[OSList] How to successfully convene a single session within an os event

[Harold Shinsato]

Dear Michael,

Thanks for the practical advice. Very much appreciated! I will give that 
format a try the next time I convene a session. I've been mostly just 
showing up and seeing what happens with less than satisfactory results. 
I can tell it could go better - but not quite seeing how it could go 
better or what the people are doing that make it go better.

Now that you mention it - I have generally seen the successful 
conversation oriented sessions usually just kind of log jam until the 
attendees chime in somehow with their objectives and what they want. I'm 
not so sure how helpful it is when people go around the circle and give 
their credentials. It seems to lead to posturing and less listening - 
though I do see that giving a little space for people to identify 
themselves so people can hear where they're coming from does help.

Thank you for mentioning the value of giving the session a summarizing 
closing. Like going around the circle and asking people to share one 
thing they learned. It sounds like a mini closing to an Open Space. 
Great idea - thank you!

I love the Mind Map idea. I'd definitely like to try that one out. Some 
kind of visualization is certainly helpful, even for a conversation. The 
"Lean Coffee" meetings I mentioned use a Kanban approach of just putting 
the topics on stickies and stepping through them. But I like the less 
linear format of a mind map. I look forward to seeing how that one works.

Another thing I notice is to keep the space open for divergent opinions. 
It's a trick I'm still learning. My wife seems to have great success 
beginning with an admonition - a little bit of facilitation - saying 
that we're not there for arguments - which appears to keep out the space 
invaders. I sense there's some importance for just claiming and owning 
the space, setting some intentions. It's feels like a bit of a 
facilitator's stance - one that calls for all voices.

Many successful session conveners actually do a dog and pony show, step 
through some points, or at least start with and share what they know 
about the topic. The longer these openings go - often the more impatient 
I become - but it depends on how compelling, entertaining, and engaging 
they are as a speaker.

A lot of sessions I really love are some kind of game or activity - 
ideally with a debriefing if it's a learning game. The session convener 
basically sets up the rules, they we play the game or do the activity - 
and we close with some talking.

For some folks, this is completely not interesting because it comes so 
naturally. For others, like myself, this is a bit more of a struggle. My 
Japanese heritage calls on me to avoid being too assertive and assuming. 
But my Portuguese heritage has a lot it wants to say! Harrison - you are 
definitely not the weird one! Hopefully people won't mind that I 
continue to wonder out loud.

What's needed to keep the conversation going when one also has things to 
say? I'm amazed at how well some people do it - many of which are on 
this list.

Anyway - thank you Michael for answering my plea for help! I am 
definitely interested and welcoming to more observations and thoughts 
about this topic. I really am not looking for rules to impose on open 
space or on anyone. I want OST to continue to give plenty of room for 
improvisation, playing around with formats, and trying out new things. 
But tips like Michael offered can help me from having to reinvent the 
wheel or continue to spin around.

     Harold



On 7/14/11 5:29 PM, Michael M Pannwitz wrote:
> Dear Harold,
> as a participant of events in which I posted an issue and convened a 
> session I tried different things that worked for me.
> During the introduction to an os event I as facilitator normally 
> mention one approach I as convener have used in breakout sessions.
> Just one!
>
> Here what I do as participant convening a session:
>
> 1. As convener, I always invite everyone that showed up and who cares 
> to do so to say briefly what brought them to this issue I convened 
> this session for.
> It surprises me every time how in no time flat a tapestry of motives, 
> interests, goals and other tidbits (names of the participants, etc.) 
> is created... it seems to provide a supportive backdrop for the 
> following discussion / dialog for mutual understanding and other good 
> stuff.
> It works regardless of the size of the group. On some occasions (again 
> regardless of the size of the group) most of the ("scheduled") time of 
> a breakout session was taken up by this process... it "re"placed the 
> usual type of discussion and at the same time apparently dealt well 
> with the issue.
>
> 2. As convener, I often start a visualisation of the discussion with a 
> mindmap. Sometimes, actually just about always, others jump in and 
> participate in the visualisation, expanding the mindmap with their own 
> handwriting. The visualisation makes it well transparent for everyone 
> what is going on... people that join later can quickly get 
> connected... and the mindmap has a way of documenting the emerging 
> structure of the issue (it selforganises), also making "missing" stuff 
> visible and providing a starting point for action planning at a later 
> stage.
>
> 3. As convener, I always also invite for a go-around before the 
> session closes where I invite comments around the question "How was 
> it?". This is a simple and  productive way to learn from what just 
> transpired in the last hour or so... a chance I never want to let go 
> by unused.
>
> None of these things are rocket science, none take long and they add 
> to parameters such as information, meaning, spirit, starting points 
> for action, new collaborations, dialog... and regularly change the 
> direction of the initial issue, improving and deepening the initial 
> issue or that which evolved.
>
> They also seem to go well with the one and only given that I think has 
> all the trappings of a given: selforganisation.
>
> I would love to hear of things you and you others reading this post 
> have tried when taking part in an open space as participant regardless 
> of whether you then advocate using these things in your role as a 
> facilitator introducing the participants to the OST process... and how 
> you and the breakout group and the issue fared.
>
> Greetings from Berlin
> mmp


-- 
Harold Shinsato
harold at shinsato.com <mailto:harold at shinsato.com>
http://shinsato.com
twitter: @hajush <http://twitter.com/hajush>
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