[OSList] 1,000 participants in 4 hours
Harrison Owen
hhowen at verizon.net
Thu Jul 11 05:35:31 PDT 2013
Scott - When teaching a kid to ride a bike, you only push as long as you
have to. When the kid takes off - Let Them Go! In my experience, when riding
the "Open Space Bike" a 15 min push will do the job, provided the conditions
are right (real issue, complexity, diversity, etc). Actually, with every
group I've ever worked with - large or small - it seems like they already
knew how to ride. They just needed a gentle reminder - and off they went. No
help needed.
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)
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From: oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org
[mailto:oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org] On Behalf Of Scott Gassman
Sent: Wednesday, July 10, 2013 8:48 PM
To: World wide Open Space Technology email list
Subject: Re: [OSList] 1,000 participants in 4 hours
Harrison,
I am going to print these paragraphs of yours and think about the "ZERO
confidence," "about what is going on."
That's good material for me to think about as I approach future group
work.
I am touched by your Kathie story. Kathie's respect for you came out in a
conversation and made me want to learn Open Space, and so she really steered
me towards learning with you and Lisa up in Maine. I do remember you leaving
to take a nap and me scratching my head - how - in the middle, can you let
go? I guess until now I dance between the freedom of Open Space and joint
design team sharing that anchors me to do as much as I can to support the
group and deliver a quick start. I want the organizational team to discover
and I also want to have them have those first few steps of how to get going
on their own.
I think of it as pushing a kid on a 2 wheel bicycle, also "out of control,"
aiming to get them to keep pedaling and stay up.
Here's my honesty to you, Sharon Joy.
Scott
On Wed, Jul 10, 2013 at 6:06 PM, Harrison Owen <hhowen at verizon.net> wrote:
Scott said - "Not all of us have your (that's me - HO) confidence, clarity
or competence in all situations to trust ourselves, in an organization we
may live/work in and/or the process in a room potentially filled with
bureaucrats, whose shadow can slow down the speed of large group movement."
Nice words, Scott - but once again I have a different take. Truth is I have
ZERO confidence, to say nothing of clarity, in my "competence in all
situations to trust (my)ourselves, in an organization we may live/work in
and/or the process in a room potentially filled with bureaucrats, whose
shadow can slow down the speed of large group movement." Quite to the
contrary, I know totally and completely that I will NEVER have a real clue
about what is going on. Too complex, inter-related, fast moving, opaque...
BUT the people do. My only responsibility (possibility) is to invite them to
do what only they know how to do - and then, as quickly as possible, get out
of the way. Usually to take a napJ
And Kathie Dannemiller was a special person and a friend. I respect her
greatly. And... somebody once asked her why, given what she did, she didn't
use Open Space. Her reply, as I heard it, was - "I'd be terrified ... it
could get out of control." The big secret, of course, was that she (as we
all are) was always out of control - so there was nothing to lose.
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 <http://www.openspaceworld.com%20>
www.ho-image.com <http://www.ho-image.com%20> (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 Scott Gassman
Sent: Wednesday, July 10, 2013 5:01 PM
To: World wide Open Space Technology email list
Subject: Re: [OSList] 1,000 participants in 4 hours
Hi Harrison,
Glad you responded, Sharon gets to think deeper about how to proceed and be
hopefully clearer about her design decisions.
I clearly hear "get out of the way quickly," and the authenticity of how you
have lived/practiced OpenSpace. I love it when I do it.
Not all of us have your confidence, clarity or competence in all situations
to trust ourselves, in an organization we may live/work in and/or the
process in a room potentially filled with bureaucrats, whose shadow can slow
down the speed of large group movement.
Whether my approach is a cop out to the OS process, my Kathie Dannemiller
lessons about Design Teams has helped me to usually make the process
consciously the participants' process.
Scott
On Wed, Jul 10, 2013 at 1:30 PM, Harrison Owen <hhowen at verizon.net> wrote:
Scott - I guess I really have a different take. I have never seen any reason
to "plant" topics, or emplace "spark plugs." In every situation with large
groups in my experience (my largest was 2108 J) - the people do it all by
themselves, just like usual. If anything the action is faster, and more
furious with a large group. Once it rolls, it really rolls. You just got to
get out of the way quickly - which is why I would make sure the opening was
fast and sweet. Once person (facilitator) only - and on with the show! Of
course the "necessary conditions" must be in place (real business issue,
complexity, diversity, passion, conflict, urgency) - and from there on out
the only thing you need to do is sit in a circle, create bulletin board,
open market place - and go to work. Nothing else needed.
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 <http://www.openspaceworld.com%20>
www.ho-image.com <http://www.ho-image.com%20> (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 Scott Gassman
Sent: Wednesday, July 10, 2013 10:13 AM
To: World wide Open Space Technology email list
Subject: Re: [OSList] 1,000 participants in 4 hours
Hi Sharon Joy,
Thanks for sharing your opportunity and provoking our experience and
imagination.
Lisa has given you great tips, great food for thought. For me the joy of a
laid back
OS alters when I must manage tighter time frames, larger numbers and
logistics. I
want people to see what they can get done when they are focused and led
through
well planned OS tasks.
I think about the outcome/purpose the client/group wants to walk away with.
I try to
get clear on their goal(s)/desired outcomes. I am fond of design teams
preceding
any large group initiative. I would bring together 5 to 10 vertically
positioned
influencers as soon as possible and preceding the get together and confirm
sought
desired outcomes, I would then ask them to brainstorm a list of important
topics
for this conversation and to rework the list into a vital few examples. I
would also
encourage this group to recognize the significance of their role and to
serve as
spark plugs to get the large group moving forward.
However the session is opened, I would include a design team member or two
to share their
hopes and aspirations for this meeting, and to briefly share the list of
topics as examples
for the 1,000 others to raise what matters most to them per the "high
performance
system"sought.
This is a great opportunity for your government to work together.
I also look forward to learning about your experience and next steps.
Scott Gassman
On Tue, Jul 9, 2013 at 8:38 PM, Sharon Joy Chao <sharon at seameo-innotech.org>
wrote:
Need to figure a way of convening a thousand government people to go through
an exploratory discussion on high performance system, all under 4 hours.
This happens next week down south in the city of Cebu. The focus is on the
Philippine government service, its performance management system and how it
can be truly essential, responsive and life-giving.
Gail West, my OS mentor friend, has provided me with some incredible
suggestions on how to proceed and she also advised me to post on OSList.
Any thoughts on how best to proceed with a cast of thousand in 4 hours time?
Maraming Salamat.
========================================
Sharon Joy Berlin Chao
SEAMEO INNOTECH
Commonwealth Avenue, U.P. Diliman, Quezon City
Metro Manila 1101 Philippines
Phone (632) 924-7681, 9267900
Fax (632) 928-7692
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Scott Gassman
IdeaJuice
(917) 951 - 0258
scott.gassman at gmail.com
www.ideajuices.com
America Speaks on Scott:
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Scott Gassman
IdeaJuice
(917) 951 - 0258
scott.gassman at gmail.com
www.ideajuices.com
America Speaks on Scott:
http://americaspeaks.org/facilitator-spotlight/spotlight-on-scott-gassman/
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Scott Gassman
IdeaJuice
(917) 951 - 0258
scott.gassman at gmail.com
www.ideajuices.com
America Speaks on Scott:
http://americaspeaks.org/facilitator-spotlight/spotlight-on-scott-gassman/
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