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<TITLE>RE: outcomes</TITLE>
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<P><FONT SIZE=2>G'day Chris</FONT>
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<P><FONT SIZE=2>I get this cynical stuff a bit myself: "OST is just another theory or gimmicky facilitation method."</FONT>
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<P><FONT SIZE=2>I believe OST is not just a process or a new theory but possibly the way humans work best when they tap into their inner most being and work from there. When one gets use to working from one's core (passion, response-ability) after a while there seems no other way to be! Strange thing is, because this way of being is soooooo... foreign to most people they will say and do anything to avoid working from their inner self. Its part of the human journey: "to slay the dragon upon whose every scale are the words 'thou shalt!'" (Joseph Campbell) </FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2>I've come to realise resistance, criticism and cynicism are reflections more of the people's relationship to themselves than any inherent flaws in OST. My response is usually to accept their complaints and realise this is where they are at and "the space is always open."(Helen Patterson)</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2>I must admit to feeling that whenever people say there are faults in open space they are still fixed in a "Thou Shalt" mode, still waiting for someone to come up with the one, right, true way. There is no such thing! "The way" is within each of us. There is nothing in open space that will tell you what to do. The limitations are only as limited as your imagination.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2>I also here you about the one off nature of an OST meeting. I felt this after our initial team meeting back in August. No sooner had we finished what was a memorable two days of talking and meeting, like I have never experienced in our team before, than we all ferreted back into our little cubby holes to get back to the 'real' work. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2>This "flash in the pan" experience is why we are trying OST as an organisation wide practise. Some people want it, others are open, others see it as some wacko gimmick. I'd say we are all at different levels of slaying that dragon, and that's fine. Whoever comes are the right people, Whatever happens is the only thing that could have. </FONT></P>
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<P><FONT SIZE=2>If open space is singing you as much as it has me, a one off meeting will not suffice. Get out out of the frying pan and into the fire!</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2>All the best </FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2>Mike Copeland </FONT>
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<P><FONT SIZE=2>-----Original Message-----</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2>From: chris macrae [<A HREF="mailto:wcbn007@EASYNET.CO.UK">mailto:wcbn007@EASYNET.CO.UK</A>] </FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2>Sent: Saturday, 29 November 2003 12:44 a.m.</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2>To: OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2>Subject: Re: outcomes</FONT>
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<P><FONT SIZE=2>You know how one cynic chains up with another! Any extra thoughts on how to rebuff (perhaps the wrong word) this one (it seems to me quite a betrayal of self-organisation to imply that people are being led up a specialist facilitation path). Chris Macrae</FONT></P>
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<P><FONT SIZE=2>Mike Chitty, Realise Development writes: "Stacey presents some interesting criticisms of OST primarily that is based on formative rather than transformative teleology - if I remember rightly.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2>I also know from personal experience that the one-off nature of many of the OST processes leave tremendous challenges for 'follow-through'. They also can create a culture where genuine dialogue only happens in specially facilitated OST sessions and once back in the 'real' work situation the 'normal' rules apply.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2>I am not against OST in any way. I think most interventions have their upsides and downsides. I do believe that sometimes the downsides of OST can be lost."</FONT></P>
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