[OSList] Training

Mon Jan 30 09:22:12 PST 2012

Lisa - Back on "Training" - that marvelous thread you initiated, or majorly
contributed to, way back yonder. You said," Well...I will adjust that - I
have seen this process - or some things called Open Space - done terribly."
I don't doubt that for a minute, but I would make a further "adjustment."
Maybe it is just semantics - but I would have to say that I have never seen
Open Space done well or terribly - for a very simple reason. I don't believe
we "do" Open Space. More accurately, Open Space DOES us! 

You will understand that I am back on my old soap box talking about
self-organization but I believe the point is a critical one. If Open Space
"works" simply and only because self-organization works, as it has for 13.7
billion years - then all of our "doing" has little if any effect. We didn't
create it, design it, least of all "do" it. The simple truth of the matter
is that, left to its own devices, self-organization does quite well all by
itself. It is a completely natural act, it is what we are and do at the most
fundamental levels. Problems arise when we try to organize things, for
reasons altruistic or nefarious. Organizing a self organizing system is
never a good idea. If nothing else it is a waste of time and energy.

What we do do -- and it is not nothing - is to invite people to remember
what they already know, to be what they already are. The invitation is
short, sweet, and from the heart, but there is nothing to learn, no arcane
expertise required on the part of the participants or the facilitator. It is
absolutely true - Anybody with a good heart and good head can "do" it. No
advanced training required!

The story, of course, does not end with the event. And indeed, there is a
lot to learn from the experience, albeit much of that "learning" is really
UN-learning. And we can be very helpful, which is nice if only because that
means we are not out of a job. Lots to do, having nothing to do with "doing
a process." 

At the core, it is all about weaning ourselves from our sever addiction to
the illusion of control. Just think about all the strictures, procedures,
and processes we have designed to maintain control! Call it the "Corporate
Structure" for short - but I honestly feel that if we were to set ourselves
the task of designing a perfect system for eliminating innovation and
creativity, to say nothing of making people feel generally miserable - we
simply couldn't have done any better. And when we hear participants say how
good Open Space feels ("I've come home") that has nothing to do with the
brilliance of the "process" or our incredible skills as a facilitator. It is
simply that they have stopped beating their heads against the wall. It is
amazing how good you feel if you just stop beating your head against the
wall!

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)

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From: oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org
[mailto:oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org] On Behalf Of Lisa Heft
Sent: Saturday, January 28, 2012 4:18 PM
To: World wide Open Space Technology email list
Subject: Re: [OSList] Training

Naps do come first. Or something.

Naps!  Siestas!  Harrison in a dream state!

Harrison my friend - the amazing thing is that you have written "Open Space
Technology: A User's Guide" in such a clear and thoughtful way and shared
your knowledge and experience so generously that there is no requirement to
take anybody's workshop - including mine - to be able to understand and do
this amazing process.  

Well...I will adjust that - I have seen this process - or some things called
Open Space - done terribly. With the participants feeling unproductive or
with only some participants feeling they can contribute.  But that is almost
always because - from my observation - the facilitator does not explore what
is behind the surface, does not do thorough pre-work, does not trust the
process or the people, does not feel they are always learning, messes with
the simple effective structure, inserts their ego, 'helps' people,
interrupts the flow, uses this tool for the wrong reason or situation... As
can happen for any process and any group work.

I will always remember when the incredible Pepe Nummi of Finland walked into
an Open Space workshop I was giving at an international facilitator's
conference. He said 'I hope you do not mind if I just visit for the Opening
Circle to see how you do it. I read the book and I have already facilitated
54 Open Space events but I have never seen someone else do it.'  It is true
- we so rarely get to each each other's work as only one facilitator is
needed for any sized group - from 10 to 2500.

Lisa - what I love about what you do is NOT the detail - which frankly takes
my breath away. Honestly, if I had to learn all "that" I am positive I never
would have ventured into Open Space - Something about working much too hard!
But you know me. 

I admit to being a detail queen. "My name is Lisa Heft and I am a detail
queen!"

My workshops are for those new to Open Space and those richly experienced
who wish to dig down deep into those unseen-to-the-participant elements.
Not because everyone has to do things just like me - but simply to share
stories and lessons learned, possibilities, opportunities.  

Those of you who know and have worked with me know I am a combination of
loving the details of good design, preparation, access and inclusion - and
being very in the moment. In life and in facilitation.

My own approach to facilitation is to build a strong and thoughtful
scaffolding - thoughtful thorough pre-work with careful attention to how
food, site, context, culture, invitation, documentation design, follow-up
and all the other details support whatever dialogue method I select for the
job - including Open Space. And then - knowing I and the client planning
team have done all that we can - I breathe...and trust the people and the
process... and dance the dance wherever it takes us. With attachment to
participant-centered usefulness and capturing participant-driven
documentation to support sustainability - but without attachment to a
particular outcome.

All that said, I simply love what you do - Giving Freely. It is all out
there, and everybody is invited to partake and share. There is no license,
no certification. Open Space belongs to everybody as a birthright.
Marvelous! Open Space IS pure gift, but it comes with a cost
(responsibility) - That we share freely all that we have learned." That, so
far as I am concerned, is the essence of Open Space. It is the Spirit of our
global community, of OSLIST, and it is the same Spirit you manifest so well.
Thank you!

Harrison Harrison - you are the model. I heartily believe that knowledge is
not to be 'owned' but to be shared freely. That whatever it takes to make an
event or workshop or process accessible to whomever has the passion for
learning is worth any effort.  And to me that is joyful effort.  I strongly
agree with you - no license, no certification. For a process you can learn
for yourself from a book - and because I hope we Open Space facilitators are
all life-long learners and no one is a 'master' to anyone - nobody needs my
blessing or approval to go ahead and jump in and do Open Space.  Although in
some cultures and countries a certificate is very important - and in that
case I will certificate that you -attended- a workshop but not that you are
'officially' now able to do Open Space. Our workshops and OSonOSs and
WOSonOSs and this OSLIST are about mutual learning - this interesting
combination of sharing stories and experiences -and- staying in the
beginner's mind.  About welcoming each person's wisdom, no matter what their
experience level. About saying 'this is what I have learned to do - but you
may have a different experience...'

And what is *your* different experience, dear readers and fellow
learners...?

Lisa

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