open Space with some off-limits topics

Hi Dan,

My experience is that off-limit subjects are "in" as soon as you put them 
explicitly "off-limits". And that's in Open Space as well as in numerous other 
contexts.

What does your mind dwell on, if I ask you to NOT think of a pink elephant... It 
would appear that our sub-consciousness simply does not recognize negatives.

Best regards   +   Chris


iDeA Coaching @ iDeA-Link
La Bovarde 37
1091 Grandvaux
Suisse
 
+41 33 533 31 34
+41 78 935 31 34
Chris.Altmikus at iDeA-Link.eu



Le 13 juil. 2011 à 15:08, Harrison Owen a écrit :

Welcome Dan!
>
>Restricting conversation is something that some people have tried. And I
>guess they think it works. But that has never been my experience. Of course,
>every Open Space needs a theme to define the general area of discourse.
>That, after all, is why people come -- or don't. Your Agile community would
>scarcely show up for a gathering focused on "The Future of American
>Dentistry." And I doubt that the dentists would be too intrigued with the
>"Agile Passions." 
>
>But once the general theme has been determined, everything else is "fair
>game" in my book. The reasons are several. First, when you limit the areas
>of exploration you also limit the possibility of innovation and renewal,
>which in my book is the major objective. And if it isn't -- why get together
>anyhow?
>
>A second reason, which is the clincher for me... is that even if you tell
>everybody that "certain areas" are off limits -- there is not much chance
>that they will actually pay attention. Especially if the areas are
>interesting. As a matter of fact, I suspect that by proscribing certain
>discussion, you actually insure that it will come up. I guess you could call
>that the "forbidden fruit" syndrome. Or maybe "beans in the nose" (Never
>tell a child not to put beans in their nose, because they will surely do
>it.)
>
>So the "forbidden fruit" will be discussed, but perhaps not publically. And
>that just creates more problems. I think that is the way you grow elephants,
>and other nasty creatures that lurk in the shadows.
>
>So I have never found any reason or profit in limiting the conversation.
>
>Harrison 
>
>Harrison Owen
>7808 River Falls Dr.
>Potomac, MD 20854
>USA
>
>189 Beaucaire Ave. (summer)
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>
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>
>www.openspaceworld.com
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>-----Original Message-----
>From: oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org
>[mailto:oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org] On Behalf Of Dan Mezick
>Sent: Tuesday, July 12, 2011 11:30 AM
>To: oslist at lists.openspacetech.org
>Subject: [OSList] Intro and inquiry: Open Space with some off-limits topics
>
>Hi,
>
>I am a respectful lurker who now has an inquiry, so it is time to 
>introduce myself.
>
>Hi! I am Dan Mezick, coach to Agile teams, their sponsors, and executive 
>management. I live in CT. I am friendly, curious and playful. I enjoy 
>conducting frequent experiments. I like to be surprised and learn.  I 
>have a history of software development. I receive a software patent in 
>1999.  In 2003, I run an elaborate search engine optimization experiment 
>that results in over 120,000 unsolicited, incoming web links from all 
>around the world, in 20 days. Those 120,00++ links-in result in a #1 
>Google rank for over 7 years.
>
>Now I am curious about Open Space. I play with it. I read all the books 
>from Harrison. I experience many surprises as I read these books.  I 
>convene five OST events in Boston since 2009. The largest is the Agile 
>Boston Open Space in Sept 2010 where 275 people participate. I have 
>experience directly facilitating some smaller OST meetings for clients 
>recently.
>
>I am currently quite fascinated with Open Space and OST dynamics.
>
>This list is very awesome and awe-inspiring. I am very happy to be here.
>
>If you like to be surprised, you may enjoy this:
>http://sprott.physics.wisc.edu/pickover/esp.html
>
>
>Here is my inquiry:
>
>
>My Inquiry
>=========
>
>"Let' s not go there."
>
>This is a common utterance used in conversation, one that clearly 
>signals that the space is closed to that topic.
>
>Open Space, limited by only a broad Theme, is not very limiting. 
>Authority often is concerned with this wide-ranging freedom to explore 
>"just about anything" when considering OST, and what might result from 
>that afterward.
>
>I wonder if any of us have experience with doing OST with some sections 
>in the discussion-space explicitly closed.
>
>I wonder how these limits are expressed-in-fact; for example inside the 
>Invite or in the composition of the Theme.
>
>I wonder how the "explicitly stated as closed" space is then 
>successfully maintained in an OST setting. I then wonder how much fun 
>the event is, when some space is closed.
>
>I wonder also, if this is an oxymoron, that just does not work very 
>well, ever.
>
>I think have read here somewhere here, in a passing comment, that 
>sometimes, certain topics are closed in OS meeting.
>
>I wonder if anyone has experience trying this, and if any specific 
>knowledge about this is documented explicitly anywhere.
>
>Thank you for your help ! I am preparing to be surprised.
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