[OSList] Signing up for sessions

Suzanne Daigle sdaigle4 at gmail.com
Fri Nov 25 05:39:58 PST 2011


On what you say I totally agree! Thx for the nuanced clarification. S

On Fri, Nov 25, 2011 at 8:32 AM, Harrison Owen <hhowen at verizon.net> wrote:

> Suzanne wrote: “I love it when the wall stays exactly as it is when, messy
> with topics all over.  More often than not, organizers, hosts or
> participants come order the mess. It seems the tug of order and control is
> too great; somehow I just love the creative energy of it the other way but
> I never say a thing about it. I just let whatever happen, happen. My job is
> picking up coffee cups.”****
>
> ** **
>
> Nothing wrong with a movement towards Order, I think. After all if that
> (order) never happened, we would not be here. But to be really effective,
> it is always a dance… order to chaos…chaos to order, and around we go
> again. The only time we get into serious problems is when we become stuck
> on one or the other. When that happens, the dance is over.  Dances do end,
> but it is sad when they end prematurely, I think. ****
>
> ** **
>
> Harrison
>
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> *From:* oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org [mailto:
> oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org] *On Behalf Of *Suzanne Daigle
> *Sent:* Friday, November 25, 2011 7:52 AM
> *To:* World wide Open Space Technology email list
> *Subject:* Re: [OSList] Signing up for sessions****
>
> ** **
>
> A few reasons I have loved the signing up, from the physical rubbing of
> shoulders as people write their names, all at the same time, bumping into
> each other, craning their neck to see, up high on their toes for some, as
> they watch the names populate the "big white sheets". Sometimes, they need
> to gently push their way through and often I see them taking a second look
> when lots of names appear there. I cannot know what motivates where they
> will sign up; I just know that there is a lot of freedom and choosing
> starting to happen; something that doesn't often happen in our traditional
> world.
>
> And finally, I also feel the great joy of those who step forward, many for
> the first time in their own leadership, talking out loud, announcing a
> topic and then realizing how many were attracted and signed up.  It's the
> first validation that yes, my ideas do matter!  And to know that others are
> seeing it too is also exhilarating in an ego/non-ego sort of way.  And
> then, all day, through the event  it feels that the wall, a marketplace
> with lots of topics and people whose names appear are all interconnected
> and interwoven. The beginning of community and collaborative action is on
> that wall.
>
> I smile remembering my young 10-year-old niece posting her topic "How can
> I help the earth" attracting 3 adult men, one a PhD scientist, another a
> senior account, and then her 32 yr old cousin.  She still talks about that
> event. She's 12 now. I have pictures of her post with the names and
> pictures of her capturing the summary notes, participating as much as they
> much older guys.
>
> I have felt the signing up energy at the wall most as a participant.  When
> I am the facilitator, I  always escape away from the marketplace wall,
> somewhere in some far off corner of the room so that people can
> self-organize in this beautiful first chaos. I will have shared about this
> chaos ahead of time with the host and will have mentioned it as I opened
> space that it will be messy but fun!  The hosts and leaders often struggle
> when they experience this for the first time and I always hope they might
> remember that we talked about it during our planning sessions -- the
> benefits, the self-organizing and yes the mess and leaving it as it is
>
> Afterwards...later I walk back to the wall, often taking photos, and I
> feel such energy on that wall. The photos after the event is over, bring
> the essence of participation, they show a life with great topics and many
> people having signed up as if to say: "I'm in!"
>
> I love it when the wall stays exactly as it is when, messy with topics all
> over.  More often than not, organizers, hosts or participants come order
> the mess. It seems the tug of order and control is too great; somehow I
> just love the creative energy of it the other way but I never say a thing
> about it. I just let whatever happen, happen. My job is picking up coffee
> cups.
>
> And then for the matter of the higher-ups in the hierarchy whose voices
> are the ones who are most often heard -- those who get to create and invent
> topics on how we run the organization, I can't tell you how often it has
> happened that fewer names appear on their sheets.   I have not seen a
> pattern where people rush to sign there.  Somehow it feels as if there is a
> moment of decision where people are truly starting to feel equal and
> deciding what matters most. I have seen reflective leaders and experts;
> even felt their disappointment that fewer than they expected signed up for
> their topics.  They seem to do a second take, shifting inside then looking
> again at the topics on the wall. There is leadership on that wall,
> unfiltered leadership in the making, not as interpreted by others which is
> the way of our hierarchy. It is the first taste a the leadership that will
> emerge over the course of their event. It starts at that bazaar wall.
>
> So perhaps some will say I read too much into this.  And perhaps I do but
> because I have worked in the traditional organizations for so many years
> and have heard the pain and longing of people wanting to engage in the big
> issues/topics of the business and not being invited. I have witnessed the
> hesitancy of people to speak up and speak out often never going beyond that
> fear.  I know that each little piece and morsel of this very simple and
> magical process of Open Space can be so powerful.  Under the surface of a
> marketplace wall and the Law of 2 feet, major shifts start to happen.
>
> So in terms of one less thing to do, I plan to continue to place the cups
> on the floor with the waiting pens. And on the safety side, because yes, I
> have worried about having pens on the floor rolling all over, I started
> putting bunches of them in many big red plastic cups along the wall and
> seems that people get the idea. They sign up and put the pen back in the
> cups.
>
> Oh how I love this process of Open Space; thanks for reminding me again
> through this wonderful post.
>
> Suzanne
>
>
>
>  ****
>
> On Fri, Nov 25, 2011 at 6:51 AM, Ulrika Eklund <ulrika.eklund at telia.com>
> wrote:****
>
> I smile when I read your fourth point. The struggle. I recognize it
> myself. J Its so easy to get going and trying to guess what people want
> and don’t want. Also easy to start to try to read peoples thoughts.
> Starting to value. And the only thing that happen is that I myself get
> frustrated. Instead of holding the space, trusting the people that follow
> their passion and responsibility. Nowadays when I let go and trust – the
> outcome is amazing and it’s so much more energy saving J ****
>
>  ****
>
> Wish you all a great weekend****
>
> Ulrika ****
>
>  ****
>
> *Från:* oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org [mailto:
> oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org] *För *Rob van der Eyden
> *Skickat:* den 23 november 2011 12:08
> *Till:* 'World wide Open Space Technology email list'
> *Ämne:* Re: [OSList] Signing up for sessions****
>
>  ****
>
> Hello all,****
>
>  ****
>
> I still wanted to share some of my experiences in the Open Space I
> facilitated a couple a weeks ago. The event was a ‘Veranderdiner’
> (Changediner) that we organize a couple a times a year for a network of
> people interested in behavioral change. Topic this time was: ‘What can I do
> to make the world a better place?’.  About 20 people showed up.****
>
>  ****
>
> We had positive reactions on the event, lively conversations, new people
> met. Valuable experience gained in facilitating an Open Space. All good.
> About the Open Space ‘technique’:****
>
> ·         We asked the participants to set up the circle of chairs for
> them self. Worked really well.****
>
> ·         The agenda we had lying on floor in the middle of the circle.
> After a short introduction, I asked the participants for their topics /
> sessions. Lot of (very diverse) topics were raised, each put an a paper.
> Each paper was put somewhere at the agenda, but mostly not at a specific
> location / timeslot. That was probably because I did not put post-its on
> the agenda, that could be taken by everyone that wanted to host a session
> (so will do that next time). So we ended with a stack of topics suggested
> to be discussed, but no agenda yet…****
>
> ·         So on to ‘signing up’: based on the discussion on the OS List,
> I decided to ask the participants to sign up for the topics they were
> interested in by putting their name on that paper. Result? Nobody did that,
> but the buzz did certainly get going. And probably a bit different than it
> should, because we did not have clear topics assigned to location/timeslot.
> I ‘managed to’ leave it to the group to figure it out. There were some
> participants that started trying to organize the whole thing (“let’s do it
> like this…”), but in some way several groups formed about some topics
> (which were probably all different from the ones posted in the first run)
> and they got to work and have a good time.****
>
> ·         I did feel some struggle within me during the event. Before we
> got started one of the participants told me about a (to me very good and
> clear) topic he wanted to discuss, but for some reason he did not raise it
> in the group, but chose to raise another topic (to me very vague). I felt
> some regret, decided to let it go, but when another topic related topic
> came up, I did make a reference. That went nowhere, so probably I should
> have stayed out in the first place. Later when I listened in to some of the
> conversations, I got the feeling that some participants were more involved
> than others, so I started wondering ‘why don’t they use their 2 feet?’ and
> ‘should I remind them about that possibility?’ I did not. Any other
> experiences on that? I had the idea that participants still feel it as not
> done / not polite to leave a session…  Guess I am still trying to find the
> balance letting the group do it themselves and trying to influence / taking
> care of the participants ****
>
> ·         We closed with a nice ‘talking stick’ closing circle with warm
> reactions. ****
>
>  ****
>
> So probably I did not do it all by the book, but still I look back to a
> great event and am looking forward to try again ;-)****
>
>  ****
>
> Again: thank you all for sharing your thoughts on signing up earlier.****
>
>  ****
>
> Best regards, Rob           ****
>
>  ****
>
> *Van:* oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org [mailto:
> oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org] *Namens *Rob van der Eyden
> *Verzonden**:* dinsdag 8 november 2011 21:30
> *Aan:* 'World wide Open Space Technology email list'
> *Onderwerp:* Re: [OSList] Signing up for sessions****
>
>  ****
>
> Wow! How good to see how ‘alive’ this open space community is. Thank you
> all for all your valuable thoughts on signing up. I will try to find my way
> based on your suggestions and I will share my experiences with you
> afterwards.****
>
>  ****
>
> Best regards, Rob****
>
> De Veranderarchitect B.V.****
>
> Rob A.I. van der Eyden
> *"Change is disturbing when it is done to us, exhilerating when it is
> done by us" (K. Moss Kanter)*
> Parkietstraat 30, 1171 HV  Badhoevedorp
> *M*: +31 (0)6 512 72 127
> robvandereyden at veranderarchitect.nl
> www.veranderarchitect.nl****
>
>
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>
> --
> 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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-- 
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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