[OSList] Private vs Public OST Differences?

John Baxter via OSList oslist at lists.openspacetech.org
Thu Oct 16 01:04:22 PDT 2014 

"Follow through" is a big area (and a big interest of mine!).

Sometimes it seems like "they should do something about that!", and nobody
really cares to do anything... but they would like to see someone do
something... just not enough to do it themselves.  In which case, 'nothing'
is a perfectly valid response!

Public 'engagement' type events are often framed at seeking answers or
contributions.  They really aren't about making anything happen, but about
answering a question... and often the answer has very little real
implication, because as interesting as it is, nobody needs it answered in
order to do anything.

I don't really understand why people are so interested in such things, but
I suppose people like to feel like their voice is being heard.  Which I
guess is a good thing, but feel it can also be dangerous, in that it
characterises the participants as passive.  (Reinforcing the "you have
ideas, we make things happen" myth <http://sydney2030.com.au>)

I think 'design elements' like this can be real barriers for people taking
responsibility.

It is not always enough to say that people will take action if they care.
You can only be told "no" so many times before giving up.

I think also the opposite response is totally counter productive... to try
to pin tasks and working groups and projects on people... to force
(inspire?) people into action.  So many event methodologies are designed
specifically to herd people into putting their hand up to something... and
they look great to clients, because it looks like things are happening!
But really, nobody is leading, and nobody really cares, so nothing ever
really overcomes the inevitable hurdles and lasts the distance it needs
to.  People follow-up on their commitment to participate (which has been
elicited), with the minimal effort possible... but nobody follows through
on delivering the ostensible result that has been committed to.

I've struggled with people expecting SMART answers in a spreadsheet when
they ask "so what even happened?"  They don't want to hear a story about
how people's lives have been changed... that doesn't fit their bill.  I've
come to terms with never being able to satisfy these people.  (*David Smith
- your example souns like a horror story!*)

Unfortunately, often participants themselves feel an emptiness without a
mechanism that not only makes progress visible, but that "brands" progress
in line with a clear causal relationship.

hmmmm


*John Baxter*
*​Co​Create Adelaide Facilitator, Director of Realise consultancy*
CoCreateADL.com​ <http://cocreateadl.com/localgov%E2%80%8B> |
jsbaxter.com.au <http://www.jsbaxter.com.au/>
0405 447 829
​ | ​
@jsbaxter_ <http://twitter.com/jsbaxter_>


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On Thu, Oct 16, 2014 at 11:40 AM, via OSList <oslist at lists.openspacetech.org
> wrote:

> Very interesting thoughts Harrison,
>
> I recall once when working for a government organisation, that two items
> in our business plan had been subsumed and expanded into a third, better
> project. However, I was criticised for not completing the two original
> items in the spreadsheet. Try as I might, I could not get the business
> manager to see that what we had achieved was far better than originally
> conceived. It was around this time that I heard a radio interview with
> Birgitt Williams and that was how I sought out Open Space and its then
> Melbourne guru Brian S Bainbridge.
>
>
>
> David
>
>
>
> Dr David Smith
> BSc(Hons) PhD FRSA
> Director, imaginACTION pty ltd
>
> 50 Sweyn Street
> Balwyn North
> Victoria   3104
> AUSTRALIA
>
> t +613 9857 8688
> m 0411 444 048
> david at imaginaction.net.au
> www.imaginaction.net.au
>
>
> imaginACTION
>
>
> *Overall  Winner,  Australian Achiever AwardsVictorian TV, Film, Audio and
> Video*
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> *From:* OSList [mailto:oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org] *On Behalf
> Of *Harrison Owen via OSList
> *Sent:* Thursday, 16 October 2014 4:20 AM
> *To:* 'Christine Whitney Sanchez'; 'World wide Open Space Technology
> email list'
>
> *Subject:* Re: [OSList] Private vs Public OST Differences?
>
>
>
> Christine – on the subject of “follow-through” – I hear what you are
> saying, and it is a frustration that a lot of people seem to have. But
> frankly, I don’t share it. At the end of the day, stuff gets done when
> people care to do it. I know of no plan, method, incantation that changes
> that equation. And when you look at the “outcomes” of a big public meeting
> (OS) it is quite clear that if they were all carefully placed of a
> spreadsheet with space supplied for “accomplished,” the picture is anything
> but clear. And for sure it will never look like the Quarterly Report from
> some corporate planning effort. But then again, most Quarterly Reports (my
> experience) are of doubtful validity. They may well state what people
> thought would happen, hoped would happen, should have happened... all
> subject to change with the next Quarterly Report.
>
>
>
> But I think problem is simply that the world is a much more complicated
> place, overwhelming our capacity to chart and categorize. For example it
> could be that most of the recommendations (commitments) were judged upon
> further reflection to be not such great ideas. The world changed – Or the
> time frame was too short. Great ideas and projects sometimes just need to
> “cook” for a while. Or... the real “outcome” was the conversation itself,
> and the details were simply irrelevant. Or something...
>
>
>
> Harrison
>
>
>
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> *From:* OSList [mailto:oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org
> <oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org>] *On Behalf Of *Christine
> Whitney Sanchez via OSList
> *Sent:* Wednesday, October 15, 2014 11:44 AM
> *To:* Daniel Mezick; World wide Open Space Technology email list
> *Subject:* Re: [OSList] Private vs Public OST Differences?
>
>
>
> Daniel and all,
>
>
>
> In my experience, public events have the same buzz and meaningful results
> as an in-organization OST.  I’ve facilitated a number of them that were
> sponsored by a group of organizations in the community.  For instance, Vibrant
> Phoenix <http://vibrantphx.com/next-actions/top-ideas/>, was a very
> productive economic development OST, sponsored by two mayors of large
> municipalities and several local businesses.  One of the business sponsors
> agreed to be the contact for folks who wanted to take their “actionable
> ideas” to the next level.  However, there was no budget and no
> infrastructure to really keep folks connected the the ideas they cared the
> most about.
>
>
>
> This is where the public open spaces generally fall short.  Because the
> ongoing action is not the core mission of any of these organizations, it is
> hoped that the participants will self-organize going forward.  With very
> few exceptions, this does not happen.  I believe that sponsorship for the
> work after the OST is what is called for.
>
>
>
> The Collective Impact
> <http://www.ssireview.org/blog/entry/channeling_change_making_collective_impact_work> model
> speaks to this.  It’s nothing new, really, but does represent a simple way
> to talk about the necessary conditions for sustaining collective action.  I
> now include my version of this model when I talk with potential sponsors to
> shine the light beyond the meeting so that we can discuss their intentions
> for providing backbone support for self-organized action going forward.
>
>
>
> I especially love public Open Space events and look forward to working
> with sponsors who see the meeting as merely the first small step in
> collaborative action.  There is so much potential!
>
>
>
> Warm wishes from a sunny autumn morning in the rain-greened desert,
>
> Christine
>
> Christine Whitney Sanchez, M.C.
>
> Phoenix, AZ, USA • +1.480.759.0262
> www.innovationpartners.com
>
> Facebook <https://www.facebook.com/ChristineWhitneySanchez> | LinkedIn
> <https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinewhitneysanchez> | Twitter
> <https://twitter.com/CWhitneySanchez>
>
>
>
> On Oct 15, 2014, at 6:33 AM, Daniel Mezick via OSList <
> oslist at lists.openspacetech.org> wrote:
>
>
>
> Greetings To All,
>
> I notice that there are many big differences between
> public-conference-type OST events, and OST events arranged for
> organizations.
>
> Do you also notice this? Maybe I am imagining this....just making stuff
> up...
>
> ...maybe not. In many key dimensions, I experience these differences as
> striking. Even disturbing.
>
>
>
> And so I have been poking around inside the GUIDE (3rd edition) and I
> notice that, in some spots, the implication is that the discussion is about
> a public event. Up to page 18 for example, this implication is clear:
>
>
> <THE GUIDE PAGE 18>
>
> Working With The Client if you ARE NOT the Sponsor
>
> "To this point I have assumed that you (the reader) will be the sponsor
> and facilitator of the Open Space, and therefore *it is your decision as
> to whether or not to proceed*...(*emphasis added.*)
>
> </THE GUIDE PAGE 18>
>
>
>
> My current belief is that having the same person in the Sponsor role
> **and** the Facilitator role is probably a very bad idea for an OST event *inside
> an organization*. For the typical public-conference event on the other
> hand, this seems to work just fine. Kinda like a Barcamp or Unconference....
>
>
> Another current belief I hold is that OST is the essential tool for
> creating "Development and Transformation in Organizations". It is best
> suited for use in organizations.
>
> It is interesting to note how the Barcamp and/or "Unconference" formats
> seem to get the same or as-good results as Open Space, in the public
> conference setting.
>
> Not so inside organizations! In fact, as of now, I don't think Barcamp or
> Unconference has any chance whatsoever at being effective in bringing about
> Development and Transformation in Organizations the way Open Space can.
> Something about the Sponsor?
>
> Daniel
>
> --
>
> Daniel Mezick, President
>
> New Technology Solutions Inc.
>
> (203) 915 7248 (cell)
>
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> <http://newtechusa.net/blog/>. Twitter
> <http://twitter.com/#%21/danmezick/>.
>
> Examine my new book:  The Culture Game
> <http://newtechusa.net/about/the-culture-game-book/>: Tools for the Agile
> Manager.
>
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>
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>
>
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