[OSList] Smallest group OS

Harrison Owen hhowen at verizon.net
Mon Jun 24 08:29:45 PDT 2013


All good points Adriana! To me it is all about the sincerity/integrity of
the Invitation. The actual time taken, even the words spoken don’t make that
much difference. But sincerity/integrity does. If the facilitator is just
“doing a job” – (running a process) everything comes out pretty flat. No
Spirit, as it were. But when the words/actions of the invitation come from a
deep sense of conviction and respect for the group – that this really IS a
unique moment in time with unique and marvelous people – the effect is
markedly different. I suppose the critical thing is that the facilitator
really does care for the people and their efforts – even if the language
they speak and the task they confront is totally foreign. For me this is
being “Totally Present.” And also being “Absolutely Invisible” which means
getting out of the way so the People can get on with their business.

 

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 

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From: oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org
[mailto:oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org] On Behalf Of Lourdes Adriana
Diaz-Berrio Doring
Sent: Monday, June 24, 2013 10:16 AM
To: World wide Open Space Technology email list
Subject: Re: [OSList] Smallest group OS

 

Harrison: 
Yes you are right, (this case, when to long) will be boring but I saying the
opposite case the opening was to short and they did not take time to look in
the circle at the people. I was fast, and I felt that the connection was not
established so well, in the group. 

But this group had a lot to share so at the end it was really Ok buy I fell
like the open space was more like a protocol for them, not something that
was really deepening the level of consciousness about "we as a unique once
in time group being together in this moment here and now" and the quality of
the presence. It was superficial ...to me...
Adriana

2013/6/24 Harrison Owen <hhowen at verizon.net>

Adriana – There may be a secret in what you observe. OS is not a “process”
we do or explain, and so at some level what we “do and explain” really
doesn’t make any difference. Self Organization is what we are and OS is
simply an invitation to be what we are. However, when the invitation is
fussy, elaborate, endless, boring – it is really annoying. But if the
conditions are right (“hot issue,” people who care, lots of diversity, etc)
it all works out. Of course when the invitation is offered in a sloppy,
endless way that is annoying, but thankfully it passes quickly and The
Facilitator can retire to the shadows where he/she belonged in the first
place. J

 

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 Lourdes Adriana
Diaz-Berrio Doring
Sent: Sunday, June 23, 2013 8:37 PM
To: World wide Open Space Technology email list
Subject: Re: [OSList] Smallest group OS

 

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 <tel:%28514%29%20739%202268> 
www.diazberrio.com
     


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www.diazberrio.com
       <http://www.diazberrio.com/images/sampledata/fruitshop/logo.jpg> 

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