[OSList] OSONOS Whenever, Wherever, with Whomsoever

Wed Oct 24 12:43:08 PDT 2012

Thomas – Guidelines? Horrors!!!!

HJ

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>
http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org

From: oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org
[mailto:oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org] On Behalf Of Thomas Herrmann
Sent: Wednesday, October 24, 2012 3:11 PM
To: 'World wide Open Space Technology email list'
Subject: Re: [OSList] OSONOS Whenever, Wherever, with Whomsoever

Thanks for all sharing in this circle – I come back as a bumblebee bzzzzzz

I think WOSonOS is a nice breathing in, as a community. An anchoring point
for our community to connect as a whole – yes everyone cannot be present
physically, but to me it’s something special even if I cannot join and
usually there are options to connect via other media. I think the OS-list is
another one of these anchoring points that hold our community together as a
whole.

I think it’s up to the host to decide how to organize although I expect we
stick to “OST by the book”. The rest is up to the passion of the host – and
I love the extras offered. Good to keep in mind though, to give maximum
freedom maximum choice. 

I would also enjoy a really simple WOSonOS. I can see the risk of
expectations rising for each WOSonOS but if we keep on reminding ourselves
about – one less thing to do – we should be able to remember that option.
So, this is an important breakout sessions – as they all are.

I guess it’s free to anyone (passion and responsibility) to work on creating
guidelines, if anyone think that is needed. There might be a break out group
preparing a proposal, presenting it to the community – then, I don’t know if
we can make a community decision but we might find out J Or this
conversation might be all that we need.

I don’t see WOSonOS being something hindering OSonOS’ – we just had our 10th
Annual Scandinavian=1st Nordic, as it now transformed to Nordic (NOSonOS)
when our Finnish neighbors joined taking turns organizing. Every time we
have had an invitation to facilitators from “Scandinavia/Nordic countries
and from elsewhere in the world”. So there we have some more contributions
to the list of OSonOS’ – wow it’s growing!

My million kronor

Thomas Herrmann

Från: oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org
[mailto:oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org] För Michael Herman
Skickat: den 24 oktober 2012 20:17
Till: World wide Open Space Technology email list
Ämne: Re: [OSList] OSONOS Whenever, Wherever, with Whomsoever

yes yes to all of the considerations you've outlined here, lisa.  in the
last few years, i've been suggesting to people that facilitating open space
is a practice in making choices... having so little pre-set structure means
we are resting in making choices about how to be all through the event...
and asking participants to do that too.

on the chairs bit, as an example of how obvious things can have unintended
effects, in my first open space, for about 120 people, i set out several
circles of 15 chairs.  some groups met with only three people, not
surprisingly.  but this was a group that didn't now each other very well.
several of those big breakout circles ended up staying big, and people sat
far apart, keeping their distance.  maybe they chose that, maybe not.  but
every os since then, i mark breakout spaces with stacks of chairs near the
corners and just three chairs pushed completely together, front corners all
touching, so that anyone who meets there will definitely make the choice for
themselves.  it's a small thing, but i like to look out at the shape of the
circles and know that everybody chose that shape.

also, i often advise community groups (no or very small central budget) like
ours that food is not the necessity that it would seem.  food options are
critical, of course, if the event is any length at all... but that's very
different and much more work and guessing and expense than simply choosing a
location where any participant can pop out any time and pick from a variety
of food establishments.  the first four osonos gatherings, the only
no-driving option was the hotel dining room, but there were many choices on
the menu and the cost was completely determined by each participant.  no
money was collected as part of the registration, no menu choices made, no
food budget calculated, no food preferences/restrictions tabulated, and so
on.  sometimes there is some reason to bring food in and stay deep in the
work, but more often than not, and always at osonos i think, there is real
value in letting everyone keep their food allowance to themselves and
organize their own meal excursions, in whatever groups or solos they might
choose.  

and to harold's earlier point about love and joy, even those can be a
two-edged sword... i might really want to cook you dinner, but if it's food
you'd rather not eat, or at a time or place you'd not choose for yourself,
the gift is not so great.  the greatest gift we can give, i think, is space
and choices.

m

--

Michael Herman
Michael Herman Associates
312-280-7838 (mobile)

http://MichaelHerman.com
http://OpenSpaceWorld.org

On Wed, Oct 24, 2012 at 12:06 PM, Lisa Heft <lisaheft at openingspace.net>
wrote:

I am glad that this session at the WOSonOS also talked about what is lost if
chairs are not used, and what is created if chairs are used.

I for one would not be able to attend a session without chairs.

Which is fine - whoever comes. But the removal of chairs would remove me
from having the option to join that particular discussion.

So Whoever Comes would not be me, and not by my choice.

My hope is that with every single detail we think about adjusting, dropping
or adding - we simply think for a moment (before doing it) why we are doing
/ not doing it, who and what it serves, what will be added or offset by our
doing it. Is it because of cost? Then what are the other creative things we
can do about cost. Is it about freedom? Then is it a projection of our own
individual sense of freedom and felt by others the same way? Is it about
providing resources? Then what resources can we gather or make visible that
diverse kinds of participants can choose so that they, too, are Whoever
Comes?

My sadness about where 'one less thing' means less inclusion... turns to
happiness when more thought and creativity creates more opportunity...

I am all for simple, and for not doing 'for' people while facilitating an
Open Space. But as a host of Open Space or any other dialogic process - I
like to practice thinking of the complexity of what it is that I cannot see
but can provide options for... And as a participant in Open Space or any
other dialogic process, I notice when someone like me - or someone not like
me - has been giving the richness of choice, comfort and access.

Loving this conversation...

Lisa

On Oct 24, 2012, at 9:49 AM, Harold Shinsato wrote:

http://www.devotedanddisgruntled.com/events/world-open-space-open-space/repo
rts/os-circles-opening-evening-news-break-ups-without/

The last one was about doing open space without chairs. That's a cool
conversation because removing chairs brings options for lower cost.

_______________________________________________
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

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.openspacetech.org/pipermail/oslist-openspacetech.org/attachments/20121024/9dfc3fdf/attachment-0008.htm>