[OSList] Sticky dots Q - San Fran event reflections

Chris Corrigan chris.corrigan at gmail.com
Mon Feb 18 09:18:05 PST 2013


Even though you are working for free you need to fire this client. If they won't work with you let them find someone else to work with. 

The law of two feet applies to you too. 

Bottom line is that whatever this client is doing is not earth shattering and THAT important in the s heme if things. A petty principal in the company who is set in undermining the process he is supposedly designing is not your responsibility. 

This is not to say that there aren't challenging times and that we can meet them and move on. But long ago I stopped working with cynics in design processes. What is the point? 

Great learning for you all round and for all of us. Thank you for sharing the story. 

Chris

-- 
CHRIS CORRIGAN
Harvest Moon Consultants
www.chriscorrigan.com

Art of Hosting - Participatory Leadership and Social Collaboration, Bowen Island, BC November 11-14,2013

On 2013-02-17, at 10:41 PM, Tricia Chirumbole <tricia at investorswithoutborders.net> wrote:

> I just noted that there was some interest in a reflection after my first Open Space event in San Fran that I reported as going awry at the beginning. Note: really long description continues! 
> 
> So, the event did not blossom into a proper Open Space and was "taken over" part way through on Day 1 and Day 2 OS agenda was cancelled at 2am-ish by email. No closing. 
> 
> The group struggled with taking on the responsibility and getting in the flow. They were not all entirely slow to get started with posting, but to my surprise, as soon as I invited people to the wall - half of them left! bathroom, cell phones....then many held back and never made it to the wall. 
> 
> The main issues in retrospect were: 
> 1) There was not buy-in/understanding by the principles - one was in and open, the other said he was in, but in the same breath kept trying to drive his own agenda and maintain control. 
> 2) This group's negative reaction to the "differentness" of just the circle configuration and the "crunchiness" of all else was validated by the renegade principle's being the lead heckler and rebel. I love my friend's term of "bamboozle" to describe what he was doing at every step of the process...someone in the group even actually added a "principle" to my one poster, which I didn't even realize until today was really rude - my family made those and I was going to reuse them!
> 3) There was not enough communication and planning prior to the event. (one phone call and a few emails that I didn't get responses to, as well as a planning meeting that the principle (the "in" one) did not make it to  - so we went straight to a loooong lunch on the first day (day prior to OS day 1) w/out ever figuring out the basics, such as what schedule they wanted and what I needed from them. 
> 4) My planning and personal preparation was weak - I tried to do it with rush approval (got the go-ahead 5 days before the meetings started) and while I was sick, then didn't allow enough time the morning of b/c of a morning call that I couldn't get out of - I still tried to prepare myself, but it was challenging given the circumstances and also given my desire to do a good job, and for good things to come AND my preceding desire to do an OS! - yep, I guess you can't have some detachment and I was only prepared for things to not be perfect...and also not understanding how much you really need to give to prep, depending who you are and where you are.....
> 5) I did it for free
> 6) I agreed to facilitating because of my enthusiasm about OS despite the fact that: 
> - I knew there were too many open ends, buy-in/understanding was questionable, there was very little lead time, there was no invitation sent (I tried to get an email sent prior to event, but the renegade wanted to take charge of selecting the final theme, but then didn't do it), poor history of communication and follow thru on part of mgmt......................so, yeah
> 
> More details fwiw: People were struggling to get the basic process and I needed to give a number of reminders for every aspect of the basics - more than I anticipated. Not conclusive why that was. I think they just really weren't giving a lot of attention to the first explanation, were probably distracted by the two conversations that broke out in the circle during my opening, and then further distracted by the more boisterous participants who were starting detailed session discussions and negotiations while in front of the wall before most people could even get started. This was rowdier than I expected. 
> 
> I think I did an ok job of giving direction in a gentle way, made a joke about their rowdiness, and had to get a little sassy with one of the principles once to shut him up, which was well received and effective, but only temporarily. 
> 
> The renegade Principal posted over half of the sessions and then went to bring out the priority project list...yes, I cringed at that, but said it was ok, as long as people still continued to post stuff. He kept trying to talk about combining sessions, which sessions would be valuable for everyone, timing of sessions, etc even for everyone else's posts.....I reminded the conveners of their responsibility, but few were responding to that. 
> 
> People started to move items to lunch and dinner sessions, from my perspective, because they were being viewed as not as important and interfering with other things that other people wanted to do - ok, I didn't interfere and tried to remind them that this was their schedule when they kept asking me what they could and couldn't do (the renegade principle also kept referring back to me and my process and asking me if we had "opened space" and if it was over, etc....). MY concern with the moving of the sessions to meal time was that it seemed to be done under pressure from the forces that be that were advocating a certain way of doing things....that all being said, none of the lunch or dinner sessions happened. Some people mentioned them ex post facto.
> 
> These unrealized sessions were unfortunately a trend throughout the day. We actually ended up with not all sessions filled even for day 1 and then a number of people just never convened their sessions. I am not sure if I interfered too much or not enough, but I rallied to encourage people to go to the other breakout room to do a posted session...although this was posted by an employee, it ended up being led by the renegade principle and yes, ended when food arrived in the other room (I asked them about a different food process and the "in" principle responded at last minute that he could have someone send me the menu for morning food, but that afternoon food was already coming - once again, too little, too late - I figured that was not that big a deal, but it did end up having an impact, I think)
> 
> After that, everyone was hanging around in the main room, some asking if there were other sessions or what they should do, others eating, others half participating in the one ongoing main room session. There was one pending, and unfortunately it belonged to the renegade principle. I encouraged him to convene, but he felt it was one that would be good for everyone.....so, that's what we did. We waited for the main room activity to finish up, we all dutifully sat down, and we had a bitch fest/work interest inventory during our "what makes project success?" session. We were all there, it went too long, people had to start to leave, I did not do a close - thought about suggesting it, but at that point felt pretty demoralized - they had been making fun of the process and renegade dude had been subverting it all day. They can close themselves....I was considering it.....I also really wished we had had the opportunity to do the Appreciative INquiry workshop on Satisfying and Successful Projects that I had put together for them, also last minute at their request, and yes, embarrassingly, for free - The "in" principle had requested this, seemed really excited by it, but then, despite my detailed agenda suggestions, he chose not to work it in on the first prelim night in preference to longer individual intros (though most of the group knows one another) and a "primer" on Open Space, which as I mentioned before I tried to tell them was not necessary and would be delivered the next day...I tried to keep it very short, but they pushed, and then renegade took control - he asked my opinion, but he didn't really want it. 
> 
> 
> On Mon, Feb 18, 2013 at 12:44 AM, Tricia Chirumbole <tricia at investorswithoutborders.net> wrote:
>> 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
>>> 
>>> (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
>>> 
>>>  
>>> 
>>> 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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>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>>  
>>> 
>>> -- 
>>> Tricia Chirumbole
>>> US: +1-571-232-0942
>>> Skype: tricia.chirumbole
>>> 
>>> 
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> OSList mailing list
>>> To post send emails to OSList at lists.openspacetech.org
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>>> To subscribe or manage your subscription click below:
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>> 
>> 
>> 
>> -- 
>> Tricia Chirumbole
>> US: +1-571-232-0942
>> Skype: tricia.chirumbole
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> Tricia Chirumbole
> US: +1-571-232-0942
> Skype: tricia.chirumbole
> 
> _______________________________________________
> 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:
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