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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=620500502-30042000>Dear friends in Open
Space,</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=620500502-30042000>I have been going
through my Open Space files and hence the number of e-mails from me this
Saturday evening. In an earlier e-mail,I sent a sample invitation. In this
e-mail, below my signature, I include a number of paragraphs, each independent
of the other, each nuggets of information that are useful to me and might be to
you. Depending on the circumstance, I use any and all of these paragraphs when
describing different things about Open Space Technology to someone. Sometimes
they are included in my proposals, in my contracts, or in the invitation, or in
the report. Different paragraphs have different authors. They are gems I have
picked up over time. They sure don't include the whole story. Simply that I have
found them useful.And I thought you might.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=620500502-30042000></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=620500502-30042000></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=620500502-30042000>Birgitt</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=620500502-30042000></SPAN></FONT> </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><B>
<P> </P>
<P> </P>
<P>Deliverables of an Open Space Technology Meeting</P>
<P><SPAN class=620500502-30042000>Harrison Owen</SPAN></P></B>
<P><SPAN class=620500502-30042000></SPAN>1<SPAN
class=620500502-30042000>)</SPAN>Every single issue that anybody cares about
enough to raise will be "on the table". </P>
<P>2) All issues will receive as much discussion as people care to give them.
</P>
<P>3) All discussion will be captured in a book, and made available to the
participants. </P>
<P>4) All issues will be prioritized. </P>
<P>5) Related issues will be converged. </P>
<P>6) Responsibility will be taken for next step actions.<BR></P>
<P> </P><B><FONT face=Arial>
<P>What is Open Space Technology best used for?</P></B></FONT><B><FONT
face=Arial>
<P>Birgitt Williams</P></B></FONT>
<P>Almost any business issue including strategic direction setting, <SPAN
class=620500502-30042000>learning new material, </SPAN>envisioning the future,
identifying the issues and opportunities to realize the desired future, conflict
resolution, morale building, product development, leadership development,
community building, public input forums, conferences, organizational
transformation to a high performing and high learning organization.</P><FONT
size=2><FONT face=Arial>
<P><STRONG>Role of the Facilitator</STRONG></P>
<P>Alban/Bunker, Large Systems Interventions, Chapter 13, Jossey Bass,
1997</FONT><FONT face="Arial Narrow" size=3></FONT><FONT face=Arial></P>
<P>"It may seem that the Open Space facilitator hasn't much to do after the
opening session. In terms of the usual role of scheduling and controlling
activities associated with "facilitation," this is certainly true. On the other
hand, the facilitator's real role is to "hold the space": allowing the process
to develop and intervening only if anyone is interfering with others' rights to
choice by dominating or insisting that everyone must go along with his or her
ideas. The facilitator also must understand systems and large group dynamics at
a fairly sophisticated level. Several of the stories in Owen's book (1992)
demonstrate how not taking action can be just as important an act in holding the
space as doing something.</P>
<P>"In other words, the technology is straightforward and it is possible to set
up and structure an Open Space by reading Harrison Owen's book (1992). What
happens in Open Space, however, is always new and unpredictable. Therefore,
figuring out how to hold the space is not always either simple or easy.
"</FONT><FONT face="Arial Narrow"><FONT size=3> </FONT></P><FONT face=Arial>
<P><FONT size=3><STRONG>Scope of the Open Space</STRONG></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3><STRONG>Birgitt Williams</STRONG></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3>It doesn’t matter if the space is big or it is little with many
constraints. What matters is that it is authentic. If a group believes the space
is big and later finds it is much more limited, real anger and a sense of
betrayal emerge. If the group believes the space is really smaller than it is
because the constraints or "givens" have been communicated incorrectly, there is
not enough room for the full discussion that could have taken place, and again,
after the fact there is a sense of anger and betrayal.</FONT></P>
<P> </P></FONT><FONT face=Arial>
<P><FONT size=3>"The right time and the right topic are clearly key. If the
issues are too big or too vague or unclear, they will create lack of focus. If
they are too narrow or defined, they will not provide enough room to be creative
and they wilt not engage the imagination. Especially to be avoided are clients
who have a narrow vision of specific outcomes that they want. They should not
try Open Space." </FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3>Alban/Bunker, Chapter 13</FONT></P></FONT>
<P> </P><B>
<P><FONT face=Arial size=3>The Role of Leaders in the Open Space Technology
Meeting</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial size=3><SPAN class=620500502-30042000>Birgitt
Williams</SPAN></FONT></P></B>
<P><FONT face=Arial size=3>In Open Space, leaders need to be present and to
participate the same way everyone else does. They set the theme (focusing
question) and the parameters "givens" for the work, but after this, they need to
let go of control. If participants feel that they do not have full support to
move on their own energy wherever it leads them but must second-guess what the
boss is thinking, the process will not work. Consultants, therefore, need to
work carefully with the executive group beforehand to ensure that they know what
type of effect they can have on participation. </FONT></P><B>
<P><FONT face=Arial>What are the benefits of using Open Space
Technology?</FONT></P>
<P></B> </P>
<P><FONT face=Arial>Breakthrough learning</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial>Appropriate structure</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial>Genuine community</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial>Spirited performance</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial>Playful involvement </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial>High efficiency</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial>High productivity</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial>Shared leadership</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial>Growth from within</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial>Elimination of barriers to doing a job quickly with
excellence and pride</FONT></P><B>
<P> </P>
<P><FONT face=Arial>What concrete information do I get out of an Open Space
Technology meeting?</FONT></P></B>
<P><FONT face=Arial>A format is laid out for every discussion group to record
its findings, and the recorder inputs the report into a computer. The consultant
organizes, indexes, and assures one printer ready copy of the "book of
proceedings" with reports from each group, as well as other pages the planning
committee have agreed upon (such as a covering letter). In a three-day event the
book is printed during the second night for distribution on the third morning,
whereas in a one or two day event the book is to be in the participants’ hands
within two weeks. Criteria for prioritization, feasibility, and actionable
forward steps may be included in the report.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial>Far more important and far-reaching, however, is the change,
which takes place in the minds and hearts of the participants, who emerge from
the event as ambassadors for the change within the organization.<STRONG>What
Does an Open Space Technology meeting really do?</STRONG></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial>Large Systems Interventions by Alban/Bunker 1997, Chapter
13</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial><SPAN class=620500502-30042000></SPAN>"Like other systems
events, it gathers the whole organization or collection of interested parties in
one place and enables them to talk about the topics as a whole. Therefore,
communication changes dramatically, and people have a sense of the whole and a
voice in the process of change. This can be especially useful in
dispersed-network organizations where people do not get together
regularly.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial>The thing that is really unique about Open Space, however,
falls under the expression that is one of the ground rules of Open Space: "Be
prepared to be surprised." This intervention allows people to temporarily
restructure the organization around interests or "attractors," people with
similar energy, or issues. It makes visible the underlying energy patterns of
the organization. When these interests connect new ideas and outcomes are likely
to emerge. As Janice Greene comments (Owen, 1995, p.138), "What we tend to do in
western society is fix the outcome then decide and complete the steps to reach
it." In Open Space, people focus on interests. If outcomes emerge and catch
people's interest, they may become reality, but the name of the game in Open
Space is following your passion and not worrying about where it will lead.<SPAN
class=620500502-30042000>"</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P> </P>
<P><FONT face=Arial><STRONG>What is an Open Space Technology
meeting</STRONG></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial>Billie Alban and Barbara Bunker<SPAN
class=620500502-30042000> </SPAN>Large Group Interventions, Jossey-Bass,
1997</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3><FONT face=Arial> <SPAN
class=620500502-30042000>"</SPAN>Open Space Technology is a meeting methodology
that enables individuals and groups become more effective in work environments
that are rapidly and constantly changing by developing their skills as lifelong
learners and collaborative problem solvers. It creates the conditions so that
the maximum potential of the individual and the organization can be realized.
Open Space Technology captures the knowledge, experience and innovation in the
organization that is not captured through less open processes. <SPAN
class=620500502-30042000>"</SPAN></FONT></FONT></P><B>
<P>What types of issues is Open Space Technology best used for?</P>
<P></B> </P>
<P>Almost any business issue</P>
<P>Strategic direction setting</P>
<P>Smoother transitioning of the people part of new IT and other technology
related processes</P>
<P>Envisioning the future</P>
<P>Identifying the issues and opportunities to realize the desired future</P>
<P>Conflict resolution</P>
<P>Morale building</P>
<P><SPAN class=620500502-30042000>Learning new material</SPAN></P>
<P>Product development</P>
<P>Leadership development</P>
<P>Community building</P>
<P>Public input forums</P>
<P>conferences</P>
<P>improving communication</P>
<P>organizational transformation to a high performing and high learning
organization.</P><B>
<P>What types of organizations is Open Space Technology Best Used For?</P>
<P></B> </P>
<P>Large, small, mid-sized corporations in the private sector</P>
<P>Communities</P>
<P>Cities, Provinces/States, Countries</P>
<P>Large, small and mid-sized non-profit organizations in the public sector</P>
<P>Large, small and mid-sized non-government organizations</P>
<P>Large, small, and mid-sized government organizations</P>
<P>Established organizations</P>
<P>Organizations that are newly forming</P>
<P>Organizations that are ending</P><B>
<P><FONT face=Arial>When is Open Space Technology the best meeting format to
use?</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial><SPAN class=620500502-30042000>Harrison
Owen</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P></B> </P>
<P><FONT face=Arial>Any organizational situation in which there is:</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial>A real issue of concern</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial>Diversity of players</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial>Complexity of elements</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial>Presence of passion (conflict is an element of
passion)</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial>Decision time is now</FONT></P><B>
<P>When should Open Space Technology not be used?</P>
<P></B><FONT face=Arial><SPAN class=620500502-30042000>Birgitt
Williams</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P>Open Space Technology should not be used if the formal leadership in the
organization needs to control the outcome. In other words, if there are no real
degrees of freedom to use wonder, imagination and creativity.</P>
<P>Please note that controlling the outcome is different from establishing the
theme and "givens" or non-negotiables prior to the Open Space Technology
meeting. A "given" might be that the meeting is that the Open Space Technology
meeting is about designing a new assembly line within a certain budget and
within a certain time line. When we look at the concern about control,it is to
say that the formal leadership cannot control what the group comes up with in
creating the design within the "givens".</P></FONT>
<P> </P>
<P> </P></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>