[OSList] Stating the subject at the Opening

Birgitt Williams birgitt at dalarinternational.com
Thu Oct 27 07:45:52 PDT 2011


Dear colleagues,

I wish to add an observation to a comment made by Michael. He said
“Regardless of what the subject is, people will follow their passion and
convene a group... sometimes this looks right on target to some and
sometimes it seems completely off target...I have never seen this as
unproductive or detrimental, just exactly the opposite.”

 

I disagree that it is true that people will follow their passion and convene
a group. If the OST takes place in a conference where some people from a big
community get together to talk about what they feel passionate about, I
would agree with the statement. However, if the OST takes place inside of a
company, an intact organization with some history, some leadership styles,
some previous disappointments from meetings, and some resultant fears of
speaking  out depending on the culture, there a number of people who stay
silent and do not follow their passion and convene a group. This is why,
about 18 years ago, I started researching and experimenting with how to work
with OST inside of an intact organization that would give the greatest
likelihood that people would come forward with their passion, lead a group,
and have the resultant recommendations have the best opportunity to be
enacted despite typical organizational barriers.

 

Two tips:

If the client has only one full day that they will release people to attend
a meeting, I do my best to negotiate that it is the afternoon of day one and
the morning of day two. This actually gives 24 hours for the processing as a
lot also ends up happening over socializing in the evening. On the morning
of day two during the morning news, people have the opportunity to post more
topics. Countless times, people post topics that they were too afraid to
post on day one. I have found that there is a richness from this
configuration of a full day OST meeting that having the meeting all in one
day just cannot provide.

 

The second tip is to do careful planning with the sponsor to find out what
the space is truly being opened for, and what it is not
the ‘givens’ get
made explicit in this way, instead of being hidden. This does not affect
what people talk about at the meeting itself. It does affect what they
recommend for future action. It is a wonderful way to channel productive
energy
the recommendations land within what the space is open for, and
immediate and long term evidence develops of action completion after the
OST
usually up to 100%. There are countless benefits to this.

 

Warmly,

Birgitt Williams

President, Dalar International Consultancy, Inc.

Author, The Genuine Contact Way

www.dalarinternational.com

 

 

From: oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org
[mailto:oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org] On Behalf Of Eleder_BuM
Sent: Thursday, October 27, 2011 5:54 AM
To: World wide Open Space Technology email list
Subject: Re: [OSList] Stating the subject at the Opening

 

Thanks so much, Michael! 

Sage words from an experienced friend. I´ll take them much into account on
next week OS. (The other 2 OS will be in some weeks. I would no way do 3 OS
in a week, I think, I try to embody the noble art of doing nothing, less is
more spirit,... even if some times happen to be more busy :-)!

Regards,

Eleder

...

In my experience the "well defined subject" is of little importance. What
really makes a difference is in how the "subject" was developed and how
those that developed it communicate/spread it. This is always the task of
the Planning Group which includes the sponsor and, in my case, is led by me
without intervening in the content. 

 

In my practice, it has proved very effective when the sponsor and his people
are penetrated deep by the burning business issue or the subject. The
sponsor opens the event (in my book, the space is always open, so no need to
open it) by saying "Welcome", "a few sentences about the subject" and, most
important "what his most fervent wishes are for the event and its
outcome"...for this I suggest a total of 5 minutes or less. At the end of
the 5 minutes he invites me to introduce the process in which I always point
to the "subject" which is posted on the wall just above the bulletin board
and make it clear to myself that it is not my subject but that of the
sponsor.

 

 

 

Regardless of what the subject is, people will follow their passion and
convene a group... sometimes this looks right on target to some and
sometimes it seems completely off target...I have never seen this as
unproductive or detrimental, just exactly the opposite.


 

 * What is you practice and experience on this?

Touching all bases before the event and letting go during the event has
always worked... in those instances where things worked less well, I have
almost always stumbled onto the reasons...and learned.

 

 

I agree fully with you, questions around our practice are most productive in
developing our practice further. I am most interested to hear what will
happen to your energy and spirit facilitating three os events in a week.

Greetings from Berlin
mmp

 

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