[OSList] action reflection learning track for leaders who have experienced OST in their organizations

[Birgitt Williams]

Dear friends and colleagues in Open Space,
When you facilitate an OST meeting in an organization, it is the formal
leader who opens the space inside his/her organization for this meeting to
take place. Whether the leader feels well versed in what OST is or is
simply going along with something that has been recommended, that person
has an experience that is also a big opportunity...for the single leader
and/or the leadership team.

If you also recognize the wonderful opportunity in front of this leader as
you have discussions with the leader and leadership team, you may be
interested in the five self study modules that our team is calling our Next
Level Leadership learning track
<https://www.dalarinternational.com/curriculum/next-level-leadership/>. The
five modules are designed for just such a leader to go through in a self
study mode to encourage some of the thinking that is important to lead an
organization within the new leadership paradigm within which OST fits
"Leading So People Will Lead".

Since 1992 I have been fascinated by what happens when formal leaders
including leadership teams sponsor and experience an Open Space Technology
meeting in their workplace. There are a few different story lines that
emerged. First, it is important to share with you that within how we teach
about Working with Open Space Technology in our Genuine Contact program, we
encourage facilitators of the OST meeting to have a 'debrief meeting' with
these leaders (the sponsors). The questions we ask in the debrief meeting
are kept simple and are intended for heightening learning from the shared
experience of having been in an OST meeting. Yes, simple action-reflection
learning.

In my experience, OST always works. And always, the quality and quantity of
outcomes surpasses all expectations. So...that is part of what is reflected
on during the debrief meeting. Within an OST meeting, there is always the
experience of leadership popping up by just about everyone; people stating
that they experience a shared vision during the meeting; a real sense of
community with good communication throughout; and self management within
the container created. This is also discussed in the debrief meeting. Then
comes the question that for me is of utmost importance. Here it is "During
the OST meeting, you experienced exceptional performance by the people who
participated as you have just discussed. If you are not getting that
exceptional performance every day, would you like to?".

Silence is the first response.
The second response is "no, this is not our daily experience"
Then comes the discussion of "we want this in our daily experience BUT we
are not ready". I reply "you say you want exceptional performance. Your
people have shown you within the OST meeting that they are capable of
exceptional performance already. If you are not having this exceptional
performance on a daily lived basis and you want it, what is it you are not
ready for?"

The answer has consistently been about the leadership capacity of the
leadership team to lead an organization of people who are engaged in the
ways that were visible in the OST meeting. This is a vulnerable
conversation to be having and I feel a lot of respect for the leaders and
the discussion.

My personal favorite outcome of the discussion is the leader (leadership
team) expressing an interest in developing personal and group leadership
capacity so that they can successfully lead an organization with a
participatory architecture along the same lines as the participatory
architecture of the OST meeting.

Initially I proceeded with these leaders by teaching them how to work with
OST to get the most harvest out of an OST meeting and to structure their
organization to allow as much freedom and choice as possible. I realized
that something was missing. I had jumped ahead too quickly. Just because
the leader (leadership team) stated willingness, there are steps to take
between that stated willingness and feeling ready and engaged in thinking
and working in a more expanded concept of leadership.

Now  when those leaders (leadership teams)  say they are willing to lead
their organizations as a culture of leadership, the kind of culture that
needs a participatory architecture with lots of use of OST meetings....we
have them go through what we call our Next Level Leadership learning track
<https://www.dalarinternational.com/curriculum/next-level-leadership/>.
They can do these five modules as self study with lots of reflection about
their thoughts about leadership...and then have a one to one (or group)
mentoring session to have a conversation about what they are thinking
regarding leadership.

Placing this learning track in their hands assists them with discernment
about leading for the leadership paradigm of "Leading So People Will Lead";
assists them in readiness and developing a plan for their readiness; and
assists them with engaging in the development needed for what is a very
challenging leadership role...well worth it, but challenging.

I hope that this has piqued your interest about one way to help leaders who
are interested in leading for the kind of performance they experience in an
OST meeting. This has been a passion of mine for a long long time...and I
am very pleased with what happens when leaders take the time to go through
this self study. Shift happens.

in genuine contact,
Birgitt

*Birgitt Williams*
*Supporting Next Level Leadership "Leading So People Will Lead"*
Author, Senior Consultant, President Dalar International Consultancy, Inc
<http://www.dalarinternational.com/>
Founder Genuine Contact Program
<http://www.dalarinternational.com/genuine-contact>
Co-owner Genuine Contact Group, LLC
<https://genuinecontact.net/about/co-owners/>
Founder Extraordinary Leadership Network
<http://www.extraordinaryleadershipnetwork.com/>

*Learn with us for your skill and capacity development for leading and
working in the new leadership paradigm "Leading So People Will Lead"*

Upcoming learning module: Working with Open Space Technology
<https://www.dalarinternational.com/curriculum/open-space-technology/>.
Three different learning options to learn a process for facilitating
meetings that engage the people. Self-Study + One-to-One Mentoring +
Mentoring Circle; Self-Study + Real-Time Workshop + Mentoring Circle;
and Self-Study
+ Real-Time Workshop + One-to-One Mentoring + Mentoring Circle with real
time workshop dates three consecutive Fridays from 9am to 12:30pm EST on
October 18, 25, and November 1st.

PO Box 19373, Raleigh, NC, USA 27613
Phone: 01-919-522-7750
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