[OSList] How to present OST?

Wed Dec 4 13:52:44 PST 2013

Good additions! I´ve really felt like a singing pig, and I dont like lit.
So I will try a differnet approach. Thanks a lot, Harrison!

Hege
4. des. 2013 kl. 22:40 skrev Harrison Owen <hhowen at verizon.net>:

> Just to add a thought or two... I have never tried to “sell” Open Space. The reasons are two. First, when you describe it to anybody who hasn’t “been there” they can’t believe it, won’t believe it, and – worse – are pretty sure that anybody who does “believe it” is more than a little bit “off their rocker” (Americanism for weird, strange, marginally crazy, and such). Not a strong opening position for a “sales” pitch! Bottom line? Don’t bother. As I think I have said ad nauseam, Selling Open Space is not unlike trying to teach a pig to sing. It annoys the pig, and sounds terrible.
>  
> And there is an alternative. Just recognize (in your own mind) that these folks (whoever they are...) are already “in” Open Space. They are just doing it badly. Your “offer” is simply to help them to do what they are already doing – but now with some understanding, expertise, and style. Short take: you can help them to remember what they already know, and having remembered, to do everything much better.
>  
> Practically – I find that most people really don’t care about the “process.” As Eiwor says – they just want results. So explaining the details of the process, given the liabilities of that explanation (see above), doesn’t make a lot of sense. What you can do is make some promises that I know can be kept. Every issues of concern to anybody will be on the table. All will be discussed. Reports of those discussions will be created. Action groups will/can be formed. Guaranteed! With one major proviso. People care to do that. If nobody cares, nothing will happen. But what else is new?
>  
> Harrison
>  
> Harrison Owen
> 7808 River Falls Dr.
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> USA
>  
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>  
> Phone 301-365-2093
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>  
> www.openspaceworld.com
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> From: oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org [mailto:oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org] On Behalf Of Hege Steinsland
> Sent: Wednesday, December 04, 2013 1:28 PM
> To: World wide Open Space Technology email list
> Cc: World wide Open Space Technology email list
> Subject: Re: [OSList] How to present OST?
>  
> Thank you for this rich respond. Your advices make a lot of sense, and I will start exercising the conversation and questions tomorrow  :-)
> Challenging and meaningful!
>  
> Do you still think its alright to invite myself to conversations about their situation, issues or possibilities? What will be the good way to come in position for this kind of conversations in your experience? Rhetoric questions maybe?
>  
> Hege
> 
> Sendt fra min iPhone
> 
> Den 4. des. 2013 kl. 18:52 skrev Tricia Chirumbole <tricia at investorswithoutborders.net>:
> 
> Thanks for the discussion Hege, and for the feedback Eiwor and Lisa!
>  
> The comments have been very helpful to me - this is a theme that I struggle with as well as I try to find my place, but not make it about needing or wanting a place for myself or my interests. 
>  
> Yet, still feeling it a valuable endeavor, for myself and for others, to "get out there" and share practices that I find wisdom in and see need for. 
>  
> Challenging to find a way to "spread the word", share something you find value in, etc. yet not get trapped in imposing, selling, pushing, seeking....
>  
> 
> Tricia Chirumbole
> US: +1-571-232-0942
> Skype: tricia.chirumbole
> 
>  
> 
> On Wed, Dec 4, 2013 at 12:46 PM, Lisa Heft <lisaheft at openingspace.net> wrote:
> Hi, Hege -
>  
> I agree with Eiwor -and- for any kind of facilitation process or services, it is really important to talk to clients very specifically about their own situations, and I will add the emphasis that what you may do best to explore is the *what* (they need) and *why* (they need something / why a situation is / why engaging a group in dialogue may be useful) and not the *how*.  Not the method or process, at that initial stage of conversation.
>  
> In my observation it does not really work to sell someone on a vision and experience you have inside you, but instead, to really listen for those times when a prospective client has an opportunity, task or issue that you feel may be helped by convening people in dialogue. And then asking them more and more about their story of what they see and wish to achieve. Their objectives and desired outcomes. Before ever talking about the *how*, the process. Because in all this interaction, you are also gathering information on whether the process(es) you know are the best-fit for their situation. 
>  
> The 'deliverables' (realistically achievable outcomes) of different processes, including engaging groups in dialogue over different amounts of time (such as 2 hours versus 2 days) are different - so you listen for that information as well. I have found that facilitation is not something one sells. Listening invites the story of what an organization or community wishes to achieve.  It is about them and their energy and their needs and less focused on the facilitator's own good wishes for that organization or community to achieve or experience something.
>  
> I actually did an analysis (because I am so like that) of my last 8 years of clients, a few years ago. How did I get my last 8 years of client work. And it was not from a brochure or a powerpoint or a CV (resume), or from telling them that someone like them had success in something, or from talking about this cool process. It was because they saw me facilitate, or their trusted colleague did, or because we had a conversation about an opportunity or situation they were interested in / excited / concerned about, and I listened, and I asked them to tell me more. And then as the story unfolds, sometimes you think 'oh that is something I can offer' and sometimes you think 'oh that is not my area of interest or expertise' and you can refer it to a lovely colleague. Even if the work is not something that will be for me, I feel that in this conversation I am supporting the client, the colleague, the field.
>  
> Just some thoughts to add to the mix...
>  
> Those leaders you are talking with are lucky to have you as part of their skilled community, Hege...
>  
> Lisa
>  
>  
>  
>  
>  
> On Dec 4, 2013, at 3:02 AM, Eiwor Backelund <eiwor at gatewayc.com> wrote:
> 
> 
> Hi Hege, in Sweden OST has become quite well known lately and I have often worked with it in governmental and municipality organizations, political parties etc. I think the most important thing to tell your assumed clients, is not what it is but what results they can get from it.
> 
> Let me know more about what you are after and I will see what examples I might have.
> Eiwor
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Hege Steinsland" <steinslandhege at gmail.com>
> To: "World wide Open Space Technology email list" <oslist at lists.openspacetech.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, December 04, 2013 11:48 AM
> Subject: [OSList] How to present OST?
> 
> 
> Hello out there.
> I´M in an " sales - period" trying to get meetings with leaders telling them about Open Space.
> I don't find it easy.
> 
> Should I make a power point presentation showing examples?
> Should I just tell about my experience so far, and the effect.
> 
> Open space is not at all well known in my part of Norway, and I find it challenging to tell about it in a tempting way, that do OST right.
> 
> Any experiences?
> Any examples of themes you have done Open space on i Municipalities?
> 
> Love the opportunity to ask for the wisdom out there where you are :-
> 
> Thanks from
> 
> Hege
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