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<DIV><FONT color=#000000 face=Arial size=2>Sorry, I'm still learning how to
participate on list serves and not sure how to send this back just to you,
Birgitt.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 face=Arial size=2>Thank you very much Birgitt, for your
thoughts and response. What you outlined is exactly what we <EM>didn't do
</EM>enough of!. Ah, the learning process. My colleague was the one
"grounded" and "trained" in using OS and I was limited in
knowing the pitfalls to challenge and the questions to ask. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 face=Arial size=2></FONT><FONT color=#000000 face=Arial
size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 face=Arial size=2>from a fellow Canadian, Birgitt
-- I grew up in a little town -- La Salle -- outside of Windsor. Small
world, eh?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Karen</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 face=Arial size=2>- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -<BR>Karen du Four des Champs<BR>"a catalyst
for change for our changing world"</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 face=Arial size=2>INERCOR, Training & Consulting
Co.<BR>"because change begins at the core"<BR>P.O. Box 472<BR>Vashon
Island, WA 98070<BR>Seattle Office: (206) 244-1333<BR>Vashon Office:
(206)
463-4122<BR>FAX:
(206)
463-4124<BR>Pager:
(206)
955-4694<BR>E-mail:
<A href="mailto:kdd@inercor.com">kdd@inercor.com</A><BR>The information in this
electronic mail message is privileged and<BR>confidential. It is intended
only for the use of the recipient(s) named<BR>above. If you received this
transmission in error, you are hereby<BR>notified that any dissemination,
distribution, or copying of this<BR>communication is strictly prohibited.
Please notify our office<BR>immediately if you received this message in
error. If appropriate, we<BR>will reimburse for mail, fax, or telephone
charges.<BR></FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="BORDER-LEFT: #000000 solid 2px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><B>-----Original Message-----</B><BR><B>From:
</B>Birgitt Bolton <<A
href="mailto:birgitt@WORLDCHAT.COM">birgitt@WORLDCHAT.COM</A>><BR><B>To:
</B><A
href="mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU">OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU</A>
<<A
href="mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU">OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU</A>><BR><B>Date:
</B>Tuesday, April 27, 1999 6:35 AM<BR><B>Subject: </B>Re: Question to
experienced OS users<BR><BR></DIV></FONT>
<DIV><SPAN class=90232213-27041999><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial size=3>Hi
Karen,</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=90232213-27041999><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial
size=3></FONT></SPAN><SPAN class=90232213-27041999><FONT color=#0000ff
face=Arial size=3>your question is a good one and it is why we emphasize
working out the "givens" so thoroughly ahead of time. I think that
Jay's outline of what it is he does with the client ahead of time is one of
the best I've seen and certainly encompasses much of what I do with every
open space. It is the sponsor, after all, that really opens the space and
needs to determine how much space is really being opened. I make a big point
of saying to the sponsors that it doesn't matter how much space is opened,
even a teeny space is okay---what matters is that they are TRUTHFUL about
the amount of space. This of course is done by establishing the
"givens" very clearly including what the process is for decision
after the event. I build into every contract time to work with the sponsors
ahead of the event to clarify accurate theme (the one they say they want up
front and what they usually really want are often not the same) and time to
go through the "givens". The process of sorting through the
"givens" is much harder than one might think. Mostly because it is
about truth and clarity and many companies have a hard time with this.
So, we take a day before the event to do this. And I build in a day after
the event to figure out how to make the most of it all once the experience
of OS has happened.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<P><FONT size=2>Warmest regards,<BR>Birgitt<BR><BR>Birgitt Bolton of Dalar
Associates<BR>www.openspacetechnology.com<BR>55 Ravina Cres., Ancaster,
Ontario, Canada<BR> L9G 2E8<BR>phone: 905-648-5775 fax:
905-648-2262</FONT> </P>
<DIV> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> OSLIST
[mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU]<B>On Behalf Of</B> Karen du Four
des Champs<BR><B>Sent:</B> Monday, April 26, 1999 1:40 PM<BR><B>To:</B>
OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU<BR><B>Subject:</B> Question to
experienced OS users<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV>I facilitated a 3 day Retreat for a client using a day and a half
of Open Space with another colleague a year ago. Months later, the
client retained me to continue some aspects of the work we began the
year before, including assuring the OS notes and recommendations were
distributed to all. Some of the work that was to occur by the
client in terms assuring all convenors followed through did not occur
consistently. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Now, I'm spending alot of time working to "clean up many of
the assumptions" we put out during the OS process. Our
fundamental assumption (confirmed with the division chief) that staff
were "truly empowered" to convene a session and follow through
with their recommendations had several barriers (not all of which we, as
facilitators could be aware of at the time) i.e.. legal constraints,
budgetary constraints and most fundamental and intrinsic was that this
group was just a micro of a macro org that has a systemic culture of
"hierarchical decision making," so although the division chief
was supportive of this process of accountability, there were those
recommendations (stated above) that could not be carried out and thus it
appears to participants that this process was just lip service. My
main lesson in all of this was in tee-ing up the process with clearer
directions given the systems limitations.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 face=""><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"><FONT
size=3>Anyone have thoughts of wisdom or ideas to share to minimize the
long-term impact of the process "backfiring." I
will be facilitating their next process next week. Thank
you.</FONT></FONT></FONT><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Comic Sans MS"></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 face=Arial size=2>- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -<BR>Karen du Four des
Champs<BR>"a catalyst for change for our changing
world"</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 face=Arial size=2>INERCOR, Training &
Consulting Co.<BR>"because change begins at the core"<BR>P.O.
Box 472<BR>Vashon Island, WA 98070<BR>Seattle Office: (206)
244-1333<BR>Vashon Office: (206)
463-4122<BR>FAX:
(206)
463-4124<BR>Pager:
(206)
955-4694<BR>E-mail:
<A href="mailto:kdd@inercor.com">kdd@inercor.com</A><BR>The information
in this electronic mail message is privileged and<BR>confidential.
It is intended only for the use of the recipient(s)
named<BR>above. If you received this transmission in error, you
are hereby<BR>notified that any dissemination, distribution, or copying
of this<BR>communication is strictly prohibited. Please notify our
office<BR>immediately if you received this message in error. If
appropriate, we<BR>will reimburse for mail, fax, or telephone
charges.<BR></FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>