[OSList] Poke the Open Space Box

[Michael Herman]

for quite a while now, harold, i've described opening space as a practice in
invitation.  in addition to all of what that means in the meetings and
events i've facilitated, for me it's also meant that i go wherever i'm
asked, whenever i'm able.

it's also meant that i've been suggesting to clients that invitation is a
good way to do business.  i've felt it important along the way to also be in
the position of issuing invitations, not as a way to make money, though that
did happen, but first as a way to be doing and experiencing the same thing
that i've inviting others into.  i think the experience of putting my own
passions out there made me a better consultant to others.

my working definition for leadership is "practice made visible."  so to the
extent that i've worked to practice os in my own life/work/issues, it seemed
important to share that journey openly.  that's what i've done in my
website, for instance, sharing all of my working notes over a number of
years.  so to me, the way to do more open space is to do more open space,
and post the notes (my notes, not my clients' notes, that is.)

sometimes it also helps to live simply.  <grin>

m

--

Michael Herman
Michael Herman Associates
312-280-7838 (mobile)

http://MichaelHerman.com
http://ManorNeighbors.com
http://OpenSpaceWorld.org





On Mon, May 16, 2011 at 6:37 PM, Harold Shinsato <harold at shinsato.com>wrote:

>  I just read this in Seth Godin's latest tract - "Poke the Box". I've heard
> occasionally that some folks are having trouble making ends meet as Open
> Space Technology facilitators. Yet others seem to be doing ok. I've been
> wishing I could do this full time - go out - get clients - and facilitatre
> OST conferences full time - but Seth's quote kind of threw that back at me.
>
>
> "My friend Jessica wants to be a conference organizer. You can hire her and
> she'll sweat every single detail of your event. Give her the attendee list,
> the venue, and the agenda, and the conference will go off without a hitch.
>
> "The problem with this plan is that it involves being picked by the event
> promoter. If she gets picked often, it's a fine living. If she can negotiate
> a fair payday, it's a fine living. But Jessica must pitch the promoter, hat
> in hand.
>
> "So... why not be the promoter, the initiator, the one in charge and
> responsible?"
>
>    - Seth Godin, Poke the Box, p. 25
>
>
> This sounds a lot more like the spirit of OST than going out looking for
> clients who want to do OST events. This is very personal for me as Missoula
> BarCamp's OST event happens on Saturday. I went out and just got it started
> - but it's not exactly a money maker at this point. But what Seth says, just
> initiating cool OST events, sounds a lot more juicy than trying to pitch OST
> facilitation.
>
> Any enlightenment anyone? What's the path to abundant full time Open Space
> living?
>
> --
> Harold Shinsato
> harold at shinsato.com
> http://shinsato.com
> twitter: @hajush <http://twitter.com/hajush>
>
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