[OSList] open message to Nick Martin
Bhavesh Patel
bhavmail at gmail.com
Sun Jun 9 03:23:15 PDT 2019
I went to a Liberating Structures Immersion workshop last year led by two
of it's "leading practitioners" and they introduced OST to a group of 50
who I think did not know OST. They massacred it, I then sent the feedback
which I have copied below and it led to a very interesting discussion,
especially around how much you can "mess" with any approach and at what
point have you messed so much that you have left the
"fundamentals/principles" and it is not longer that approach, and is that
innovation, evolution, or simply something else, etc............
*My feedback to them:*
*"And one critical piece of feedback if that's ok. You really massacred
Open Space Technology, what you did was quite the opposite of OST. I would
suggest calling it Options Space powered by OST principles.*
*The point of OST is for a person to be free to take responsibility for
their passion by naming it and then announcing it to the whole group. It
happens in real-time which is also very important as it acts like an
individual and collective sense-making exercise.*
-
*What you did was have a bunch of pre-defined topics on the floor with no
names on them and then invited the group to add more, even though we
couldn't see what was on the floor. *
-
*Of course the group will not add because there are already well defined
‘facilitators-in-power’ topics and they are not going to add to them. OST
also doesn't mix well with other methods unless you really know what you
are doing. Another key aspect is the facilitator being present and
invisible, and you were very much in control. *
- *The topics eventually got stuck up onto the wall without the energy
of the ‘posting topics' part of OST.*
- *The wall could have had the extra clarity of the timing of each
session and also simple breakout space signs. This supports the
self-organisation of participants. Open space can feel quite complex and
increase a participant's cognitive load around topics and choosing, and so
it is good to reduce cognitive load around logistics to increase bandwidth
for the content and process.*
- *There is no moment in OST where a topic/session convenor is asking
whether someone will come to their topic.*
-
*There is no attempt to reduce topics based on who might come. *
-
*There is no checking by the facilitator in a very pro-active way of
whether there are more topics by going around the room and eye-balling
everyone. *
-
*The self-organising magic of OST comes from not doing all of these things
and increasing the space of serendipity. *
- *It felt like a very facilitator controlled agenda, which is the total
opposite of OST.*
- *You definitely NEVER tell anyone to use a specific methodology for
their session.*
-
*There is NO time-keeping in OST, especially 05min warnings, etc. You can
notice time on the hour if you want like Big Ben does, but that is
observation, not direction. *
*Anyway I am sure you know all this, and maybe I am being a bit of a method
purist, but you really did massacre OST!"*
On Fri, 7 Jun 2019 at 23:58, Harold Shinsato via OSList <
oslist at lists.openspacetech.org> wrote:
> 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 <robin at facinsights.com>* | 770.371.5874 | [image:
> cid:image001.jpg at 01D48E49.D9A1E690]
> <https://www.linkedin.com/in/robin-muretisch/>
>
> [image: cid:image004.jpg at 01D48E4F.B1F26380] <http://www.facinsights.com/>
>
>
>
> *From:* OSList <oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org>
> <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>
> <genuine-contact at joyful-together.com>; ost list international
> <oslist at lists.openspacetech.org> <oslist at lists.openspacetech.org>
> *Cc:* Nick Martin <nick at workshopbank.com> <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.
>
>
> [image: photo]
>
> *Nick Martin*
> Founder & CEO,WorkshopBank
>
> *M * +45 42 47 00 74 <+45%2042%2047%2000%2074>*E * nick at workshopbank.com
> <nick at workshopbank.com>*W * 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 you but 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 discussion inviting people to give their
> input at their request.
>
> - 4
>
> The scribe records the discussion on flip chart paper making sure to mark
> Issues, Ideas, Questions (that can’t be answered today) & Actions. When a
> flip is finished they should tear it off and 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
> http://shinsato.com
> twitter: @hajush <http://twitter.com/hajush>
> _______________________________________________
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