[OSList] Smallest group OS

Sun Jun 23 17:36:59 PDT 2013

Lisa thank you for sharing this!
I went to 2 OS recently with a lot of people from Agile community, coaches
and srcum masters and what I noticed is that they did not take time to
focus the group and neither to really explain the principles. They just
read those and I feld that the energy was not the same. They are using OS
without event reading the book so they dont get that part. On the other
hand they have a lot of energy and topics they want to talk about together
so the event was OK but I had an impression of something related to the
quality of the presence was missing there.
This happend 2 times.
I have the impression that people just take the "external format" of OS but
they are not getteing the essence but as, I said in the other hand, the
space was opened and the guys enjoyed a lot.

Adriana
2013/6/23 Lisa Heft <lisaheft at openingspace.net>

> Hello, dear colleagues -
>
> I know of some of you who have done Open Space with... yourself.
> That is a very small group indeed.
>
> Erich and Arturo, I smile. (your message is copied below).
> And I give you a hug from across the world.
>
> My smallest group was...
> I was asked to give a post-conference workshop for an international
> facilitation conference. A day-long workshop - which I was simply going to
> do as an Open Space session for whatever the facilitators might like to
> talk about.
> The mistake in conference design (which I have remembered since, to inform
> future such experiences) - was to have that post-conference day (instead of
> pre-conference) and to have it on a holiday weekend (when participants
> would rather either go home early to be with family or spend the day in the
> lovely location enjoying and touristing around). Oh. And also to have zero
> pre-registration. Which is something I now require - in the interest of
> planning, materials and resourcing as well as the relationship formed when
> someone says 'I choose to come'.
>
> I set the room up - agenda wall with (the way I do it) brightly colored
> session times posted across the wall, big Open Space guidelines posters
> (principles, law, insects) posted around the room, markers and paper like a
> lovely little mandala in the center of the big circle of chairs. And
> because the room was large enough - 5 pre-set little circles of chairs
> around the sides of the room.
>
> I had a great conference volunteer - who had chosen to be the volunteer
> helper for my session because he wanted to learn more about Open Space.
>
> Okay so eventually we decided to begin because... he was the only person
> who came.
>
> I asked him if he wanted to join me in an experiment - how small can an
> Open Space be. Can it be with one participant.
> He was excited, and off we went!
>
> At that time, my part of the experiment was - I was wondering in my head -
> one reason Open Space can work so well is because of the diversity of
> participants and the diversity of ideas. So in this experiment, I decided
> to do the unusual. I never post topics when I am facilitating. Because it
> is the participants' work, not mine. But for the sake of experimentation, I
> decided to post some topics - to throw in some diversity. I decided he was
> the expert on all things Texas - because it was in Texas and I was a
> visitor to that region.
>
> So we both sat on the floor and make topic signs and topic signs and topic
> signs. And then posted them on the Agenda Wall.
>
> (I decided after this experiment that it was not necessary for me to
> 'help' in this way - in future if I had a group of 1 I would let them
> simply make their own topic signs, without adding any of my own. However in
> this experiment, I did indeed join the discussions with him - which is also
> something I do not do when I facilitate.)
>
> This Open Space event went from 8:30 in the morning until 3:30 in the
> afternoon, and it included 16 discussion topics.
>
> We started in one discussion area, and because I knew that Open Space
> engages the body as well as the mind and heart, I recommended that we have
> conversations in different locations rather than stay in one location.
> Remember we had 5 little breakout areas - circles of chairs, around the
> room.
>
> My one participant decided to take clusters of discussion topics to each
> small discussion circle - so we would see them and discuss them. Whenever
> he felt our discussion about a topic was over, it was over. And we went on
> to the next.
>
> And guess what? We also had international visitors.
>
> Why?
> Because our session room was near the bathrooms. ;o)
>
> We kept the meeting room doors open. So people coming by would look into
> the room, see us engaged in conversation and the whole set-up with circles
> of chairs and posters and signs, and ask what was happening.
> So of course, we would say, 'We're currently talking about this, and you
> see on the wall all the things we have and will be talking about. You are
> welcome to join us."
>
> And as you may guess... That person would reply (to whatever topic we were
> at that moment discussing) - "That is *exactly* what my dissertation is
> about!" / "I have been thinking so *much* about that!" / "That is exactly
> what my research / my organization / my interest is *about*!"
>
> And they would stay with us for that session, adding their diversity,
> insights and energies.
> Then they would go to the bathroom, and be on their way.
>
> I am sorry I did not document the conversations - I have since that time
> gained more understanding of the importance - for both post-meeting
> reflection and for integration of the experience - of the power of
> documentation. So we could have done some cool mapping or notes-taking of
> any kind that worked for us.
>
> Anyway - it was a wonderful day-long session. And a wonderful experiment.
>
> I have had other experiences with (for example) 4 participants - who were
> the only ones who came.
> Yes, I recommend other processes sometimes when there are less people - as
> always, I am looking at fitting process with objective, desired outcomes,
> and so many other things.
> But when Open Space fits, I have done tiny Open Spaces.
> I simply  remind people (as I do anyway in larger participants groups) -
> 'Whoever comes is the right person' also means that if nobody comes to your
> session, you could be a visionary. We need your diverse thought and
> exploration. It deepens our understanding of the issue or task. And (I add)
> 'when do you ever get an hour to write - and write and write - about a
> topic for which you have such passion?'
>
> If it is a small group also do as was mentioned earlier in this
> conversation - 'try it first without all joining together or compressing
> the agenda' and as was mentioned, people never go back to the other once
> they experience the power of reflection, law of two feet, opportunity and
> possibility.
>
> In my workshops, I share this story.
> And as those of you who have recently been in my Open Space Learning
> Workshop know, when I share this story, I also share the story of when
> Brother Chris Corrigan did Open Space in ... I think it was an Inuit
> community... and nobody came. And at the end of the day, as I recall, the
> head of the community said they got a lot of work done that day and could
> they hire Chris back again please.
>
> So did I Chris do the smallest Open Space ever... or the largest - where
> an entire community was held in his spacious open arms?
>
> Cheers, from a gray California afternoon,
> Lisa
>
> Lisa Heft
> Consultant, Facilitator, Educator
> President Emerita, Open Space Institute US
> Fellow, Columbia University Center for International Conflict Resolution
> Opening Space
>
>
> *The lovely Arturo wrote...*
>
> Recently I facilitate an OST with 2 people including me. We had 12 topics,
> which became 5 conversations. Its was a very learning experience and we
> where positively surprised as always in every OST. Lisa Heft has also a
> beautiful experience of a OST with two people.
>
>
> *The wonderful Erich wrote...*
>
> At this occation I would remind you of the report of fabulous Lisa Heft
> who I guess 10 years ago gave a report to the list on the smallest open
> space ever been held in the world: Only one participant!
>
> It must be able to find the story somewhere in the archives - perhaps Lisa
> would like to tell again ;-) ?
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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-- 

Adriana Díaz-Berrio Ph.D. CRHA
(514) 739 2268
www.diazberrio.com
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