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<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=780554202-17022000>I
think the time needed for preparation and follow up of an Open Space Technology
meeting varies. If it is for a conference, one time community building event to
get the community building started and to have an experience of community the
learning of which is transferable into daily community life, or a multi-national
geographically distant organization coming together for their annual get
together, etc. I prefer a 4-6 hour meeting ahead of the event and a full day
meeting after the event. Ahead of the event, I will have sent resource materials
such as a description of Open Space Technology, some articles, the article
"Choosing Open Space Technology", a two page blurb on basics for organizing an
Open Space Technology event and I refer them to <A
href="http://www.openspacetechnology.com">www.openspacetechnology.com</A> which
in turn has links to the other Open Space Technology websites, and I might have
leant them a video to see ahead of their time with me. If the Open Space
Technology event is within an intact organization that will "return back to work
together Monday morning" I vary the times I spend ahead of time. My discipline
is to always hope that the organization is so excited by the Open Space
Technology meeting that it will become interested in experiencing the same in
ongoing organizational life, and want to become an Open Space Organization. I
don't discuss this ahead of the event, but it is my discipline to assume that
this might happen, so I do my work to be sure we have laid the best possible
foundation not only for the Open Space Technology event but for ongoing use of
Open Space. Early in my contact with the organization I ask to be introduced to
their vision statement, their statement of purpose, their values or philosophy
statements. When doing an Open Space Technology meeting, these are either open
for discussion and change, or they are solid and are to be considered "givens"
that inform the event. If these statements are open for discussion, I don't add
to my pre-work time. If they are not open for discussion and are in fact givens,
and they are clear and I am told they are actually "lived" within the
organization, I also don't increase my pre-work time. However, if they are weak,
not lived, unclear and so on, I know that this lack of clarity will affect the
Open Space Technology event. Now, don't get me wrong--it won't effect the event
itself and there is the usual number of glowing comments etcetera and everyone
is pleased as can be. However, in my experience, it is this step that affects
what is possible in the ongoing organizational life after the Open Space event.
When done well, I have experienced that the amount of follow up from the event
is about 100%. When not done well because I have missed some important cues, and
I have not gotten the best handle on the theme or givens, the follow up
sometimes comes to a grinding halt, and at other times is far less than the
ideal. So, if I believe we will work with finding out what the clarity about
purpose, mission and so on really is, I allow for a few extra days up front.
They may not be needed if we can get clarity quickly, but my experience is that
this doesn't usually happen quickly when things are this unclear upfront. The
outcomes I am after are still the same. I just know it will take
longer.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=780554202-17022000></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=780554202-17022000>There
is a lot to be learned about getting at the "givens". It is my experience that
sometimes, just when I think this might take an hour or so, we discover that it
is a major and ongoing problem amongst the management team that they don't agree
on givens, never have and that in exploring them, we uncover a major
organizational "dead moose". It is my experience that sometimes the work done on
getting clarity on the givens is as influential for good organizational health
as is the Open Space Technology meeting. One time, the management team and I
spent three days getting at the givens. A story I will share at some time if I
get the time to write it out. And the healing that took place was phenomenal.
And two years later, they are still an Open Space
Organization.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=780554202-17022000></SPAN></FONT><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial
size=2><SPAN class=780554202-17022000></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=780554202-17022000>During
our 4-6 hours together, the outcomes I am after include getting a clear theme
(focusing question) that is really about what they intend, getting authentic
"givens" (parameters), and helping the group think through some of the
logistical items including wording in the invitation. I want to be confident I
have done my best job of getting ready for the Open Space event so that we "have
the toboggan going down the right hill". It is true that Open Space Technology
always works unless there are serious control issues, however it works in
accordance with the stated theme and givens, and if these are wrong, a great
event might have been had and people have those wonderful glowing remarks at the
end, but space B was created, when the group really had meant to create space A,
and were just not clear in saying so. Hence, my metaphor of the toboggan not
going down the hill intended, and once it is underway, there is no stopping
it.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=780554202-17022000></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=780554202-17022000>I
learned the lessons of this when I started doing Open Space Technology events
for very very detailed work, such as getting enough data for my friend Virginia
Burt to use in her Landscape Architecture work. The group was my client, but so
was she, and if we had had a great event but we hadn't gotten any data, she
would have been in an unenviable position. It might have been a great Open
Space, but I would have considered that it failed.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=780554202-17022000></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=780554202-17022000>In the
follow up meeting, I do a number of things with the client group to clarify how
they would make the most out of the results of their event. And how they are
processing (usually) new knowledge about the inner greatness of their staff, the
presence of leadership, vision, community, and management throughout all levels
of the organization. Usually during the Open Space Technology event, there are a
number of organizational myths that are de-mythed and the formal leaders need
some time to reflect on this, to be aware of it, acknowledge it, and decide how
and if they want to work with it.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=780554202-17022000></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=780554202-17022000>One
other element I have brought into some training sessions that I have done with
Harrison, when I interupt him to do a stage whisper with participants: there are
those things to do with Open Space Technology that Harrison and only Harrison
can do/get away with because he is Harrison. And then there is the real world
for the rest of us and sometimes we have a few extra steps
:-)</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=780554202-17022000></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=780554202-17022000>Kindest regards,</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=780554202-17022000>Birgitt</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=780554202-17022000></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Arial Black" size=2>Birgitt Williams</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Arial Black" size=2>Make Genuine Contact!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Arial Black" size=2>Dalar Associates: organizational
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Arial Black" size=2>effectiveness consultants</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Arial Black" size=2>Striving for Success? Ready to exceed
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Arial Black" size=2>your expectations?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Arial Black" size=2>Contact us for consulting services,
</FONT><FONT face="Arial Black" size=2>training, </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Arial Black" size=2>conference and meeting facilitation,
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Arial Black" size=2>and keynote speaking.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Arial Black" size=2><A
href="http://www.openspacetechnology.com/">www.openspacetechnology.com</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<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> Harrison
Owen<BR><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, February 16, 2000 8:25 PM<BR><B>To:</B>
OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU<BR><B>Subject:</B> Re: How much planning and
preparation time do you find you need?<BR><BR></DIV></FONT>
<DIV>At 03:36 AM 2/16/00 -0500, you wrote:</DIV>
<DIV>>I am preparing a proposal -- and of course they are asking for a
budget.</DIV>
<DIV>>Please help me estimate the before and after amounts of meeting time
and</DIV>
<DIV>>activity... This proposal involves a large and very complex
system -- across</DIV>
<DIV>>a number of state agencies with multiple partners that must
coordinate their</DIV>
<DIV>>responsibility for operating a program. Presently they are
experiencing</DIV>
<DIV>>inconsistent delivery of information, especially to line staff and
thus to</DIV>
<DIV>>clients. This OS would be convened to help them improve
communication to</DIV>
<DIV>>more effectively achieve the program goals. I am imagining
about 7 to 9 days</DIV>
<DIV>>of my time --- I have no idea if this is at all realistic!
Also, would you</DIV>
<DIV>>find it necessary for me to add a partner = have two facilitators for
such a</DIV>
<DIV>>large project (though this of course brings all the costs up)?
--I am hoping</DIV>
<DIV>>if this OS happens, they will find it so useful they will want to
launch a</DIV>
<DIV>>whole series to involve more and more of their myriad stakeholders.
Here is</DIV>
<DIV>>what I have sketched out:</DIV>
<DIV>**********************</DIV>
<DIV>One of the bad parts about Open Space is that it really cuts down on your
billable hours. (smile :-) -- or is it scowl... :-( .....</DIV><BR>
<DIV>Anyhow I have worked with groups where theme and set up were accomplished
in about 10 min on the phone -- even with very complicated and conflicted
groups. As for facilitators, one will do -- but it is much better (I
think) to have 2 of the opposite sex. Balances the energy so to speak.
But if you have two, I would not try to do things together, as in a joint
opening of space. That just seems to confuse folks and takes longer. Real
point is to get all the folks to work as quickly and expeditiously as
possible. Air time for facilitators is not the issue.</DIV><BR>
<DIV>Some clients will take longer to figure out what they really want to do
-- or even if they should do it at all. The longest I have ever spent is a
full day, and frankly that was a waste of time. It was clear to me at
the start that they didn't know what they wanted, and whatever it was that
they did want was certainly not Open Space. With the wisdom of hindsight, I
would have said all that at the beginning and saved them and me a lot of
time/money. But I didn't. </DIV><BR>
<DIV>Setting up an Open Space is really very simple. If they have a good
logistics person, given that person the book (User's Guide) and they can read.
What i would spend time on, however, is what happens afterwards. Are they just
going to have a good meeting -- which they will. Or. Are they really going to
move on into some different ways of being in organization. That is the real
question. That, in my judgement, is where the time should be spent. </DIV><BR>
<DIV>So -- half day up front -- full day at the end. You can spend more, but
typically this turns into a situation where you are trying to "explain" Open
Space. Don't go there. I just tell folks what Open Space will do, and even
when they say they want to go, I often say "think about it" -- and get back to
me. What I know is that given the people and the space, Open Space may
happen just about instantaneously, and certainly with 24 hours. </DIV><BR>
<DIV>Harrison</DIV><BR><BR><BR><BR>
<DIV align=center>Harrison Owen<BR>7808 River Falls Drive<BR>Potomac, MD
20854<BR>USA<BR>phone 301-469-9269<BR>fax 301-983-9314<BR>website <BR><A
href="http://www.mindspring.com/~owenhh"
eudora="autourl">www.mindspring.com/~owenhh</A><BR>Open Space Institute
websites<BR><A href="http://www.openspaceworld.org/"
eudora="autourl">www.openspaceworld.org</A><BR></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>