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<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=060153613-18122002>Dear
David</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=060153613-18122002>It was
such a pleasure to meet you in Australia. Thanks for sharing your story. It
seems to be the same all over the globe, with exception for a few islands here
and there. Please let me know when you have got something that you would like to
share from all the material you gathered during OSonOS.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=060153613-18122002>Best
regards</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=060153613-18122002>Thomas
Herrmann</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">
<DIV align=left class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr><FONT face=Tahoma
size=2>-----Ursprungligt meddelande-----<BR><B>Från:</B> OSLIST
[mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU]<B>För </B>David
Smith<BR><B>Skickat:</B> den 18 december 2002 10:21<BR><B>Till:</B>
OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU<BR><B>Ämne:</B> A
Newbie...<BR><BR></DIV></FONT>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hello, Open Spacers,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>This email is to introduce myself to the list.
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>My name is David and I have been a research
physiologist, TV producer/presenter, author and museum exhibition developer. I
gained interest in Open Space through a period of intense frustration with
'conventional' management systems, especially within - but clearly not
restricted to - government. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>In November this year I video'd the OSonOSinOZ,
at Marysville in Australia, partly to discover more about what Open Space
"is". I learned a lot. You may have the chance to see my 4-minute distillation
from 10 fascinating hours of tape...</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>My first email to Birgitt Bolton/Williams
is copied below to illustrate something of where I came
from.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I found the Open Space in Australia uplifting and
deeply moving. I can explain more about that if anyone is interested. I look
forward to dialogues with open-minded, flexible, creative and positive
minds.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Best</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>David</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>
<P style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><FONT color=#000080>Dear
Birgitt,</FONT></SPAN><FONT color=#000080><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>
<BR></FONT><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">I heard you
speaking on the radio when you were in Melbourne last year and was impressed
to the point of amazement. </SPAN><BR><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">You asked - "Why is it that
companies spend so much time and energy selecting and appointing the best
suited and most creative people and then prevent them from being creative?"
</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><FONT color=#000080>As a film
maker and writer with a very strong drive to be creative, I find myself
shackled in my current position as a Program Director at Melbourne
Museum.</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><FONT color=#000080>Consider this:
Last year was International Year of Elderly Persons. I had established a great
relationsjhip with staff at the National Ageing Research Institute here in
Melbourne. Together with our Outreach Services group I set up a Public Forum
on the theme "Use it or lose it!". My line manager chided me for doing this,
saying " But it's not in the Business Plan, can't you organise it for
the following year?" This, quite frankly enraged me, though I really felt very
much alone with that reaction. </FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><FONT color=#000080>Then consider
this: I have on my desk an A3 form which sets out in extraordinary detail the
process required in order to produce a publication. This chart has to be seen
to be believed. It is in 10 point type, has five columns of steps and there,
right in the middle, is a single line "AUTHOR WRITES BOOK". When this was
tabled at one of our interminable meetings I was the only one who laughed.
</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><FONT color=#000080>Then I heard
your interview and I felt immensely relieved that there were other people -
perhaps <STRONG>many</STRONG> other people around the world who smelled the
same big fat rat in the way corporations seemed to be stifling people while
espousing all sorts of lofty ideals in their mission statements
etc.</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt"><FONT color=#000080><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">So I contacted Brian Bainbridge
and began exploring your Open Space ideas. I purchased</SPAN><I><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=3> </FONT></I><I><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">The Rise & Fall of Strategic
Planning</SPAN></I><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> which
forms a wonderful companion read to</SPAN><I><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3> </FONT></I><I><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">The
Unconscious Civilisation.</SPAN></I><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> Then I learned that my friends at
Hamilton in western Victoria had worked very successfully with Open
Space.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><FONT color=#000080>I mentioned my
concerns and Open Space to one of our senior managers here at the museum and
he said he would be very interested in hearing more about Open Space. (He's a
rather unusual manager in this place in that he retains a high level of
flexibility - thinks right OUTSIDE the box). As I mentioned to Brian, I would
love to have Open Space presented to our management, but I'm concerned that it
be done really well from the outset - that's why I asked whether you would be
in Australia in 2000. </FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><FONT color=#000080>Can you advise
me how to proceed? I'd be happy to provide far more information about the
organisation and the sort of issues that concern me, but really wanted to
touch base first and get your initial reaction.</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><FONT color=#000080>I look forward
to hearing from you!</FONT></SPAN><FONT color=#000080><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=3> <BR></FONT><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Best regards,</SPAN></FONT><FONT
color=#000080><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3> <BR></FONT><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">David</SPAN></FONT></P></FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>