[OSList] open message to Nick Martin

Fri Jun 7 13:58:30 PDT 2019

Very interesting conversation and attempts to describe OST!

I'm reading Nassim Nicholas Taleb's book, Anti-Fragile. It seems to me 
Open Space is antifragile.

The idea of antifragility goes beyond resilience. Life in general is 
antifragile. It doesn't just bounce back from set-backs. It actually 
gets stronger as it overcomes challenges and stress.

Antifragility seems relevant in this conversation as it seems the more 
people try to document or describe Open Space, even with rather 
challenging inaccuracies, the stronger it gets. I like Liberating 
Structures. The 'min-specs' for OST seem accurate in the book and the 
website, even if it leaves out how much more powerful it gets in the 
"long form" (or at least more than 90 minutes). And it leaves out the 
need to get strong authorization from leaders. I love that it says it's 
not open space without the law of two feet. But the Liberating 
Structures 'min-specs' don't emphasize the importance of not generating 
topics ahead of time. I've unfortunately encountered rather large events 
claiming to be 'open space' where the participants either generated the 
topics in advance, or worse, didn't even get to generate the topics.

The "Open Space" with-a-twist as described on 
https://workshopbank.com/open-space-technology shows a nice picture and 
I hope it introduces more folks to Open Space Technology. For me at 
least, doing the agenda creation before the OST is an unconference 
trick, but it hugely diminishes the potential power of OST.

For what it is worth - Harrison Owen may not have claimed any ownership 
rights of Open Space, but what he did do is ask us to share back what we 
learn as we practice Open Space. That should start by honoring and 
sharing our sources.

Another way to reference back is a project the Open Space Institute U.S. 
did a several years ago with Harrison Owen's help. "Open Space 
Technology: The Reference Definition" which is Creative Commons Share 
and Adapt (cc by-sa) licensed. So feel free to reference it as you 
share-and-extend. Twisty or Straight!

http://osius.org/ost-reference-definition

     Regards,
     Harold

On 6/5/19 8:10 AM, Robin Muretisch, Facilitative Insights, LLC via 
OSList wrote:
>
> For everyone, the Liberating Structures site has a handy “min specs” 
> description of OST.  Here’s the link: 
> http://www.liberatingstructures.com/25-open-space-technology/.
>
> Regards,
>
> Robin
>
>
> Robin D. H. Muretisch, CPF, MBA, CPA
>
> IAF Certified™ Professional Facilitator
>
> _robin at facinsights.com <mailto:robin at facinsights.com>_  | 
> 770.371.5874  | cid:image001.jpg at 01D48E49.D9A1E690 
> <https://www.linkedin.com/in/robin-muretisch/>
>
> cid:image004.jpg at 01D48E4F.B1F26380 <http://www.facinsights.com/>
>
> *From:*OSList <oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org> *On Behalf Of 
> *Nick Martin via OSList
> *Sent:* Wednesday, June 05, 2019 2:33 AM
> *To:* Marai Kiele <genuine-contact at joyful-together.com>; ost list 
> international <oslist at lists.openspacetech.org>
> *Cc:* Nick Martin <nick at workshopbank.com>
> *Subject:* Re: [OSList] open message to Nick Martin
>
> Thanks for your open letter Marai. I'm always excited and willing to 
> receive feedback.
>
> As you'll remember over a year ago I opened up the content of this 
> article for comments and input from this list in the form of a Google 
> Doc.
>
> Such was the passion exhibited in the original thread I was eager and 
> excited to receive your inputs. Unfortunately only two people replied 
> though. I'm very grateful to both you and Keith Blundell for taking 
> the time.
>
> I must admit life took over and in my wait for more input other 
> priorities took over. I'm happy to revisit it now though as I can feel 
> the energy is back and I'd like to the right thing in the eyes of this 
> excellent community.
>
> Here's the link - 
> https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ufIsy0BQvIqlRUbW0FAyXHGV0IKw3VdDT8L91RIJJU8/edit?usp=sharing
>
> Please add your thoughts, comments and feedback and amend the article 
> as best I can.
>
>
> photo
>
> 	
>
> *Nick Martin*
> Founder & CEO,WorkshopBank
>
>
> *M *+45 42 47 00 74 <tel:+45%2042%2047%2000%2074>*E 
> *nick at workshopbank.com <mailto:nick at workshopbank.com>*W 
> *workshopbank.com <http://workshopbank.com>
>
> <http://facebook.com/workshopbank>
>
> 	
>
> <http://dk.linkedin.com/in/nickmartn>
>
> 	
>
> <http://twitter.com/workshopbank>
>
>
>
> On 05/06/2019 01:53, Marai Kiele wrote:
>
>     Hello Nick Martin,
>
>     I find myself tense in my belly after reading your newsletter today:
>
>     I just wanted to share with you a popular WorkshopBank tool
>     <https://t.dripemail2.com/c/eyJhY2NvdW50X2lkIjoiMjM3MTU2MiIsImRlbGl2ZXJ5X2lkIjoiNjc1OTQzNzE4MiIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd29ya3Nob3BiYW5rLmNvbS9vcGVuLXNwYWNlLXRlY2hub2xvZ3k_dXRtX3NvdXJjZT1kcmlwXHUwMDI2dXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbFx1MDAyNnV0bV9jYW1wYWlnbj1uZXctdG9vbC1vcGVuLXNwYWNlXHUwMDI2X19zPXFtZXdvcGZiZnpzMnBvY3ltZTRnIn0> you
>     can start using with your clients right away. Let me know what you
>     think.
>
>     You suggest that the reader lets you know what they think. I
>     choose to do that.
>
>     I also choose to do that in the form of an open letter, as several
>     months back you asked on the os-list for input to your description
>     of the OST process for the Workshopbank.
>
>     You introduced your version of „OST with a twist“, and there was a
>     somewhat heated discussion on this list about it.
>
>     I participated in both, revising and giving you feedback on your
>     description (as requested) and discussing about „is something with
>     such a twist still OST?“
>
>     Your twist was about giving the leaders control about the topics.
>
>     Back then I used the analogy that you are mixing red wine with
>     coca cola (which some people actually do and drink — I tried it
>     out as a teenager).
>
>     And that calling such a beverage „red wine with a twist“ is an
>     inaccurate representation of a) red wine and b) the taste that a
>     consumer will experience.
>
>     (side note: usually, this mix is done with red wine of poor quality)
>
>     In my analogy, OST is the red wine and controlling the process is
>     the coke.
>
>     In your description, you early on distinguish between OST and OST
>     with a twist. I first appreciated you for making that distinction
>     so upfront.
>
>     Then I read what you wrote under:
>
>     *If you’re following the traditional Open Space Process...*
>
>       * 1
>
>     Gather your participants together and briefly explain how Open
>     Space events work using Harrison Owen’s 1 Law and the Guiding
>     Principles as appropriate. Traditionally you should do this with
>     everyone in a circle around youbut you don’t necessarily have to.
>
>       * 2
>
>     Ask participants to spend 10 minutes thinking through if they have
>     any issues they’d like to raise.
>
>       * 3
>
>     If there is a general agreement that the issue has enough support
>     and passion behind it invite the issue owner to add the issue to
>     the schedule.
>
>       * 4
>
>     Once all issues have been added invite the participants to sign-up
>     for the sessions they’re planning on attending (they are free to
>     change their mind later if they want to).
>
>       * 5
>
>     Your sessions start.
>
>     There is much more on this page that, as I see it, is NOT "the
>     traditional Open Space Process“. I am giving just some further
>     examples:
>
>     https://workshopbank.com/open-space-technology
>
>
>         Process for a Session
>
>       * 1
>
>     Each session should be a round group of chairs (no table in the
>     middle) with preferably one facilitator to lead the discussion and
>     a scribe on the flip-chart.
>
>       * 2
>
>     A session starts with the issue owner welcoming and thanking the
>     group for coming and then giving a description of the issue as
>     they see it.
>
>       * 3
>
>     The facilitator then leads the discussioninviting people to give
>     their input at their request.
>
>       * 4
>
>     The scribe records the discussion on flip chart paper making
>     sureto mark Issues, Ideas, Questions (that can’t be answered
>     today) & Actions. When a flip is finished they should tear it
>     offand put it in the center of the circle or on a nearby wall for
>     people in the group to see.
>
>       * 5
>
>     Allow people to leave and arrive as they see fit though don’t
>     allow them to interrupt or slow-down your progress.It is a new
>     arrival’s responsibility to catch-up with the discussion using the
>     flip chart outputs no matter how high up or important they are.
>
>       * 6
>
>     When the issue looks like it has been covered and there are no
>     more inputs coming from your group thank them for their time and
>     invite them to join other groups if the session time is not over.
>
>     To me, calling this description "the traditional Open Space
>     Process“ I wonder if
>
>     - I am totally rigid and should just loosen up to the variations
>     of OST
>
>     - You have never experienced a traditional Open Space Process
>
>     - You just don’t care about the originality and instead rather
>     cater to business needs of controlled processes that limit
>     self-organisation
>
>     - I misremember all my trainings with Harrison Owen, Michael M
>     Pannwitz, Michael Pannwitz jr, Joe Töpfer, and last but not least
>     Birgitt Williams.
>
>     - or… ?
>
>     I totally don’t get it.
>
>     I don’t like what you are doing.
>
>     I also dislike that you market this description of „the
>     traditional Open Space Process“ as „a popular WorkshopBank Tool“.
>
>     I feel sad when I imagine people following your description and
>     spreading the word that „this is the traditional way of doing OST“.
>
>     Using my former analogy:
>
>     I imagine what you are doing is like a beverage shop introducing
>     someone who has never tasted a good red wine to that beverage.
>
>     Because this person usually drink coke, they are being given red
>     wine mixed with coke (to match their taste buds).
>
>     And then they are being told, „this is a traditional Cabernet
>     Sauvignon“.
>
>     I want you to revise your description and move your adaptions away
>     from "the original version" to „OST with a twist“.
>
>     Are you willing to do that?
>
>     Probably even better: Call it „…………….. - a process partly inspired
>     by Open Space Technology“
>
>     I look forward to your response,
>
>     Marai
>
>     https://www.linkedin.com/in/marai-kiele/
>
>     https://about.me/maraikiele
>
>
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-- 
Harold Shinsato
harold at shinsato.com <mailto:harold at shinsato.com>
http://shinsato.com
twitter: @hajush <http://twitter.com/hajush>
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