[OSList] OS Hotline harvest for March 25, 2014

[Tricia Chirumbole]

Hi all!

Thanks to the hottest new Storyteller to hit the OS scene, April Doner, we
have been graced with THE BEST harvest of the Open Space Hotline ever :)

Notes below.............

*Some Rough Notes* of…*



*  *  *   *Open Space Hotline*   * * *

Tues, March 25, 2014

12-1 EST



WHO SHOWED UP:



*       Andrea Chiou             (D.C.)*

*        Thomas Herrmann    (Sweden)*

*­­        Skye Hirst    (Maine, US)*

*         Paul Levy     (England)*

*         Marie Ann Ostlund     (Sweden)*

*         Heidi Nobantu Seol    (New Mexico)*



*    Tricia Chirumbole      (Pennsylvania)*



*     April Doner                 (Indianapolis)*







*(notes by April…  who missed the first 10 minutes)







*Tricia* ~  I’ve heard concerns and ideas from people around how people who
are traditionally excluded might not be able to fully participate in Open
Space when it’s just “open” – and things we can do to ensure that they can
really participate.







*April *~  There’s a topic I’d like to bring up…  In late April, I’ll be
hosting a workshop on Asset-Based Community Development (or, ABCD -- a
model for change with a lot of similarities to Open Space) and want to
incorporate Open Space. I experienced OST’s power this January in New York
– but I’m running into a couple of challenges in thinking about it. First,
I often feel critical of places that use “Open Space” but just work it into
their actually very structured event…  I believe in doing things all the
way and that sometimes if you just do it half-way, as a kind of
bastardization, you miss the real experience altogether. So, I don’t want
to do that.  But, because ABCD involves a paradigm shift in how people
think about community, change, etc., I also feel sure that there needs to
be SOME kind of content or structure – stories, framework, exercises I have
used before to help people “get it.”



The workshop is for one day, so it doesn’t leave me a lot of time.





*____  ~*  I’ve worked with a number of clients who need to deliver some
content, so often we’ll spend the first day sharing that content and then
do a second day Open Space ~ Theme inspired by the first day—so perhaps you
could do that, and have open space around “Working the ABCD Way.”





*Paul Levy ~   *I’m also a fan of using Open Space “Clean.”



Guerilla Open Space ~ (Article)



“Conscious Business”  -- working for a year.

A Conscious Business rarely has a strategy. Big strategies can start to
degrade your consciousness. Strategizing but not strategies—or not for very
long.

Ex: if you’re going mountaineering, climb Mt Everest – you need a strategy.
There’s the mountain, weather may change, but you know the route you’re
going to take. Metaphor breaks when you have a group of people in the room.
If going to climb a mountain, even the mountain may change.  An Open Space
facilitator is an open improviser.  Go in with a design you’ve worked out
with your client but when you can, ready to launch into Open Space when
it’s the right time.



Guerilla Open Space: It can happen any place or anytime. Having it ready in
your repertoire



Conscious Business, you have to be present.



*Heidi  ~    *I’ve done a variety of gatherings—a question I sometimes ask
for Open Space is, “What else do you want to learn before you leave?”

Call the topics.  Usually there is some info needs to be delivered at the
very beginning.  Works very well.  Working Open Space in toward the end
also provides the structure for the continued structure after getting this
information.



If I can fit three sessions in, I always try to—ie. three chances to set
sessions.





*April ~   *I’m also worried about how to foster paradigm shift…   one of
the seeming benefits of a more traditional structure is that when there’s
someone with more experience, they can help reinforce when people are
“getting it” and help them see whey they might be still stuck in the old.
My fear or discomfort is partly around just opening space and then people
revert into the old paradigms they’re used to.





*Skye ~*  Asking, “What else do you want to learn before you leave the
room?” requires trust, courage.  Remember that little simple power – people
will step forward if they have the passion, if have the opportunity.
Somehow that courage comes out of you in a way that you could never do in
another setting.



*Paul *~ People realize that the assholes at the top are going to
over-design and over-control it. Pop-up open space is something good in
itself. Good for facilitators to assert self-organization not in terms of
what went before. When I offer it, just on intuition. More likely to say no
if you’ve been over-fussy on organizing it and over-strategizing it. More
about the facilitator’s journey about being improvisational in the moment.
At 50, I’m finding that I’m much less skilled at it than I am at “working
the room” or strategizing beforehand how a day will go.  Find the space in
yourself that you’re ready.



Tricia ~  Terrifying. Improv world. When you make an offer, don’t make it.
Don’t half-ass make it. People can sort out.









*Andrea Chiou*  ~   Working with schools, Suicides. Have been trying to get
an Open Space to help deal with it. Just put out on her Facebook group,
“What have we not thought of yet?”  Responded:  “We’re not doing enough to
listen to the kids.”  Getting kids into the space at one time needs some
kind of administrative backing. Doesn’t just happen out of the blue.  How
to go about formulating the formal part of this.



If not formal, how could it be informal?



*Thomas ~*  Had several schools, teachers, parents, kids together around
bullying.  Amazed that the kids had so many thoughts and clear ideas. One
of the key factors that it was very successful.



*Skye ~*  Anybody who has a liaison with the kids in general, one or two
teachers who can connect with the kids – get them to ask the kids for a
small group, get together and ask what could be an invitation question.



*Andrea*  ~ There are some kids who are very active already in the
community, raising issues about depression.  Person I’m working with is at
the County level. My focus is the global level. I have to select where I
put my energy, from that maybe build momentum for other places.



*Paul *~  Make it scarce at the beginning.  Young bands do that.  Limit the
tickets and then release more.



*April* ~  In social justice “Nothing About Us Without Us.”  Include the
kids in the organization, just like in OST all levels are included and
invited, valued equally – from janitor to the ED.



*Andrea*  ~  I hear you, and that resonates with me. Have been noticing
what felt like exclusion happening. But I also worry about how to make sure
the kids feel comfortable saying what they really think or really feel?



*Paul* ~  in the invite.  We’re inviting you to self-organize. It’s always
the case that some people You can put a paragraph that might make some
people breathe a sigh of relief in advance, that no one is going to
embarrass them.



*Andrea * ~ I want this to be a place where crazy ideas are brought forth.
Put that in the invite…  we invite you especially to bring your crazy ideas
to bear.



*April * ~  I think if kids are invited to a place where their voices are
actually respected, they will feel as comfortable as the adults—which will
vary with each personality. Also, what are all the other people who might
care about and be connected with kids?  (Story of Broadway church, Terri
Coleman who they discovered the





*Andrea*  ~  I want to do something—I don’t really know how it’s going to
turn out.  You all have inspired me to write the invitation.



____   ~  If the school is not into it, there are other ways to do it.  If
it doesn’t work in one way, it can work in another way.



*Heidi *~  Writing the invitation a good way to give people an idea of what
you’re talking about—to say, “Oh!  That’s what you mean.”



*Andrea* ~  I think in a way it’s better not to have it at the school.
Sends the signal that it’s not just a school thing.  Gets away from the
liability issues.



*Marie Ann Ostlund*  ~  What would it be if the kids were involved in
organizing this?  The aspect of empowerment, and when things are happening
in this environment, you feel a sense of loss of control… when you’re
involved in organizing something like this







*April* ~   Where to post notes?

*Tricia* ~  Open Space World…  OSList







*  *  *  *THE END*  *  *  *






Tricia Chirumbole
Participatory Engagement & Transformation Facilitator
Mojo Collaborative
www.mojocollaborative.com

571-232-0942
skype: tricia.chirumbole
twitter: @themojozone
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