[OSList] Training

[Jeff Aitken]

Does anybody really wonder why there is The Official Lisa Heft Fanclub
(on Facebook)? Drop in if you use Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/6963853651/

Jeff
San Francisco

On Fri, Jan 27, 2012 at 4:47 PM, Lisa Heft <lisaheft at openingspace.net> wrote:
> 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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