<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META content="text/html; charset=windows-1252" http-equiv=Content-Type>
<META content="MSHTML 5.00.2314.1000" name=GENERATOR></HEAD>
<BODY>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial><SPAN
class=790363123-26111999><STRONG>Having done hundreds of Open Space events, I
have a variety of experiences in the amount of prep work and follow up
work and the impact of these. My learnings are that an Open Space event will do
just as Harrison notes "I know that there are certain, concrete accomplishments
that may be expected: 1) Every issue of concern will be on the table to the
extent that anybody chooses to put it there. 2) That all issues on the table
(wall) will be discussed to the extent that anybody cares to do so. 3) That all
discussion will be recorded as long as somebody takes the time and effort to do
that. 4) That (in a 2 and 1/2 day OS) "Hot" issues will be identified. 3)
Related issues will be converged. 4) Immediate Next Step actions will be
identified and responsibility assumed IF anybody cares to do that. All of the
above can be made as a promise to those involved. " whether or not there is prep
or post work done with the client.</STRONG></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial><SPAN
class=790363123-26111999><STRONG></STRONG></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial><SPAN
class=790363123-26111999><STRONG>However, in every contract that I take on, I
ALWAYS have a pre-OS meeting with the client and I insist on a post-OS meeting
with the client. Or I will not take the contract. This is a result of my
experience of what works and what doesn't---not about the event itself, but
about the impact of the event in the life of the organization and the
individuals who make up the organization. And this is not about money. If the
client believes I want the post-OS meeting so that I can charge a higher fee, I
do that meeting for no charge to make the point of how important that meeting
is. The pre-OS meeting in my ideal world is anywhere from two to six hours and
at the very least works at clarifying the theme (focusing question), the
"givens" for the OS event including what happens to the information after the
event (this discussion is done in a way to surface values, assumptions, and
expectations as well as whether OS is appropriate, and the story of the OS so
that it is clear why the OS is being done at this time in the bigger story of
the organization that includes a past and a future).
</STRONG></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial><SPAN
class=790363123-26111999><STRONG></STRONG></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial><SPAN class=790363123-26111999><STRONG>And
no matter how much work we do ahead of an OS meeting, the client cannot grasp
the complexity of the many many layers of what will happen in an OS meeting
until actually experiencing the meeting. As we know with experiences, once
we have had the experience, it too is part of our story (unless we live in
denial) and so it has its effects that go way beyond the OS meeting itself. The
good news is that Open Space works and the bad news is that Open Space
works. People within an organization continue seeing each other/working
with each other after the event. We cannot be attached to outcome and as
Harrison notes, sometimes there is a death or other unexpected outcome. We can,
however, based on the fact that we have learned what kinds of things might be
happening based on many experiences with OS and the client may be new to OS,
have a discussion with the client about things to pay attention to, once the
client has experienced the OS event. Making the most of the event and the many
many results experienced even during the event. </STRONG></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial><SPAN
class=790363123-26111999></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial><SPAN
class=790363123-26111999><STRONG>Sometimes the client is so pleased that a
discussion about becoming an Open Space Organization is possible, experiencing
daily the authenticy and realized potential that was experienced during an Open
Space meeting. In this case, the prep work and post work become invaluable for
the transitioning of the organization from a good foundation and understanding
of the dynamics of what we are doing.</STRONG></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial><SPAN
class=790363123-26111999></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial><SPAN
class=790363123-26111999><STRONG>During the actual opening of and holding of
space, I believe that the facilitator is like a shaman/priestess/Reiki
practitioner/midwife. Connected to source and using universal flow of energy to
awaken the individuals to their greatness. And they always access their
greatness. I have the good fortune of having been trained in Reiki. I experience
the same healing/loving energy flowing through me when I do Open Space as when I
do Reiki. In Reiki, we begin by personal preparation to clear the self to be
fully present and to enable healing/love energy to flow through us. We then ask
the person to identify their intention for the session. It is interesting here
in terms of clear intention. I might look down at the person on the table in
front of me, knowing the person has cancer and expect that the session will be
about healing the cancer. I am trained not to follow my expectation or
intention, but to work with the intention of the person. This same person with
cancer might make an intention that the session will be for healing of the heart
from past hurts. Nothing to do with the cancer. I do not judge and insert my
expectations and work with the cancer anyway, even if I'd like to because I can
see death in the near future. Instead, it is my job and privilege to work with
the heart for healing from past hurts. Anyhow, this has taught me alot about
holding the space in Open Space and setting my own expectations aside to
work with the stated theme of the client. And of course, whatever
happens....</STRONG></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial><SPAN
class=790363123-26111999><STRONG></STRONG></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial><SPAN
class=790363123-26111999><STRONG>Within the context of organizational life, the
facilitator/consultant is like a midwife. Which includes preparation,
information sharing, assuring what is normal and what the stages are. It
involves being fully present during the event. With the expectation that a baby
will be born, in whatever shape. And it involves checking in after the event to
again reassure, discuss, explore the possibilities for optimal health.
</STRONG></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial><SPAN
class=790363123-26111999></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial><FONT color=#0000ff><STRONG><SPAN
class=790363123-26111999>The 4 day Open Space Technology training program that
I lead prepares consultants and leaders in what to do with the client
before and after the Open Space meeting, as well as how to facilitate the
meeting, paying attention to the myriad of nuts and bolts items that need to be
attended to. I designed the program to enable facilitators to give their clients
the best not only in terms of doing an Open Space event itself, but also
for the impact of the Open Space in the ongoing organizational life. The program
is based on my experience and learnings. People take from it what is useful for
them, for their unique way of working, and hopefully discard that which is
not.</SPAN></STRONG></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial><FONT color=#0000ff><STRONG><SPAN
class=790363123-26111999></SPAN></STRONG></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial><FONT color=#0000ff><STRONG><SPAN
class=790363123-26111999>Birgitt</SPAN></STRONG></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial><FONT color=#000000 size=2></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial><STRONG><FONT color=#000000>Birgitt Bolton</FONT>
<BR><FONT color=#000000>www.openspacetechnology.com</FONT> <BR><FONT
color=#000000>Striving for Success?</FONT> <BR><FONT color=#000000>Make Genuine
Contact!</FONT> </STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV></BODY></HTML>