[OSList] First open space, advices needed :)

Sun Jan 4 02:37:12 PST 2015

I feel Chris like we have seemingly conflicting suggestions, but might be
talking about different things.

Reading about games recently (McGonigal's *Reality is Broken*) got me
thinking about goals.  And specifically, how goals are different
from purpose.

Don't know whether this will help but here goes.  I am only just thinking
this through so it is not well tested.

Goals are an element of a good game.  They are almost part of the rules of
the game, like an agreement - something that we buy in to as part of
participation.

The most productive spaces I have been part of have had a clear goal *for
that space *(that is understood and agreed to by all)*.*

I haven't used the word 'goal' to describe this before and maybe it is not
the best one, but it feels right to me to use a different word than
'purpose' which always seem in reality to be impossible to pin down.  I am
always aware that there is a broad web of different intents and purposes
and ideas that no individual will ever compute (even just those within
themselves, let alone others!), that will always be fuzzy.

Personally, having a solid 'goal' for a space is a fundamental part of
holding that space, any space.  It need not be written down, but I need to
feel it, and ideally it is as transparent as possible in the invitation and
for participants (part of the social contract of participation).

Cheers

*John Baxter*
*Cocreation Consultant & CoCreate Adelaide Facilitator*
jsbaxter.com.au <http://www.jsbaxter.com.au/> | 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 Sun, Jan 4, 2015 at 6:46 AM, Chris Corrigan via OSList <
oslist at lists.openspacetech.org> wrote:

> Sometimes though, fuzzy purpose is really really useful.  I’ve had
> situations where a group is really sure of what it is doing, and what it
> exists for and yet nothing is working.
>
> This happens a lot with mainline churches these days, many of whom are
> certain that they can recreate the “success” they had in the 1960s.  They
> are certainly clear on their purpose, but the harder they try, the worse
> they make it for themselves.
>
> And so we have run OST meetings where the purpose was unclear and fuzzy
> and people simply proposed topics that interested them.  And it turns out
> that that is a good way to discover the new directions you are trying to
> get into.  Of course all groups need a boundary, and in the case that
> immediately comes to mind, the question was “What else can we be?”
>
> People felt that was too fuzzy to get any kind of strategic work done, but
> what happened was that it invited people into a now three year journey of
> wayfinding together.  Which, it turns out, is a good purpose for a church.
>
> I think it’s not my job to “help people discover what they should be
> doing” even in Open Space.  I can, however, help hold space so that people
> can explore the fuzziness and confusion that they find themselves in AND I
> can model behaviour of not needing to know, of avoiding premature
> convergence of ideas and purpose, so that the innovation and wisdom and
> leadership at the margins can come forward.
>
> In the parlance of software developers, not knowing what to do is a
> feature of living in this world, not a bug.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Chris
>
> On Jan 3, 2015, at 2:00 AM, Anne-Béatrice Duparc via OSList <
> oslist at lists.openspacetech.org> wrote:
>
> I love how you put it in words John. I will discuss it today with the
> caller. Indeed there is much that seems already prepared and "shoulds". I
> hope I can help them let go of it.
> Thanks for the reminder,
>
> Message: 3
> Date: Tue, 23 Dec 2014 16:56:24 +1030
> From: John Baxter via OSList <oslist at lists.openspacetech.org>
> To: Gail West <icataiw at gmail.com>, World wide Open Space Technology
>     email list    <oslist at lists.openspacetech.org>
> Subject: Re: [OSList] First open space, advices needed :)
> Message-ID:
>     <CAJpg6=RAR3tnEUhzgFsTZ6HSZTKsUh=EB06QfoPbmhENwSBULA at mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
>
> If you can help the group to become clear about what the most important
> focus/challenge/question is for them *now*, then they will be able to let
> go of all those preconceived discussion topics in order to address their
> priority.
> If the purpose is fuzzy then all people have to go on is their baggage and
> prepared ideas.  This makes it hard for people to embrace the space, and
> they are likely to walk away disappointed (though they may still get a lot
> done).
>
> Overall, it will be useful to help people find what they really want to
> *do*,
> vs what they think they should *talk about*.  I don't really know how to
> describe this better, nor how you should do it.  But it might help.
>
> Cheers
>
>
> *John Baxter*
> *Cocreation Consultant & ?Co?Create Adelaide Facilitator*
> jsbaxter.com.au <http://www.jsbaxter.com.au/> | CoCreateADL.com
> 0405 447 829
> ? | ?
> @jsbaxter_ <http://twitter.com/jsbaxter_>
>
> Anne-Béatrice Duparc
> (0)76/378.69.98
> Comité de BIEN-Suisse Initiative fédérale pour un revenu de base
> <http://www.revenudebase.ch/>
> Génération RBI www.rbi-oui.ch
> Association Solid'Art Solid'Art <http://www.solidart.ch/>
>
>
>
>   On Sunday, December 21, 2014 2:58 AM, Chris Corrigan <
> chris.corrigan at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
> You really don't have so much time for convergence and action planning. I
> would have people start into their work and connect with folks who are
> doing similar things and then when you meet again you can make strategic
> choices.
>
> Chris
>
> --
> CHRIS CORRIGAN
> Harvest Moon Consultants
> Facilitation, Open Space Technology and process design
>
> Check www.chriscorrigan.com for upcoming workshops, blog posts and free
> resources.
>
>
>
> On Dec 20, 2014, at 9:25 AM, Anne-Béatrice Duparc via OSList <
> oslist at lists.openspacetech.org> wrote:
>
> I will go with your proposal concerning the report Chris, including next
> steps and follow up in it. I like the proposal to have a date to meet again
> and have everyone reporting on what is going on. I wonder though how we
> could include a step in between that would help towards a synthesis and
> action planning, because similar or close next steps might emerge from
> different sessions, and also things that are important for most of the
> group, things that are important only for some of them...
> Do you think that could be done through the internet?
>
> I will also see with the organizers (thanks Harrison) if that's okay for
> them that we don't have a formal lunch so that we can have more sessions.
> I love that idea :)
>
> As for the children, yes, I will love to include them :) I just wonder how
> it is possible to have children from 0 to 8 included in OS conversations...
> I would be happy to hear your thoughts about it. I think the best way would
> be to let it open : children who want to join do so and the other ones do
> whatever they want with the adults that are there for them.
>
> Daniel, I would like to have two days, but that is not the actual
> setting... Maybe I can propose that for the next one. As for the moment, I
> would like to help them have the best possible experience for this already
> planned short period of time and I feel like I am well engaged in this
> process thanks to all the good advices here :)
>
> And thanks again, I feel so much more intelligent and confident when I
> have all your ideas :)
>
> Anne-Béatrice Duparc
> (0)76/378.69.98
> Comité de BIEN-Suisse Initiative fédérale pour un revenu de base
> <http://www.revenudebase.ch/>
> Génération RBI www.rbi-oui.ch
> Association Solid'Art Solid'Art <http://www.solidart.ch/>
>
>
>
>   On Saturday, December 20, 2014 12:28 AM, Anne-Béatrice Duparc <
> abeaduparc at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>
> Thanks to all of you for the trust you allow me to feel through your
> words. That's just what I need!
> I am really grateful to be part of this community :)
> Hugs,
> Béa
>
> Anne-Béatrice Duparc
> (0)76/378.69.98
> Comité de BIEN-Suisse Initiative fédérale pour un revenu de base
> <http://www.revenudebase.ch/>
> Génération RBI www.rbi-oui.ch
> Association Solid'Art Solid'Art <http://www.solidart.ch/>
>
>
>
>   On Friday, December 19, 2014 6:03 PM, Chris Corrigan <
> chris.corrigan at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
> Anne Beatrice.
>
> You will be fine. Make sure the sessions are as long as possible. Two
> sessions of at least an hour will be important. Keep your intro short.
> Don't tell people what to do just tell them how it works and stand back and
> let them post their topics and get on with hosting their conversations.
>
> Provide them with a report form that has a so for the groups to record
> next steps and what they commit to do for follow up. Photograph those
> reports and send them by email to everyone. This saves you having to have a
> report back session.
>
> Make a date to meet again and tell everyone to come then and report on
> what is going on.
>
> See who stays behind. That group will be a good team to help move the
> issues forward and plan the next meeting. Go for a celebration drink with
> them.
>
> Chris
>
> --
> CHRIS CORRIGAN
> Harvest Moon Consultants
> Facilitation, Open Space Technology and process design
>
> Check www.chriscorrigan.com for upcoming workshops, blog posts and free
> resources.
>
>
>
> On Dec 19, 2014, at 3:47 AM, Anne-Béatrice Duparc via OSList <
> oslist at lists.openspacetech.org> wrote:
>
> Hi everyone,
>
> I am asked for my first Open Space! By a group of parents who are
> homeschooling their children and want to form as an association.
> They already planned the meeting for the 10th of January. The duration for
> the planned event is 3h30 and there will be a shared meal before it. It
> really seems short to me for an Open Space.
>
> There will be around 40 adults and 30 children. The children will be taken
> care of by some adults, but some of them may also take part to the event.
> It would be great :)
>
> We had no preparation meeting so on as I was just contacted but they
> already sent me by email some of the subjects they would like to discuss.
> Even if I know that in OST subjects are not planned in advance, I share
> them with you as a way to determine if OST can be a good thing for this
> group of people  :
>
>  -  Aims and objectives of the non-profit we could create.
> -  What are the resources we want to give ourselves (time, energy, money) ?
> -  What are our resources for the long term?
> -  How to build a sustainable association or group that does not depend on
> one or two persons?
> -  The creation and role a committee could have in the non profit
> - Would we like to merge or collaborate with the Homeschool Association of
> Switzerland?    Pros, cons, how?
> -  Next steps
> -  Articles of the non-profit
> - What is the aim of the non profit? Create activities? Support people in
> their choice? To be known?
>
> I have also understood that the situation is tense, because some cantons
> in Switzerland are going towards forbiding Homeschooling.
>
> As it would be my first Open Space, any advice is welcome. I am especially
> wondering if Open Space is a first good step in that case and what can be
> realistically achieved in 3h30 by a group of people that mostly don't know
> each other and would like to have some consensual concrete next steps at
> the end of the afternoon.
>
> Any advice welcome, even if it is to say : please do something else :)
>
> Thanks!
>
> Béa
>
> Anne-Béatrice Duparc
> (0)76/378.69.98
> Comité de BIEN-Suisse Initiative fédérale pour un revenu de base
> <http://www.revenudebase.ch/>
> Génération RBI www.rbi-oui.ch
> Association Solid'Art Solid'Art <http://www.solidart.ch/>
>
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