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--></style><title>Re: Open Space -- The Credible incredible - Thank
you</title></head><body>
<div>Dear Ost community</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>Thank you for this rich and dynamic dialogue......I have
been enjoying and reflecting on these treads of credibility
building, more or less structure in the OST community, purpose of the
board and now the GRAND IMPERIAL MASTER OPTION</div>
<div>- maybe the most wonderful solution to all our
problems......unless we remember that it has been tried many
times before and did not work well as far as I have seen at
least.</div>
<div><br></div>
<div> - the dialogue seems to hit the core of our different
practise, beliefs and assumptions in this work of opening space for
ourselves and some others....... and cover a great necessity looking
at the core of what we share here.</div>
<div><br></div>
<div> I have felt space opening and closing like breath as I have
read the different opinions, insights and suggestions - some
times breathing became stressed and then relaxed with the next
mail.</div>
<div>Our circle of open space learning bouncing in its round corners
but not breaking - i find that healthy.</div>
<div> - we have not found the Truth yet - but it would be
wonderful to nail it down so that all our clients and family members
etc would finally understand what we do ??!!</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>.....in this strange pioneer work of transforming ourselves and
our ways of leading, meeting and organizing and discovering a simple
natural way of reconnecting as the human we are - always where by the
way ......in the original circle of humans - where clarity and
purpose, heart and courage where leading.......and
following......dance, create and change...</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>and we can keep opening, looking and learning more and doing
less</div>
<div>- being less and letting others do more of what they want and
need to .......</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>I hold a few questions now :</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>What is the intent of the OST community in the first place?</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>Where and how does getting started with OST practice and long
time OST experience dance in our midst ?</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>How do we keep inspiring each other to go for integrity and
staying the student ?</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>Where is the border line between a community of practise and a
cult who know best?</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>How to trust more than I have trusted until now ?</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>How to find the balance between accomodating clients and
inspire to be a more human amateur and less just professional
pawn?</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>just a few thoughts as the sun break the rainy last winterish day
here at the lake in Denmark</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>By the way, I find my heart saying HO to grand imperial student
Harrison's perspectives - I feel space opening as I click his
meaning and my own .......</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>thanks and cheers -</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>- toke</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>*********</div>
<div><br></div>
<div><br></div>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>I have been following the discussion
initiated by Kerry with interest and from afar -- recently opening
some space in Serbia. Anyhow, I have been mulling over the notion of
the credibility (or lack thereof) of Open Space. On the one hand it
amazes (and sometimes amuses) me that some folks talk about OS as if
it were this wild, new, risky, presumably untried approach. As most of
us know, it has been around for a while and always seems to work. So
where is the novelty and risk? I believe the key to the conundrum lies
in paradigm shift -- or God forbid, Transformation. Seen from the
point of view of the paradigm all of us grew up with, and most (in the
west or Western influenced world) still hold -- Open Space should not
work. Indeed, it can't work. And if it did, the impact on the
predominant view of organizations would be disastrous, to say nothing
of expensive for an awful lot of folks who earn their living in
service to those organizations. Small wonder that Open Space has not
found ready acceptance in the world at large, to say nothing of
credibility. A friend once said, Harrison, You have developed the
ultimate scam. The client does all the work and even writes the
report. Funny, but i guess that is true -- especially when
viewed from the reigning paradigm. So anyhow, I rather suspect that if
we had detailed reports from all the thousands of Open spaces that
have occurred -- data up the kazoo so to speak -- I sincerely doubt
that Open Space would be any more credible. I think the stories we
share on this list are great -- and very instructive. But as sources
of credibility they are pretty useless. To the best of my knowledge,
nobody ever decided to do Open Space on the basis of argument and/or
data. The decision comes from a different place, be that desperation
(no other options) or a profound faith in the capacity of the Human
Spirit to rise to the occasion -- or both.</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><br>
And then we come to the Status of Open Spacers. Personally, I rather
fancy the title of<b> Imperial Grand Master</b>. I just hope I can run
fast enough before you guys puncture my balloon, rain on my parade, or
worse. The title, however, does have a certain ring to it. But
it is worth while to remember that there was a point when this
Imperial Grand Master had done only<i> one</i> Open Space. I can't say
that experience is not important, but I think there are other
qualities that are infinitely more important. Integrity and
authenticity, for two. As we all know full well, the process is so
simple that virtually anybody can carry it out. It is also extremely
forgiving to the point that parts can be skipped, words mis-said --
and everything just works fine. But if there is a problem with
integrity and/or authenticity, we are in deep kimshee. The most
obvious case is when some one stands up to proclaim the space to be
open, but everybody knows the agenda has been set, and the plans made.
Nasty taste! So I find myself retreating to my old position. Anybody
with a good head and a good heart can do it well, and not much else is
required. Thank God.<br>
<br>
Harrison<br>
</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="center">Harrison Owen<br>
7808 River Falls Drive<br>
Potomac, MD 20854 USA<br>
phone 301-365-2093<br>
Open Space Training www.openspaceworld.com<br>
Open Space Institute www.openspaceworld.org<br>
Personal website www.mindspring.com/~owenhh<br>
<br>
<font color="#0000FF"><u>OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU<br>
</u></font>To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,<br>
view the archives of<font color="#0000FF"><u>
oslist@listserv.boisestate.edu<br>
</u></font>Visit:<font color="#0000FF"><u>
http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html</u></font></blockquote
>
<div><br></div>
<div><font face="Verdana" size="-1" color="#000000">-- <br>
"It's the space between the notes.....".</font><font
face="Times" size="-1" color="#000000"><b> </b></font><font
face="Verdana" size="-1" color="#000000">Miles Davis</font><font
face="Times" size="-1" color="#000000"><b></b></font></div>
<div><font face="Times" size="-1"
color="#000000"><b><br></b></font></div>
<div><font face="Times" size="-1" color="#000000"><b>Some of the
project we are currently involved in :</b></font></div>
<div><font face="Times" size="-1" color="#000000">Den Levende
Netværksskole - et vindue mod verden
http://liv.acu-vejle.dk/</font></div>
<div><font face="Times" size="-1" color="#000000">Netrepreneur -
leadership training for Entrepreneurs in a networked world
http://www.netrepreneur.dk </font></div>
<div><font face="Times" size="-1" color="#000000">Art and business
Folk High school http://www.concept-for-hire.dk/ost<br>
Open Space on Evaluation of social work
http://www.rorbak.dk/evasoc/</font></div>
<div><font face="Times" size="-1" color="#000000">International
network of leaders
http://www.fromthefourdirections.org/<br>
Leadership in networks - training of small business leaders
http://www.mg50.dk/gruppe/</font></div>
<div><font face="Times" size="-1" color="#000000">Convening strategic
conversations - workshop
http://www.shambhalainstitute.org/</font></div>
<div><font face="Times" size="-1" color="#000000">World cafe network -
Starting conversations that matter
http://www.theworldcafe.com/ComConversation.html</font></div>
<div><font face="Times" size="-1"
color="#000000"><b><br></b></font></div>
<div><font face="Times" size="-2" color="#000000"><b>Toke Paludan
Møller InterChange
Aps - at the edge of nature - City office at
"DAYS - like this" http://www.days.dk/ - Mejlgade 50, st.,
8000 C Århus, Denmark Ph: +45 70 20 13 35.
Mobile +45 2616 6919 Fax: +45 8619 1135<br>
email: toke@interchange.dk
URL: http://www.interchange.dk</b></font></div>
<div><font face="Times" size="-2" color="#000000"><b>Home office at
the lake - Stengaardsvej 5 A, 8600 Silkeborg, Denmark
</b></font></div>
<div><font face="Times" size="+1" color="#000000"><b><br>
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