<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" http-equiv=Content-Type>
<META content="MSHTML 5.00.2314.1000" name=GENERATOR></HEAD>
<BODY>
<DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=370013418-29092000>Dear friends and
colleagues in Open Space Technology,</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=370013418-29092000></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=370013418-29092000></SPAN><FONT face=Arial size=2>A<SPAN
class=370013418-29092000> fr</SPAN><SPAN class=370013418-29092000>i</SPAN><SPAN
class=370013418-29092000>end in Open Space in Australia sent me
this</SPAN> anecdote from the Irish musician, Mary O'Hara:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>'One day last summer, after I'd been working on
some songs, I left my harp before the open window. Suddenly I heard the
sound of distant and very lovely music. It lasted only a few seconds and left me
very puzzled. When it happened again I noticed that the sound came from the
instrument and was caused by the gentle breeze from the open window playing on
the harp strings. At times prayer can be like that harp, by allowing sufficient
calm to gather round us so that the Holy Spirit, the Breath of God, may play his
music on us. It was a very gentle breeze and could be heard only because of the
surrounding stillness.'</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=370013418-29092000>I thank you all for
your comments regarding my response to Laurel's posting and the powerpoint
presentation. My special thanks to those who responded on the list. Most
responses were off-list, which always seems to be the way, and saddens me. The
many responses </SPAN></FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=370013418-29092000>brought clarity to me about my thinking, my feelings,
and my intentions about my work with Open Space Technology. My initial response
to Laurel was from the depths of my heart, from the initial response stage in
the grief cycle--shock/anger. The powerpoint presentation came to me after I had
done so much soul searching of my own about the future of Open Space Technology
and how I could assist and also how I did not want to add to what I am
increasingly experiencing as negative reaction to Open Space Technology in the
world. So grieving was big and got bigger with most of the
responses.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=370013418-29092000></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=370013418-29092000>I have always
believed in enabling newcomers to Open Space Technology to benefit from a good
foundation and then to take the foundation, duplicate it a few times to get
consistent results and to develop personal mastery, to develop their own
perception and interpretation of Open Space Technology--the form and the
essence. My belief is that once this is done, the unique shifts that an
individual makes in their personal practice have a solid foundation and every
Open Space Technology meeting will be recognizable as Open Space Technology
complete with the uniqueness and the unique gifts of the different
facilitators. I also believe that there are different requirements of
facilitation/facilitator depending on why the Open Space Technology meeting is
happening. If the OST meeting is for personal learning, community building,
or data gathering, it is effective even if it is Open Space Technology in its
simplest form (no reports, no computers, no givens). If it is for conflict
resolution, clear and detailed actions beyond the meeting within the corporation
and so on, I believe that more is required, including pre-work and debriefing
with the sponsor. I have written about this to the list before. My keen interest
with Open Space Technology is the Open Space Organization, an interconnected
learning organization. And so, I always view each and every Open Space
Technology meeting (except for those designed for personal learning or data
gathering only) as needing to be attended to thoroughly for ongoing impact in
the organization. </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=370013418-29092000></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=370013418-29092000>So, with respect
that there are many different viewpoints and many different truths, I will
simply say two things. </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=370013418-29092000></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=370013418-29092000>First, for me I am
deeply saddened (griefwork) by the impact this powerpoint presentation will have
in the world. It is my viewpoint, my perception only. I am saddened because
while Laurel would have done a good job with her group I am sure, this
presentation will be used not only by people on the list, but also by people who
this is forwarded to, and then by others who download it from the worldwide web
site. They will feel that they are trained in OST and will train others. The
good news is that there can never be too many trainers in OST so that OST spread
as much as possible in the world. The bad news is that the spreading through
this presentation as a training, will be watered down each step of the way and
still called Open Space Technology. I wish the presentation were called an
orientation to OST, to be used with organizations to introduce them to OST,
rather than giving the sense of training. Many of the slides are Harrison's. For
me, I attended his training 7 times before I got the level of nuances involved
and in between, I worked with it and worked with it always learning. And finally
felt that I really comprehended. The simplest things in life are usually the
most complex to grasp. And in grasping the complexity, I now can work with
simplicity from a mindful place.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=370013418-29092000> </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=370013418-29092000>Secondly, my
intentions for my work with Open Space Technology are to do the
following:</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=370013418-29092000>1. to offer to the
world Open Space Technology meetings that are inclusive of all of the
essential ingredients that we have learned over the years that brings about the
most long lasting results. To offer Open Space Technology meeting facilitation
that is duplicable, so that when a client hires Open Space Technology, they
can expect a certain standard of facilitation that is recognizable as Open Space
Technology. To pass work on to only those colleaugues in their geographic areas
who will work from this same standard, each bringing his/her unique style and
gifts to ensure that when a client hires Open Space Technology, this is what
he/she is getting.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=370013418-29092000>2. to train
facilitators/consultants/leaders in Working with Open Space Technology,
introducing them to the key ingredients of Open Space Technology that produces
results consistently in even the most conflicted situations. And within the
training, to challenge participants to develop their personal definition,
perception and interpretation of OST as a whole and of each component part
exploring both form and essence. To do this in a way that enables each and every
participant in the training to go into the world, facilitating OST meetings from
a place of personal understanding that enables the minute by minute decision
making that all facilitators are faced with keeping the integrity (wholeness) of
OST. </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=370013418-29092000>3. to ensure that I
am walking my talk. I will only state what I really experience as deliverable
from an Open Space Technology meeting. I am currently looking at the list of
deliverables supplied by Harrison and realizing that they are true for Open
Space Technology meetings of at least two days in length but not likely true for
others. I am also looking at statements that would lead a client to believe that
an Open Space Technology meeting brings about lasting change and transformation,
that Open Space Technology is a vehicle for change. Again, this is likely only
true from a limited number of Open Space Technology meetings. I want
to be careful that I am not so enchanted by Open Space Technology that I err in
claiming it delivers more than it does. I want to find the words that truly
reflect the accurate deliverables. Open Space Technology does achieve amazing
results. I just want to be more accurate about the
deliverables.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=370013418-29092000></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=370013418-29092000>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=370013418-29092000>I would like
organizations to have lasting benefits in very tangible and measurable ways
directly attributed to Open Space Technology far beyond that which has currently
been recorded. I would like facilitators to be well equipped to handle even the
most difficult situations by still keeping the space OPEN. I would like Open
Space Technology to do well in the world. This is my viewpoint of how to get
there. Some may join me in this endeavour. Others will have different approaches
and those approaches at the end of the day may turn out to be more successful. I
must follow my passion, my heart, my path. I will always refer to what I do as
"Open Space Technology within the Genuine Contact Program" so that there will be
no confusion that my perception is the perception of the community of Open Space
Technology practitioners. The training manual we have developed is careful to
note the contribution of Harrison Owen so that people have original source
information to follow his thinking (Harrison had asked me in an e-mail two
months ago to be sure that I was giving proper credit to original sources and I
agreed and was even more vigilant than I had been about this) on an item by item
basis, as well as our notes of how we work with it from our learning. We also
include the items that I contributed over the years--the givens, the notion that
OST brings about grief reaction even around good happenings, the shift in the
organization with repeated frequent use of OST, and the development of the Open
Space Organization.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=370013418-29092000></SPAN></FONT> </DIV></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=370013418-29092000>These are my
intentions pertaining to Open Space Technology as I work with it through the
Genuine Contact Program, developed to assist organizations lead as though God
matters and people are precious, while at the same time bringing about real
results to the bottom line. A key component is Open Space Technology--my
experience with Open Space Technology, the Open Space Organization--and what has
worked and not worked for organizations over the years. I have learned equally
from what went right as from what did not, constantly with mindful practice so
that I could capture the learning and duplicate best
practices.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=370013418-29092000></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=370013418-29092000></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=370013418-29092000>Blessings,</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=370013418-29092000>Birgitt</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=370013418-29092000></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=370013418-29092000></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Arial Black" size=2>Birgitt Williams</FONT></DIV></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></BODY></HTML>