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<font size=3>Birgitt and Virginia:<br>
<br>
This is also Open Space at its best in terms of multi-disciplinary
approach to working as consultants. Well done each of you.<br>
<br>
Esther<br>
<br>
At 07:28 PM 5/27/99 -0400, you wrote:<br>
>>We wish to share this story just to let you know that if Open
Space can<br>
>work<br>
>>so well with the military, and so well for such detailed work,
that it can<br>
>>work anywhere.<br>
>><br>
>>As some of you know, Virginia Burt (landscape architect
specializing in<br>
>>sacred spaces and healing gardens) and I, Birgitt Bolton,
(organizational<br>
>>learning consultant specializing in potential unlimited through
Open Space)<br>
>>have joined forces in a number of projects in which I
(Birgitt) facilitate<br>
>>an Open Space Technology meeting (often preceded by a story
telling<br>
>evening)<br>
>>to engage a community group/stakeholder group/company in
developing their<br>
>>ideas for their landscape (yes, I mean physical landscape). And
then<br>
>>Virginia has considerable data from which to do the landscape
design for<br>
>the<br>
>>land, based on what the client group really wants, really has
passion for.<br>
>><br>
>>We have learned a considerable amount about how well using Open
Space<br>
>>Technology delivers data detailed enough for a landscape
architect to use<br>
>to<br>
>>do her work. When I do the Open Space, I view myself as having
two<br>
>>"clients". The company and Virginia. If I have the Open
Space set with the<br>
>>right theme and have done a good job with both the organizational
givens<br>
>and<br>
>>the landscape givens, the data flows directly to that which
Virginia needs.<br>
>>The theme and givens are key. I view it as getting the
"toboggan" going<br>
>down<br>
>>the right hill. If I get the toboggan going down the wrong hill,
we might<br>
>>have a great meeting, but we won't get what Virginia needs to do
her<br>
>design.<br>
>>This is Open Space at its best for product development or for
planning.<br>
>>Virginia and I will be presenting a paper about the magic that is
possible<br>
>>at the Canadian Council of Planners in Montreal Quebec in June.
They are<br>
>>very intrigued with the use of Open Space for detailed and
prioritized<br>
>>planning.<br>
>><br>
>>Anyhow, our client group this last time were the military.
No…this was not<br>
>>an open space to look at issues and opportunities for
transforming the<br>
>>military (alas) but for me it was the next best thing. The
landscape to be<br>
>>developed was 102 acres at one of their most important
national<br>
>>institutions. The open space took place while there was a
gathering of<br>
>>leading military officers from across the country which also
meant that it<br>
>>was a time of lots of military ceremonies on the site while we
were there.<br>
>>There were 60 people that took part in the Open Space. 7
generals, a<br>
>>brigadier general, some colonel's, several commandants, etc, etc.
Mostly<br>
>>men, mostly older, many with education as engineers. Just the
sort of mix<br>
>>that I've heard tell Open Space will not work with. A few women
in the mix,<br>
>>a bit of age diversity with some younger cadets. Mostly people
used to<br>
>>command and control. Very steeped in being used to being
obeyed.<br>
>><br>
>>We did a story telling evening prior to the open space. To honour
the past<br>
>>and present before looking at the future. The history of the land
we were<br>
>>looking at was so steeped in tradition, ceremony, history and
memories that<br>
>>conflict was expected as very differing passions abounded. I had
been told<br>
>>ahead that we would experience much conflict. For many,no change
was<br>
>wanted.<br>
>>For others, they knew that survival depended on looking to the
future. So,<br>
>>after supper, I had these very dignified persons meet in a
circle. And then<br>
>>used process facilitation methods to do the storytelling. I
placed a group<br>
>>of my favourite stones in the centre of the circle, invited
the<br>
>participants<br>
>>to choose a stone (which they each did) despite mumbles of touchy
feely.<br>
>And<br>
>>asked the individuals to look at the stone to see what it
revealed to them<br>
>>about their memories of the landscape. From this they each
were to tell<br>
>the<br>
>>story to a partner, and then to the group as a whole.
Everyone<br>
>participated.<br>
>>Wonderful stories surfaced. No one dominated. And the stories
continued<br>
>long<br>
>>after the closing of the circle. And the man we were told
would be most<br>
>>cantankerous spoke of his amazement at what had happenend. And
how moved he<br>
>>was.<br>
>><br>
>>The following morning we opened the space. A lot of detail had to
be given<br>
>>because of the "givens" about the landscape and I had
moments of<br>
>awkwardness<br>
>>about information overload for the people. And then in the middle
of<br>
>stating<br>
>>the four principles, there were three rounds that went off from a
howitzer<br>
>>(sp?). Explosive. I was walking the circle. The windows were
open. And then<br>
>>there was bagpipes playing. And I continued with the opening to
these<br>
>>background very military noises, opening space for the generals,
the<br>
>>colonels, etc. And the young people who make their declarations
of<br>
>>"unlimited liability" willing to give their lives for
the country. And we<br>
>>had a grand open space. Everyone participated fully. We had lots
of<br>
>>compliments about a wonderful day and a wonderful process.
Virginia and I<br>
>>even received hugs. There were excellent discussions. No
conflict.<br>
>><br>
>>In one case, a topic went up that everyone thought was a sure
thing to move<br>
>>forward because it was the sort of thing that was traditional. It
received<br>
>>no votes. In another case, another topic was put up that had no
one but the<br>
>>leader attend the discussion. He wrote a report, with my
encouragement and<br>
>>when it came time to vote, it was one of the top vote getters.
Much to his<br>
>>amazement. Open Space at its best. Be prepared to be
surprised.<br>
>><br>
>>Virginia received so much excellent data for her design that she
will be<br>
>>able to cater to the passions of the participants and thereby not
have to<br>
>>"sell" her design after the fact. The last design she
did in this way<br>
>>received unanimous approval. No rejections by a "planning
committee" or a<br>
>>design that was put on a shelf. It is being implemented. We are
sure the<br>
>>same will happen with this one. And this way of combining Open
Space with<br>
>>landscape architecture or any other planning or product
development allows<br>
>>Virginia to have a master plan ready for the client group 40 days
from the<br>
>>start of the process. No long waiting period for the client, but
a plan<br>
>>while passion is still running high.<br>
>><br>
>>Kindest regards,<br>
>>Birgitt Bolton and Virginia Burt<br>
>><a href="http://www.openspacetechnology.com/" eudora="autourl">www.openspacetechnology.com</a><br>
>><br>
>><br>
>><br>
>><br>
>><br>
><br>
><br>
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