[OSList] Sticky dots Q

Sun Feb 17 21:44:28 PST 2013

Thanks so much to Harrison, Lisa, and all on the list for your feedback and
support - it all definitely helped me to learn and grow more in the
situation, as well as maintain/regain a broader, more detached perspective.
...and, yes, it helped me battered ego :)

As Harrison wrote, "You can’t open space if your space ain’t open." I do
hope I won't have to relearn that lesson, but I at least have a better
sense of what conditions I need in order to agree to participate in opening
a space - internal and external.

On Tue, Feb 12, 2013 at 4:50 PM, Harrison Owen <hhowen at verizon.net> wrote:

> Tricia – You just learned THE most valuable lesson. Lesson #1****
>
> ** **
>
> You can’t open space if your space ain’t open. Chris said it more
> elegantly, but that is the gist. And from what you said -- seems like your
> space was in lockdown. 5 days with little sleep, racing about, worrying,
> “fixing things”… No space for nothing. Painful for sure, but you will never
> have to learn it again. I am positive. And THANK YOU SO MUCH for sharing!*
> ***
>
> ** **
>
> The only pre-work that is really essential is your own. Or put a little
> differently, if you don’t do your own preparation nothing else really
> matters that much. At least as far as you are concerned. People kid me
> about not doing very much, which is absolutely true. But what they don’t
> see is what I do do before they ever see me. Everybody will have their own
> way, but before every Open Space, particularly the “dicey” ones, my day
> starts early. Beginning with a good meditation, followed by a walk and then
> on to the venue at least an hour and a half (better two) before “Show
> Time.” I sit in the center, before anybody is there, and if people do
> wander in, I invite them to join me in the silence. No talking, no
> planning, no fixing. Just the space and silence. After a bit, I get up to
> complete the site preparation, if that is needed. No hurrys – sort a
> walking meditation. I particularly enjoy doing the Post-its especially for
> a big gathering. It is really “zenish,” if that communicates. A half hour
> before “Start” I stop everything. Maybe I look at my watch, but I don’t
> recall doing so…just seems to happen that way. At that point, I leave the
> venue, go outside if possible – and return at the appointed hour. When I
> stand at the edge of the circle to invite the festivities to begin, I am
> about as clear and focused as I can be. It feels wonderful. Something about
> doing nothing and everything gets done.****
>
> ** **
>
> Harrison ****
>
> ** **
>
> Harrison Owen****
>
> 7808 River Falls Dr.****
>
> Potomac, MD 20854****
>
> USA****
>
> ** **
>
> 189 Beaucaire Ave. (summer)****
>
> Camden, Maine 04843****
>
> ** **
>
> Phone 301-365-2093****
>
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>
> ** **
>
> www.openspaceworld.com <http://www.openspaceworld.com%20> ****
>
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> To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of
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> ** **
>
> *From:* oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org [mailto:
> oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org] *On Behalf Of *Tricia Chirumbole
> *Sent:* Tuesday, February 12, 2013 2:47 PM
> *To:* World wide Open Space Technology email list
> *Subject:* Re: [OSList] Sticky dots Q****
>
> ** **
>
> shame on me! I messed up the flow, buy-in, and positive energy, by messing
> up one of the simplest parts....the sticky notes time and session areas.
> Not totally my fault, but each time I tried to remedy on the fly, made
> another mistake!!****
>
> ** **
>
> 1) I was a little behind in some final preps bc of early call and have
> been sick and have barely slept for past 5 days and then people came
> early..fine, I'll put them to work...also, facilities had not removed the
> table and equipment, so actually would not necessarily have been behind.**
> **
>
> - people were a little hard to get to help and a bit distracting and spent
> a lot of the time standing around, watching me, and making sarcastic jokes
> about the circle, the principles, the notes, etc....very distracting...I
> was trying to manage people, go fast, ignore people, and get other work
> done...so my mind was distraced and I messed up some of the time slots
> which messed everything up...****
>
> ** **
>
> PLUS, I got resistance in the team picking out breakout rooms in advance
> and so filled out day 1 notes w/ just the area indicators: 1, 2,
> 3...finally got them to do it, but it confiused everything.....****
>
> ** **
>
> just whining....will try to salvage! Now I see already however that
> despite all of the ideas I know everyone has, we have only 2 groups for the
> morning and people def sitting around and not being engaged, but I don't
> want to mess much more and start adding to many new topics myself (Iam
> unfortunately an independent contracter "worker", so I am already violating
> by participating..)****
>
> ** **
>
> On Tue, Feb 12, 2013 at 11:08 AM, Chris Corrigan <chris.corrigan at gmail.com>
> wrote:****
>
> I just want to add, that although I have dispensed with sticky dots years
> ago as well, I HAVE used them since where they made sense.  It's impossible
> to say what tools are important and what should be jettisoned, but context
> matters.  If your senior people would like the group to prioritize the
> action plans that were raised, you can create a process to do that that
> respects the work that has been done and works within the constraints.
>  There are all kinds of ways of doing that.
>
> Open Space is an empty frame.  We know what it does and how it works.  But
> it does not stand alone.  You are using it in a context to accelerate
> something in an organization and a community.  I have found that it isn't
> wise just to come in and do an open space the way I want to do it without
> being sensitive to the need behind the call or the context in which you are
> working.
>
> For example a learning Open Space is very different from a product
> creation Open Space which differs from a strategic planning Open Space
> which differs from an engagement Open Space. The basic process works the
> same but the invitation and harvest are very different and the pre-work
> with the leadership team helps to set the ground for the most successful
> implementation of ideas.
>
> For me if that means we use sticky dots, because that's the best thing to
> do, we use sticky dots.
>
> Chris****
>
>
> On 2013-02-12, at 1:46 AM, Koos de Heer wrote:
>
> > Hi Tricia,
> >
> > I stopped using sticky dot voting in Open Space sessions years ago.
> >
> > In the beginning, the agenda process is perfect and does not need any
> > voting.
> >
> > During the Open Space, if a topic needs more time, people will decide
> they
> > are not ready and continue to do what needs to be done.
> >
> > In the end, when it comes to action planning, I find it much more
> elegant to
> > reopen the space for action planning topics.
> >
> > So trust the process, trust the people and trust yourself. Take a deep
> > breath and be present and it will roll (and rock). :-)
> >
> > Koos
> >
> > -----Oorspronkelijk bericht-----
> > Van: oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org
> > [mailto:oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org] Namens Jeff Aitken
> > Verzonden: dinsdag 12 februari 2013 08:52
> > Aan: World wide Open Space Technology email list
> > Onderwerp: Re: [OSList] Sticky dots Q
> >
> > reminds me that the difference between a brainstorm and an open space
> agenda
> > creation is that the latter is based on passion and responsibility.
> >
> > some items on the brainstorm list may not make it to the open space
> agenda
> > wall if the person doesn't actually feel very passionate or responsible
> > about it after all.
> >
> > or it may make it to the wall, but then nobody comes to the session, and
> the
> > convenor writes a short report to handle it and moves to another topic.
> >
> > jeff
> >
> > On 2/11/13, Jeff Aitken <r.jeff.aitken at gmail.com> wrote:
> >> I would allow the open space process to do the work. I don't see a
> >> reason to do anything else. I could be misunderstanding of course.
> >>
> >> if you are using a 'standard' open space agenda creation process,
> >> inviting people to put a topic on a sheet of paper and post it on a
> >> wall with time and place, then i'd allow the wall to be filled with
> >> topics, and then explain the process of moving topics around based on
> >> the wishes of the convenors. and let them move things around.
> >>
> >> let the law of mobility take care of the rest. and then reflect at the
> >> end of the day, and they might add and delete and move topics for the
> >> second day.
> >>
> >> jeff
> >>
> >>
> >> On 2/11/13, Tricia Chirumbole <tricia at investorswithoutborders.net>
> wrote:
> >>> ok, so I just asked a question re: the need for prioritization of
> >>> issues and an overwhelmingly large pool of issues in my previous post.
> >>>
> >>> I guess part of the answer is sticky dot voting. Cool. I will have to
> >>> improvise asking people to keep track of their dots using markers
> >>> since I will have no time to get dots, but that should be ok in a
> >>> small gorup of 13...not ideal - other thoughts on this are welcome.
> >>>
> >>> my questions are - is it ok to do prioritization at outset of day 1?
> >>> And, if so, would it be better to first generate a marketplace w/o
> >>> times selected and prioritize them, then have initiators select
> >>> time/place? or vice versa - neither sound ideal to me.
> >>>
> >>> thanks so much!!
> >>>
> >>> --
> >>> Tricia Chirumbole
> >>> US: +1-571-232-0942
> >>> Skype: tricia.chirumbole
> >>>
> >>
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> ****
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> ** **
>
> --
> Tricia Chirumbole
> US: +1-571-232-0942
> Skype: tricia.chirumbole****
>
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-- 
Tricia Chirumbole
US: +1-571-232-0942
Skype: tricia.chirumbole
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