[OSList] inquiry OS

[Harrison Owen]

Kari -- Voluntary Self Selection is the key. To quote from The "User's
Guide" -- "voluntary self selection is the absolute "sine qua non" for
participation in an Open Space(pg 26)." I wrote that about 25 years ago, and
nothing has made me change my mind since. Yes it is true that people who are
"told" to come will often find themselves creatively engaged, but that is a
dicey call, and how much better it would be if they came of their own free
will! After all this IS OPEN Space!!

The first  words out of my mouth when dealing with a sponsor is that
"attendance will be voluntary." To be sure this can occasion some
interesting conversations, and some sponsors are so unsure of themselves and
their people that they simply can't believe that people will come if it is
voluntary -- which says a great deal about the quality of the workplace
relationships... and not much of it is good.

In the recently concluded OS that I did with the US foreign aid people for
Africa, I made the pitch, and they were horrified. Some of the committee
were positive that absolutely nobody would come, and all the rest seemed to
be biting their tongues hard. But I made it clear that was my first
condition for participation. I give them credit for going ahead, but the
truth of the matter was that the situation was so critical (as they saw it)
that they didn't have much choice. Desperation, I have learned, can help
people do the right thing :-)

As previously reported, the opening day of the gathering did have problems
-- but they were occasioned by the fact that twice as many people came as
were predicted. In fact of the 180 people in the Bureau, 177 came. Of the 3
no-shows, two were terminally pregnant, and 1 was out of the country. It all
begins, I firmly believe with Voluntary Self Selection. 

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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-----Original Message-----
From: oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org
[mailto:oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org] On Behalf Of Kári Gunnarsson
Sent: Tuesday, March 05, 2013 5:11 AM
To: World wide Open Space Technology email list
Subject: Re: [OSList] inquiry OS

Celia, and other that share there questions and experience good and bad. I
give you my thanks as this informs my own actions. It also makes it save for
me and others to do the same.

I have facilitated open spaces as part of the program for an annual forum,
my experience reflection shows me that when people are there for other parts
of the program do not engaged for the progression of the theme. These are
not the right people and perhaps they would be better served at the bar.
Perhaps I could have done more pre-work to engage these people that had been
selected to come, but I don't think so. I would have liked it if I had been
part of the selection process so that I could have asked tows that did not
have any passion for this to stay at home or simply not to waste there time.
My time was not wasted but the time of the people that did care was blogged
up by interacting with these people. I felt like they created an energy of
fear and insecurity. But perhaps this is the fault of the event to provide
the security for them to engage, but I don't think so. It was only fault of
the invitation process. but the harm was minimal in my cases.

With best greetings
Kári
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