[OSList] Open Space by the book?

Michael Herman via OSList oslist at lists.openspacetech.org
Mon Nov 17 14:21:35 PST 2014


>
> All of us as facilitators would do well to remember that people are not
> coming to a meeting to be wowed by a process that you personally love.
> They are coming to get work done.  And so it behooves us to put a lid on
> our passions for the mechanics of the process and simply open space so that
> work can get done.  Later on you can reflect on WHY it happened like that.


yes yes yes, chris.  it may well be that the, shall we say, "traditional"
story of 4 principles, one law and a couple of bugs is ready to go the way
of voting.  there is still something to be said for talking about the
purpose, and something to be said for not knowing what will happen.  i
always liked that fr. brian used to put "be prepared to be surprised" at
the entrance to the space.  and something to be said for giving people a
chance to think about what they want to do/post, before the chaos of
writing and announcing begins.  probably this "time to think" is the most
important part about talking about principles and bugs.  the higher the
stakes and/or the larger the group, probably the more time for pre-soaking.
 guess that's the art of it really... just enough, but no more, in the
briefing.  and in whatever way that we don't create a distraction from
which we cannot escape.  the better we know the group and the issues,
probably the easier it is to do this.







--

Michael Herman
Michael Herman Associates
312-280-7838 (mobile)

http://MichaelHerman.com
http://OpenSpaceWorld.org


On Mon, Nov 17, 2014 at 4:03 PM, Chris Corrigan via OSList <
oslist at lists.openspacetech.org> wrote:

> I have opened space many many times without ever mentioning the four
> principles, the law or any other assorted wisdom associated with WHY the
> process works.
>
> My basic practice is to explain HOW we will organize ourselves, pointing
> out the tools we have to do so: paper, markers, bulletin board.
>
> I talk about passion and responsibility “Please only post a topic you will
> personally show up for…” and I mention the freedom of choosing and moving.
>
> That is all that people need to get into Open Space.  I’m not sure the
> principles or the law or anything else are necessary pre-conditions for the
> appearance and deployment of Open Space in a meeting.  I think they help
> explain what is happening, and I think they help people let go of control a
> little.
>
> All of us as facilitators would do well to remember that people are not
> coming to a meeting to be wowed by a process that you personally love.
> They are coming to get work done.  And so it behooves us to put a lid on
> our passions for the mechanics of the process and simply open space so that
> work can get done.  Later on you can reflect on WHY it happened like that.
>
> As for the idea that OST is mainstream, well perhaps not yet.  But within
> the world of people who think a lot about this sort of thing it is widely
> known.  I feel like these days people call and ask about OST having
> experienced it whereas in the 1990s and early 200s people were calling
> because it seemed like a good idea, but they had never experienced it.  So
> not mainstream per se, but widely accepted and known in a small part of the
> world.
>
> At any rate it has been a long time since I have asked the question at the
> start of a meeting and seen zero hands go up.  There seems to be at least
> one person who knows Open Space.
>
> Whether we use the original instructions or modifications or innovations,
> whatever you do, do it very very well.  Be very conscious, model good
> leadership and never stop embodying invitation.  Lots of people have
> witnessed poorly planned Open Spaces run by facilitators who are too
> nervous to let go of their control of it.  We all owe it to our clients and
> participants to meet their needs well with a process that helps them get
> unlocked from the stuck places they get into.
>
> Here’s my book again for you to download.  I hope it inspires your
> practice.
>
> The Tao of Holding Space
> <http://www.archive.org/details/TheTaoOfHoldingSpace>
>
> Chris
>
>
> On Nov 14, 2014, at 11:09 PM, John Baxter via OSList <
> oslist at lists.openspacetech.org> wrote:
>
> Nice reflection Harrison.
>
> You've unfortunately created too many loose ends to inspire a neat reply.
> So here is a messy one.
>
> Regards the simplest recipe for Open Space, to what degree have the Law
> and N Principles (and the animals) been critically tested?  To be honest,
> these have never really resonated for me and I've always used a different
> variation each time searching for something that feels right (and no longer
> than it needs to be).
>
> I think it's a long bow to describe Open Space as mainstream, or anywhere
> near it.  It has spread to all corners of the globe perhaps, but it is
> still the System A alternative, islands within a System B world.  I would
> hazard 90% of those who have been to conferences and meetings and like
> gatherings have not heard of it... (speaking at a conference on cocreation
> and placemaking recently, I requested a hands-up and had a whole TWO of
> hundreds confess to acquaintance)
> and even if 90% had, I'm sure less than 1% of the gatherings they attend
> are consciously designed to unlock self organisation.
>
> What you describe of the permutations of the practice matches what I see
> (though I'm too new to know differently), but I can't see how this could be
> because of a tipping point as the practice is mainstreamed.
>
> Maybe that's just where I participate.
>
> Regards the permutations and combinations... bring them on!  This thread
> could quickly follow all sorts of rabbit holes on this one, so I might save
> those thoughts for another day.
>
> Cheers
>
>
> *John Baxter*
> *Cocreation Consultant & ​Co​Create Adelaide Facilitator*
> jsbaxter.com.au <http://www.jsbaxter.com.au/> | CoCreateADL.com
> <http://cocreateadl.com/>
> 0405 447 829
> ​ | ​
> @jsbaxter_ <http://twitter.com/jsbaxter_>
>
> *Thank you to everyone who came, helped or spread the good word about City
> Grill!*
> *Summary and links: cocreateadl.com/localgov/grill-summary/
> <http://cocreateadl.com/localgov/grill-summary/>*
>
>
> On Fri, Nov 14, 2014 at 5:37 AM, paul levy via OSList <
> oslist at lists.openspacetech.org> wrote:
>
>> The problem with sticking with things is you might just end up stuck.
>>
>> Ho hum.
>>
>> Paul Levy
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On 13 Nov 2014, at 18:14, Harrison Owen via OSList <
>> oslist at lists.openspacetech.org> wrote:
>>
>> Open Space, in its “original” form is sparse simplicity to say the least.
>> Ten to fifteen minutes introduction, and it is off the races, or in my
>> case, off to take a nap. The evolution of this format followed a simple
>> dictum: “Think of one more thing NOT to do.” Over time in my practice I
>> simply removed one more element. The first to go were so called, “warm up
>> exercises.” But it went down from there. My surprise was that the less I
>> did, the better it got... which seemed to be the exact opposite of many of
>> my colleagues’ experience with the methods and approaches they had created.
>> Their simple guide books gave way to 400 page Manuals with additions and
>> extensions. Of course, there were times when people remarked to me that OS
>> was so simple it couldn’t possibly work. But it did. Simply sit in a
>> circle, create a bulletin board, acknowledge the 5 principles and the Law –
>> and Go to Work! That’s it. That’s all.
>>
>>
>> I confess that I do love elegant simplicity, and so there is a large part
>> of me that would stick with the “original” for that reason alone. To this
>> may be added the fact that this “elegant simplicity” apparently violated
>> essentially all the principles and practices of management that I knew
>> about. To some extent this was a source of no small amount of
>> embarrassment, for after all when what you see, do, and think is at odds
>> with the Received Wisdom there are obvious questions about your grasp of
>> reality. But, the disparity between what I was witnessing and what  (I was
>> told) I should be experiencing has led to a marvelous quest into the
>> strange new world of self organizing systems. Rich and rewarding indeed.
>>
>>
>> Now it seems that the world is changing (or at least our perception of
>> that world) such that the strange environment of self organization is no
>> longer so strange. What appeared odd, counter-intuitive, impossible is now
>> almost mainstream. Not quite but getting there. And if so, perhaps it is
>> now time to let go of that old “elegant simplicity” in all of its appealing
>> purity... and plunge into the marvelous world of combinations and
>> permutations. And why not? It could be a lot of fun.
>>
>>
>> I can see the possibilities, but I doubt seriously I would change. Senile
>> sentimentality for sure, AND I actually have another concern which I think
>> may be determinative. I suspect that OST (simple version) may be the best
>> Training Program going when it comes to the introduction of folks to the
>> High Arts of navigating a self organizing world. And best of all it is
>> Experiential Learning from the start. Training and Doing are absolutely
>> united. It is not talking about self organization it is being intentionally
>> in that mode. And any added complexity/parallel program will tend to
>> obscure the central mind bending fact – It’s happening all by itself.
>>
>>
>> We have talked about this “ training” function before, usually under the
>> heading of Chris Corrigan’s notion of Training Wheels. That is definitely
>> good start, but only a start. We can do more, and it could be a real kick.
>>
>>
>> So I plan to stick with the original – with the hope and intent that lots
>> of new people will drop by to experience the incredible, productive freedom
>> of losing control, and then come to understand that it is actually their
>> birthright. They only have to claim it.
>>
>>
>> Harrison
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Winter Address
>>
>> 7808 River Falls Drive
>>
>> Potomac, MD 20854
>>
>> 301-365-2093
>>
>>
>> Summer Address
>>
>> 189 Beaucaire Ave.
>>
>> Camden, ME 04843
>>
>> 207-763-3261
>>
>>
>> Websites
>>
>> www.openspaceworld.com <http://%20www.openspaceworld.com/>
>>
>> www.ho-image.com
>>
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