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

Tue May 7 22:05:20 PDT 2013

I hate seeing the messages about the WOSonOS. I want to go as I know it will
be amazing, but am not in a situation to go this time. Maybe the next one
can be in Kenya? I am up for that!

Have a fabulous time everyone! 

Peace, 

Celia Bray

CEO

Omni One Ltd

Peace, Enterprise and Community Development

P  +254 735 191 344

E  celia.bray at omni-one-consulting.com

W www.omni-one-consulting.com

OmniC84a-A08aT06a-Z

'The best way to predict the future is to create it' Peter Druker

From: oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org
[mailto:oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org] On Behalf Of Lisa Heft
Sent: Wednesday, 8 May 2013 12:43 AM
To: OSLIST
Subject: [OSList] WOSonOS - future hosts? Wisdom to share...

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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