[OSList] WOSonOS - future hosts? Wisdom to share...

Lisa Heft lisaheft at openingspace.net
Tue May 7 15:42:54 PDT 2013


Hello, dear colleagues -

As you know, the 2013 World Open Space on Open Space will be happening  
next week in St. Petersburg, Florida, USA on May 16-19.

(there is still time to register - see more at http://wosonos2013.crowdvine.com/ 
  and there is also a tab there to register for the May 14-16 workshop)

Several of us host regional ‘OSonOSs’ whenever we wish to - a  
marvelous thing.
And then we usually have one WOSonOS a year.
Even though almost all the OSonOS events we do are international as  
well because we are a very diverse community.

We try to have each next WOSonOS in a part of the world that is harder  
for some of us to get to because it is easier for others of us to get  
to.
So it moves back and forth across the world geographically, though  
there is no set formula.

What works best is not when we say ‘we should bring Open Space to x  
country’ - because it works best when the invitation comes from  
someone within that country, who knows they have capacity, and who  
feels ready.

We do not yet know where our 2014 WOSonOS will be - that is still a  
mystery.
If we do not have one next year, life will continue, I know.
And then again, a few of you have been sharing thoughts with me over  
the years and I wonder if you feel ready to invite.

I will share with you a recommendation, a tradition, and some wisdom  
from past hosts.

The recommendation:
It is very helpful to hear a year or more in advance of where a future  
WOSonOS will be - so we can save our pennies and euros and rands with  
enough advance notice to do so - and put our dreams in our calendars.  
And for some Host Teams - it can take a year or more to plan, find  
resources, connect to each other and grow as community, share learning  
and get ready to host - though some teams with strong OST communities  
need less advance time for their own efforts. It can also take some  
time for the behind-the-scenes support to individual participants such  
as my own Access Queen project.
So: thinking and knowing about it in advance is useful.

And: It is very helpful for me and the current Host Team to know if  
you are thinking of inviting - before the WOSonOS begins. Both because  
I can share with you some background to help you think and also  
because we need to create time within the conference design for one or  
more colleagues to invite and for a lovely, celebratory decision- 
making process. Which typically happens at the WOSonOS, as each year  
the participants represent great diversity of country, experienced and  
emergent OST facilitators learners and enthusiasts, and also includes  
a number of us who can support lovely future hosts with our pre-work  
time and energy.

The tradition:
Historically, a marvelous way to invite the world to your country for  
a WOSonOS is to either come yourself to a WOSonOS or send a message  
through a representative (from any country) who is coming to the  
WOSonOS. That representative can represent you and make your  
invitation for you.

Past inviters have given us such a lovely flavor of their country’s  
culture and have illustrated how a growing community of Open Space  
practitioners in their geographic region is waiting and ready to host  
this international gathering - so this is something fun to think about  
- how your invitation will include the flavor and personality of your  
culture.

I underline: you do not have to be able to attend the WOSonOS in order  
to invite - though it may be helpful to have attended at least one if  
your resources will allow - to experience some of the traditions of  
WOSonOSs and see how other Host Teams do it.

However in past, I or Brian or Thomas and Eva have invited on others'  
behalf, for those future Host Teams who are unable to send a  
representative. And we are happy and honored to do so for you.

And now, the wisdom:
I have a letter I have grown, fertilized and fed over the years since  
2001 - with wisdom from past WOSonOS Host Teams to future Host Teams.  
Super-good ideas to read *before* you think about inviting - as their  
lessons learned are similar from year to year and their wisdom is very  
helpful to those of you thinking of inviting for future years.  Again:  
hosting this particular event does not have to be complicated but it  
may include some important differences and things to know that may  
help you see if your community of local Open Space practitioners has  
capacity and resourcing to know best when to host.

Please do let me know if you / your country mates are thinking of  
inviting - by contacting me directly at lisaheft at openingspace.net -  
and I can send you this letter of wise advice. Again: not that you  
have to do it in the same way - but the lessons learned from across  
the years are useful. Remember that the most people who can come, come  
over land or short plane trips - because that is what is most  
affordable. So your largest participant group will come from your own  
region. And instead of this just being a fun international event that  
we folks-from-outside-your-region get to go to - a 'one-off' - my  
recommendation is to think of how the Taiwan, Berlin, Chile, London,  
Florida and other Host Teams have done it - growing the capacity of  
facilitators in their own region through workshops, gatherings, local  
OSonOSs and more - long before the event date. Building a community of  
practice in Open Space. Not just doing a WOSonOS event as the way to  
bring attention to Open Space in your region. So that an Open Space  
community existed before, supports during, and continues after your  
event.

Who will invite us for 2014, and for 2015?
Do you have a plan for building capacity in your community? Do you  
have an existing community of Open Space practitioners?
I will be in Florida this October so perhaps I will see you there or  
even be the one to help you make your invitation...

I look forward to hearing from you,
Lisa

Lisa Heft
(also known as Access Queen)


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