[OSList] My first OS

Fri Apr 6 07:25:21 PDT 2012

Dear Marie,

Thank you so very much for making us part of your first Open Space
facilitation experience.  Far from being "a little peanut of a contribution
to the OSList bowl", I feel it to be a precious jewel of sharing.

I resonated with you saying that you did not feel prepared enough.
Initially, I was quite nervous. My mouth racing ahead of my brain; so
concerned that I would forget some of the instructions.  Facilitating an OS
event has many layers. I have my own little ritual now to quiet myself down
which includes walking the circle alone beforehand when I can.  I imagine
ahead the people who will be sitting in the circle, feeling their presence
and acknowledging with deep gratitude what OS will unleash in them
connected to the theme and also how they will show up in life later.

I have vivid memories of facilitating a number of Open Spaces with youth
and adults. In one case my 10-year-old niece hosted a topic:  How can I
help the earth. It attracted three adult relatives. Not only did she engage
the group well, she also took the notes.  Another situation led to this
comment by a mom afterwards:  "I never knew my son had such depth.  He had
asked us to attend a leadership training program; we thought he was too
young. We saw that that was not the case."  I discovered later that he did
indeed attend the workshop and I felt the parent/son relationship
transformed because of our Open Space event.

I hope you facilitate again soon Marie and that you will continue to share.

Suzanne Daigle in Sunny Florida

  I remember my first OS event,  feeling that my mouth was spouting the
words and my mind hadn't quite caught up.  Now with quiet time before
(often walking the circle alone  and a quick review of the instructions, I
feel more present and just love

On Fri, Apr 6, 2012 at 8:11 AM, Harrison Owen <hhowen at verizon.net> wrote:

> Marie -- I don't remember the exact ages. Some were surely teenagers, but
> we
> had a few in the 5-10 range. People who have worked with groups that were
> mostly (exclusively) children seemed to use shorter periods to allow for
> more limited attention spans. But what I always noticed is that when
> children really get into an issues the focus and attention seems unending.
> Makes some adults look scattered. Then of course for those kids who get
> bored -- the Law of Two feet takes care of everything. Funny thing, I have
> never heard a child describe an OS as "boring" -- even (or most especially
> when) the use their two feet.
>
> Harrison
>
> Harrison Owen
> 7808 River Falls Dr.
> Potomac, MD 20854
> USA
>
> 189 Beaucaire Ave. (summer)
> Camden, Maine 20854
>
> Phone 301-365-2093
> (summer)  207-763-3261
>
> www.openspaceworld.com
> www.ho-image.com (Personal Website)
> To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of OSLIST
> Go to:http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org
> [mailto:oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org] On Behalf Of Marie Ann
> Östlund
> Sent: Friday, April 06, 2012 7:52 AM
> To: Diane Gibeault; World wide Open Space Technology email list
> Subject: Re: [OSList] My first OS
>
> Thanks for all your insights and advice! It makes sense to be flexible to
> the situation and adjust time slots to the needs of the group, sometimes
> mixing their length (if not too much to confuse them). And
> Eva: "why didn't they continue the session?" Exactly! I guess they wanted
> to
> go to the next one, but you're right - they could have continued....
>
> Harrison: Yes, children got it! The challenge, I guess, are the parents -
> and now that they got this experience they might see how children can be
> part of it. This is great.
>
> But at what age have you included children in open space? These were 7-8-9
> yrs.
>
> Marie Ann
>
> On Thu, Apr 5, 2012 at 8:08 PM, Diane Gibeault <diane.gibeault at rogers.com>
> wrote:
> > I agree with you Chris.
> >
> > If I have limitations, I will favor a longer 1st round (1h30 or
> > minimally 75
> > min) for flexibility in the opening, also giving time for participants
> > to choose topics at the market place and get to their group (can take
> > more time since they are not yet familiar with the process and the
> physical space).
> >
> > Diane
> >
> > ________________________________
> > From: Chris Corrigan <chris at chriscorrigan.com>
> >
> > To: World wide Open Space Technology email list
> > <oslist at lists.openspacetech.org>
> > Sent: Thursday, April 5, 2012 2:00:44 PM
> > Subject: Re: [OSList] My first OS
> >
> > Echoing many things said here.  Congrats on your first one, and yes to
> > the kids noticing passion and responsibility showing up.
> >
> > I like to err on the side of more time in the sessions.  With 1.5 hour
> > sessions, we have a nice breath in the agenda and people can take as
> > much or as little time as they need.  An hour for me is usually the
> > minimum, but I've even had 75 minute sessions instead of 60.
> >
> > Of course all this depends on context and so on, and with very large
> > groups anything less than 1.5 hours makes things very difficult
> > logistically, and with groups working on well defined issues, 45 mins can
> work very well.
> >
> > Chris.
> >
> >
> >
> > On Thu, Apr 5, 2012 at 10:31 AM, Harrison Owen <hhowen at verizon.net>
> wrote:
> >
> > Marie -- Many thanks for sharing! And I loved the part about the
> > children at the end. My finding: Kids do get Open Space -- more
> > better, quicker, and deeper than their (sometimes) recalcitrant
> > parents. Next time try just treating them like people along with
> > everybody else. We had some young people at our recent OSONOS in
> > Manila. They raised provocative issues (not just about "young people")
> > and convened rich (mostly adult participants) sessions. No problems and
> lots of good surprise!
> >
> > Harrison
> >
> > Harrison Owen
> > 7808 River Falls Dr.
> > Potomac, MD 20854
> > USA
> >
> > 189 Beaucaire Ave. (summer)
> > Camden, Maine 20854
> >
> > Phone 301-365-2093
> > (summer)  207-763-3261
> >
> > www.openspaceworld.com
> > www.ho-image.com (Personal Website)
> > To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of
> > OSLIST Go
> > to:http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.or
> > g
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org
> > [mailto:oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org] On Behalf Of Marie Ann
> > Östlund
> > Sent: Thursday, April 05, 2012 3:20 AM
> > To: World wide Open Space Technology email list
> > Subject: [OSList] My first OS
> >
> > Dear all,
> >
> > I sent this letter Saturday but it got stuck as I had added a photo to
> > it, but here it is again:
> >
> > There is only one open space that will be the first, even if all of
> > them certainly will be unique. Since I facilitated my first open space
> > last weekend March 23-24, I thought to write something about it. I
> > find this email list both generous and helpful, and I admire the way
> > you're all supporting each other. In any case, here is my little
> > peanut of a contribution to the OSList bowl.
> >
> > I held the open space at the Hare Krishna farm/village community in
> > Sweden (Järna), which hosts around 35 adults and 30 kids (most of them
> below 10!).
> > There are mostly independent families with kids living there. I had
> > suggested to them that they try OS. A few of them got it immediately,
> > but there was some scepticism as they suffer from quite some
> meeting-fatigue .
> >
> > Some desired we hold it around the spring equinox and an astrologer
> > pointed out the weekend after as excellent, if we could start on the
> Friday.
> > Considering people's work commitments, that they are early risers, the
> > children, we decided to hold a short inauguration of the meetings in
> > the evening instead of starting the OS or doing some storytelling.
> > They arranged for some recitation of mantras and chanting, and the
> > children led a big part of it. They were so good! We also had some
> > food, and the whole thing was really appreciated.
> >
> > The main challenge for the community in regards to the meeting was to
> > engage the children so that the parents could attend. In the end they
> > sorted something out by themselves (as is of course the best).
> >
> > By the end of the weekend (it was a 1 1/2 day event) they were
> > surprised of how relaxed the meetings were while being very efficient.
> > They experienced how OS got them into a collaborative instead of an
> > adversarial mood, and had a really good time. They would like to
> > continue the process. They also noticed who did not come and started
> > to think more deeply about who feels included and who does not. It's
> > nice to see how OS creates the clarity needed for action.
> >
> > Some learnings/reflections:
> >
> > We did one hour sessions, which was too short for some topics. Next we
> > time we could use 1 1/2hrs per session. Anyone having experiences of
> > mixing the length of time, like using 1 1/2 hr sessions in the morning
> > and 1hr sessions in the afternoon?
> >
> > I could do a better introduction. I didn't prepare enough, and what I
> > had prepared was in English - and had to switch to Swedish on the
> > spot. I think simplicity really is the key, and getting out of the
> > way. :)
> >
> > One person took the opportunity to organise a meeting demanding
> > parents attendance. I let that go, as they were discussing an
> > important topic for them. He also organised another one like that, but
> > this time people voted with their feet. I should have been more alert to
> this.
> >
> > In the end, some kids sat by me drawing, and one started to come up
> > with his own topics. I then gave them a part of the wall and asked
> > what they wanted and they came up with really good stuff. I think they
> > were really pleased to be asked. They wanted e.g. a more quiet temple
> > room and less running around in it, which surprised me as they usually
> > are the cause to the cacophony. It was a great learning, both in terms
> > of how kids can do OS quite effectively, and how it's so much better
> > to create the ground rules together than dictating them. And as
> > someone told me afterwards, the 'cause' of a problem should be included
> in
> solving it as they are the experts in it.
> >
> > I hope you're well. We're getting some snow tomorrow in Stockholm, but
> > are still keeping our hopes for spring alive! Happy Easter!
> >
> > Best wishes,
> >
> > Marie Ann Östlund
> >
> > PS. A few pictures of the weekend:
> > https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150663955813785.392314.730
> > 693784
> > &type=3&l=29b6f85440
> > _______________________________________________
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> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > ---
> > CHRIS CORRIGAN
> > Facilitation - Training - Process Design Open Space Technology
> >
> > Weblog: http://www.chriscorrigan.com/parkinglot
> > Site: http://www.chriscorrigan.com
> >
> > Upcoming workshops (click for invitations)
> >
> > Art of Hosting Water dialogues
> > (for people involved with water issues) April 13-15, 2012, Bowen
> > Island BC, Canada
> >
> >
> > YET: the improv-based facilitation course you have always wanted to take!
> > September 2012, Bowen Island, BC, Canada (email me for more
> > information)
> >
> >
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> >
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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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