[OSList] Training

[Lisa Heft]

Hello, dear colleagues -

(I had some difficulty posting recently so thanks for your patience as  
I jump into a few conversations after a bit of time has passed...)

I enjoyed reading about my colleagues' Open Space workshops about Open  
Space - and thank you Kerry for inviting the question.
I smile when I think that if you attended each different colleague's  
workshop you would learn different things - fabulous. It also shows  
that the learning is diverse and the the learning is life-long.

Some of my lessons learned:

I find that the longer the workshop, the less diverse the  
participants. Participant feedback tells me that the more diverse  
individuals do not have so many days they can take off from their  
multiple jobs, step away from their schooling or organize their  
child's care. So my workshops are almost always 2, 2.5 or 3 days long.

In my analysis of what would be the most useful given the time  
available for a workshop I look at all the things you can learn from  
reading, all the things you can learn from practice on your own, and  
all the things you can only learn best experientially with others.

I do not teach what can be learn from reading.
- I invite people to read Harrison's book, "Open Space Learning  
Workshop: A User's Guide" before they come to the workshop - even if  
they have learned Open Space or something like it from other sources,  
writings or experiences.

I do not teach what you can learn from practice on your own.
- I invite participants to connect into the OSLIST and other online  
communities and to their local communities of practice.
- I also host an OSonOS each year for anyone who has learned Open  
Space - my workshop graduates and everyone else - to join together in- 
person to deepen their learning.
- I connect participants to others who do Open Space in their region  
of the world.
- I remind them that the learning did not start with this workshop nor  
does it end at the end of the workshop - the learning and practice are  
life-long.

What is left are those things which I find are most useful to offer in  
an experiential setting such as a workshop.

Some topics I cover in the workshop and its materials:

- A sense of what makes the full complete form of Open Space; when to  
call it Open Space and when you are using just a page from Open Space  
and do not need to call it that; what similar things are not Open Space

- Deliverables of different-length OS events

- Thoughts and questions for analysis with the client to decide what  
dialogue tool is a fit for the job

- Thoughts about how short is too short for Open Space - why many  
facilitators decide to select another tool if there is not enough time

- Talking with a client about finding more time for an OS event

- How morphing or hybridizing changes human dynamics and the flow of  
thought and often reduces the productivity and deliverables of an Open  
Space-like meeting

- Thoughts about how a facilitator's passion for a method can  
sometimes their ability to truly listen to a client

- How food and beverage, invitation strategy, signage and other  
details can support or lessen inclusivity, productivity, and idea- 
generation

- A look at all the many interconnected elements of pre-work that can  
support and strengthen an Open Space event

- Thoughts about how the brain works and why or why not to include  
action planning, pattern-seeking or next-steps identification in the  
same meeting as the Open Space

- Lessons learned from clients about follow-up / sustaining the  
momentum and ideas generated from an Open Space event

- Diverse forms of participant-generated documentation - and a look at  
many different kinds of Books of Proceedings from different countries,  
projects and cultures

- Lessons learned about using Open Space for non-readers, in world  
conflict zones, in multi-language groups

- Thoughts about Open Space and conflict transformation, about the  
facilitator's role; stories about trusting (or not trusting) the  
process and the people and what can result

- Stories about power dynamics, conflict, smallest, largest and most  
challenging Open Space events

- A look at diverse clients' themes and lessons learned about  
invitation languaging and strategy

- Site design and preparation

- Thoughts about accessibility and inclusion regarding site,  
materials, signage, invitation

- Experiencing an Open Space conference within the body of the  
workshop, then reflecting on that experience

- Reflection and thought about the facilitator's role and about each  
participant's learning edge

- Thoughts about where each participant might use Open Space in their  
organization or community

After the workshop...
- Participants receive their Book of Proceedings from their in- 
workshop Open Space conference
- They also receive follow-up notes from their workshops
- I offer lifetime feedback and support
- I share where to learn more about Open Space; remind the  
participants that the international community of practice is there for  
them 24 hours a day; and also remind them that different thinkers than  
myself may spark different thoughts or ways of doing things

Some organizations or communities invite me to give this several-day  
workshop as a first step.
The second step is for the community of participants to help each  
other do one or more Open Space events. Time passes. Reflection happens.
The third step is the organization or community bringing me back for  
further exploration of any specific areas identified by the  
participants.

Various participants show up at the OSonOS or the WOSonOS to re- 
connect with the world community of practice.

- - -

These workshops are for those with experience in Open Space and those  
who are new to OS. Those who consider themselves professional  
facilitators and those who do not.

Perhaps some of you will join me for the Open Space Learning Workshop  
this year.

- May 16-18, 2012 - San Francisco USA
- October 8-10, 2012 - London - before the 2012 WOSonOS
- December 12-14, 2012 - San Francisco
...and other workshops to be announced in other parts of the world -  
including this workshop in Spanish.

Perhaps some of you have already learned about Open Space in a  
workshop setting and have studied it deeply and use it in the world.

Then perhaps you will want to join us for the
- Open Space on Open Space March 14-16, San Francisco USA

Let me know if you want more information regarding these workshops and  
events.

- - -

I am curious to hear from those of you who give one-day workshops -  
what is the content? what do you feel you need to teach, and what  
don't you feel you need to teach? What do you wish you had more time  
to teach?

Thank you again, Kerry, for inviting us to share about our workshops.
And a warm hello to fellow learners from many countries who have come  
through my workshops - you always teach me so very much, and I look  
forward to seeing you again soon.

Take care,
Lisa
  
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