[OSList] My first OS

[Thomas Herrmann]

Thanks for sharing dear Marie Ann
Congratulations to you and your group!
I suspect there will be many more Open Space-meetings with you as
facilitator
All the best
Thomas Herrmann

-----Ursprungligt meddelande-----
Från: oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org
[mailto:oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org] För Marie Ann Östlund
Skickat: den 5 april 2012 09:20
Till: World wide Open Space Technology email list
Ämne: [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.10150663955813785.392314.730693784
&type=3&l=29b6f85440
_______________________________________________
OSList mailing list
To post send emails to OSList at lists.openspacetech.org To unsubscribe send an
email to OSList-leave at lists.openspacetech.org
To subscribe or manage your subscription click below:
http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org