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At 10:40 AM 4/26/99 -0700, you wrote: <br>
<blockquote type=cite cite>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. <br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
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 face="arial" size=2></blockquote>**********************************************<br>
Being clear about where you want to go before you start is always useful.
And if there are major system constraints, they should be laid on the
table. However, if those contraints are oper-powering -- Open Space is
going to create problems, and probably should not be used. On the
other hand those are exactly the problems that I believe most
organizations should hope for. Tight control, adherence to the heirarchy
etc may be principles dear to the heart of many executives and managers
-- but at the end of the day I do believe that we need to learn to
operate in a very different way, and Open Space can provide the
experience of what that might be like but it is an experience some will
find painful. I often say to folks at the beginning, "There is good
news and bad news about Open Space. The good news is that folks come out
of it with real energy, inspritation and ready to go to work. The bad
news is that folks come out of it with real energy, inspiration.... And
if you don't want that, don't do Open Space. I have also been known to
say to some of my senior executive friends, "You have a choice, You
can maintain the illusion of control, or you can make money."<br>
<br>
There is another piece to this puzzle, however, and that is personal
responsibility. If people (participants) get the idea that every
idea -- good or hairbrained -- is automatically to be implemented, they
are clearly in for a shock. At the end of the Open Space, as at the
beginning, progress will be made only when passion is linked to personal
responsibility and personal responsibility often means going out to find
the necessary resources to get a good idea done. It very often turns out
that restrictions more perceived than real, so making a long list of
"can't do" at the beginning is very self defeating. But
people do have to find their own way -- responsibly. <br>
<br>
Neither you, as the facilitator, nor the manager "in charge"
could ever have known all of the road blocks or openings. Taking
responsibility for listing them all is not very realistic. I do think,
however, that we need to take responsibility for reminding folks of their
own responsibility -- before Open Space, during Open Space and afterward.
I think we will all discover that we never actually leave Open Space...
it is just the way things are. <br>
<br>
Harrison<br>
</font><br>
<div align="center">
Harrison Owen <br>
7808 River Falls Drive <br>
Potomac, MD 20854 USA <br>
301-469-9269 (phone) <br>
301-983-9314 (fax) <br>
email owen@tmn.com<br>
Website
<a href="http://www.tmn.com/~owen" eudora="autourl">http://www.tmn.com/~owen</a><br>
Open Space Institute website<br>
<a href="http://www.tmn.com/openspace" eudora="autourl">http://www.tmn.com/openspace</a></html>