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<DIV><SPAN class=420360917-27041999><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial size=3>Hi
Karen,</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=420360917-27041999><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial size=3>you're
right---small world, eh?</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=420360917-27041999><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial
size=3></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=420360917-27041999><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial size=3>I'm
sure you are doing a good job of working this out after the fact and the
good news is that the company has brought you back in to do this. And when
you're done with that experience, I hope you share your learnings with us in
case we ever have to do so :-)</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> Tuesday, April 27, 1999 11:34 AM<BR><B>To:</B>
OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU<BR><B>Subject:</B> Re: Question to
experienced OS users<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>
<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></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>