[OSList] Sharing the pre-work of our New Jersey upcoming event

Fri Jun 17 03:17:45 PDT 2011

Suzanne and Chun Li,

Congratulations and great work enabling citizens of New Jersey to build a
new future together.
It will be exciting to watch the evolution of what you both contributed.
Scott
--

On Fri, Jun 17, 2011 at 12:50 AM, Suzanne Daigle <sdaigle4 at gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi again everyone!
>
> The New Jersey event held on June 14th and 15th was absolutely amazing.
>
> For once, I don't feel I can describe what happened in New Jersey.  It is
> beyond words.   And somehow I feel that the success, intensity and
> excitement of this event belongs to all of you in this worldwide community.
> I know that what happened in New Jersey happens in so many places all around
> the world.  I feel so grateful and connected to all of you in the process of
> doing this work.
>
> To hear people describe how they feel when they are in open space engaged
> in topics that they are passionate about defies words. I will never tire of
> hearing them describe their experiences.
>
> The stats can only give one sliver of description of what happened at this
> 2-day event: 150 diverse people in attendance, many on a wait list, 73
> topics posted; 50+ summary reports and they're still coming in; hundreds of
> photos, lots of tweets, about 25 or more video interviews and a book of
> proceedings of nearly 110 pages. All of this in 2 short (or long) days.
> Many volunteers, a dedicated committee, the best partner ever (Chuni Li)
> plus many others (most of all the participants!) created the magic.
>
> Rather than me describing more, I invite you to check these sample videos
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-0BWV6Vf-E
>
> and
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFq6NYWb7mg&feature=related.
>
> If you search You Tube and type the key words *creativenewjersey*, you
> will find 20 or 25 more interviews with people talking about "Revitalizing
> New Jersey through Innovation and Creativity". Sprinkled here and there, you
> will also hear how they felt about Open Space.
>
> You can also check the event website  http://creativenj.org/  which gives
> another flavor of what happened.
>
> Sleep deprived these past few days, I could not help but share my awe and
> gratitude with you before catching a few winks.  I will also confide that it
> was tough not facilitating this event, letting the client take on this role
> that I love so much. I had provided him with some behind the scenes
> coaching. In the end, it felt like the right thing to do. Today he kindly
> sent me a note that said: "I now understand why you were a little
> regretful about not facilitating. It was great fun and a real high to see it
> all happen so brilliantly. It could be very addictive." In my mind's eye,
> I smile remembering the people lined up by his side to announce their topics
> and later seeing him pick up coffee cups and arranging the chairs in the
> circles for evening news and closing circle. I believe we may well have
> another facilitator in our midst. Life will never quite be the same for him
> as indeed it has never been quite the same for me and many of you.
>
> Thank you dear friends for being there always, wherever you are on this
> planet, as I once again share with you how I feel and what I have lived
> these past few days.
>
> Suzanne
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> On Sun, Jun 12, 2011 at 5:10 PM, Suzanne Daigle <sdaigle4 at gmail.com>wrote:
>
>> Dear OS friends and colleagues:
>>
>>  So many times during this project, I have wanted to write to you to
>> share the exuberance, the challenges, the questioning, the commitment and
>> the awe, pride and admiration I have felt for everyone involved in the
>> two-day Creative New Jersey Open Space event scheduled to take place on June
>> 14th and 15th of this week.
>>
>>  <http://creativenj.org/>
>>
>> Check out the site http://creativenj.org/ and to witness what’s happening
>> live this week. You can even twitter if you’d like. Just don't forget to
>> include #creativenj if you do tweet.
>>
>> For Chuni Li and me, co-facilitators on this Open Space project with
>> Creative New Jersey, our work began a little over two months ago. For the
>> organizing host team, the Vision had started about 18 months ago.
>>
>>
>>
>> A compelling white paper described the burning platform of a state (like
>> most across the country) facing enormous economic, social, cultural,
>> educational and environmental challenges. It spoke of a proud history of
>> innovation, creativity and success. Their goal was a Call to Action to
>> spark a movement that recognizes, fosters and sustains creativity and
>> innovation as catalysts for a vital, prosperous and sustainable New Jersey.
>>
>>
>>
>> After an Open Space simulation, introduced as part of our pre-work, the
>> organizing committee agreed to go with an OS process.  Then began the work
>> of creating an invitation which led to the theme question: “How can
>> Creativity and Innovation Revitalize New Jersey?” Excitement was building
>> with the committee though not without a certain degree of anxiety wondering
>> how we would attract a group of 150 diverse individuals to commit two full
>> days in mid-June.  A weekly meeting schedule by conference call was
>> established with the Host Team taking the lead on most of the pre-work
>> assignments. With each passing week, the energy and enthusiasm kept
>> building. Chuni and I became resources, assisting and guiding with the
>> intention of not only helping them have a successful event but also
>> transferring knowledge about Open Space, the mechanics and the depth of this
>> self-organizing leadership process.
>>
>>
>>
>> Mid-stream, we also decided to call upon Gerry Kirk, from the Scrum
>> Community, an avid supporter of Open Space, asking him to lead us on the
>> technology side.  Chuni became his right arm person, avid to learn and do. A
>> host website with many simple tools was quickly created. Again the mission
>> was about transferring the learning to the New Jersey team of volunteers.
>> Now a few days before the event, the conversations are happening on line;
>> many participants have already posted their profiles and we know that the
>> site will be a welcoming place for blogs, live twitters, summary reports and
>> short videos to capture impressions and highlights during the event. It will
>> also serve as an important vehicle to continue the conversations afterwards
>> and to share ideas and engage action and to invite more people to join.
>>
>>
>>
>> Initially the intent was that I would facilitate the event but in the
>> course of our preparations, a request came asking if we would agree to have
>> Larry Capo, one of the leads on this project, facilitate.  For a split
>> second I hesitated but then quickly agreed that yes, this was the way to go.
>> Now as I listen to Larry counseling others on our weekly conference calls
>> saying “whatever happens, happens”, “letting go is what we need to do ” or
>> quoting a passage in Harrison’s Open Space Technology book, I know without a
>> shadow of a doubt that this was the right decision and that in a different
>> and very invisible way, I too will be holding space with him, working at the
>> newsroom.
>>
>> Today, a diverse group of nearly 170 people have confirmed from business
>> and industry, education, arts and culture, science and technology,
>> government, communities, medical and pharmaceuticals, faith based, media and
>> others.
>>
>> As I reflect on what has happened these past few months, I can almost hear
>> Harrison’s voice to us the facilitators of Open Space saying “one less thing
>> to do” is one more thing the clients can do for themselves.  Chuni and I
>> have contributed in a different way, wrestling at times as it was not always
>> easy watching our clients struggle and work as hard as they have.  In the
>> end, as we look forward to our upcoming event, I feel and hear the pride and
>> ownership of what has been achieved to date and I can only imagine how
>> wonderful and great it will be when we get to the end of the closing circle
>> “when it’s over, it’s over”.   Of course, we will know that it’s really just
>> the beginning … of a transformative change to revitalize New Jersey.
>>
>>
>>
>> There are no words to express the joy at the emergent collaboration of
>> working with this wonderful team. Wish us all luck and please hold the space
>> for us and with us.  Thank you Harrison for your wise counsel and support
>> along the way; Lisa Heft for your expert guidance on the simulation and
>> pre-work; and Diane Gibeault, my teacher and friend, for the opportunity to
>> ponder deeply together and to exchange ideas in Ottawa last week and over
>> the phone.
>>
>>
>>
>> Suzanne (with Chuni Li)
>>
>>
>> --
>> 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
>> twitter @suzannedaigle
>>
>>
>
>
> --
> 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
> twitter @suzannedaigle
>
>
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-- 
Scott Gassman
IdeaJuice
(917) 951 - 0258
scott.gassman at gmail.com
www.ideajuices.com

America Speaks on Scott:
http://www.americaspeaks.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=page.viewPage&pageID=919&nodeID=1
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