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<title>Re: [OSLIST] AW: Open Space experience with African countries</title>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'>Mayke – One way to handle the problem
with “senior people” is to make sure that you have had a
conversation with them BEFORE the OS starts. In most cases if you explain how
it is all going to work and how essential it is for everybody to have a chance
to speak, I find there is usually no problem. Also, as you may remember, Open
Space was “born” in </span></font><font color=red face=Arial><span
style='font-family:Arial;color:red'>Africa</span></font><font color=red
face=Arial><span style='font-family:Arial;color:red'>. I spent some long time
in </span></font><font color=red face=Arial><span style='font-family:Arial;
color:red'>West Africa</span></font><font color=red face=Arial><span
style='font-family:Arial;color:red'> working with a variety of people, mostly
the Kpelle in </span></font><font color=red face=Arial><span style='font-family:
Arial;color:red'>Liberia</span></font><font color=red face=Arial><span
style='font-family:Arial;color:red'>. My inspiration for the circle in Open
Space came from my time with them. And I think there is a real point here –
for most people in </span></font><font color=red face=Arial><span
style='font-family:Arial;color:red'>Africa</span></font><font color=red
face=Arial><span style='font-family:Arial;color:red'> (certainly tribal people)
Open Space will seem very natural. In fact they have names for it. In </span></font><font
color=red face=Arial><span style='font-family:Arial;color:red'>Liberia</span></font><font
color=red face=Arial><span style='font-family:Arial;color:red'> it was called
Palaver, and I think in </span></font><font color=red face=Arial><span
style='font-family:Arial;color:red'>Southern Africa</span></font><font
color=red face=Arial><span style='font-family:Arial;color:red'> it is called
Indaba – but Valerie can tell you about that (also say hi to her). In </span></font><font
color=red face=Arial><span style='font-family:Arial;color:red'>Liberia</span></font><font
color=red face=Arial><span style='font-family:Arial;color:red'> when there was
some major issue to be dealt with, everybody would sit in a circle, sometimes
the whole village – and EVERYBODY talked, and usually one at a time. The
people would say, “Never let the Sun set on a Palaver” –
which meant we don’t stop talking until it is over. When it was over, the
chief elder would say the final word, usually some parable or saying that
captured what the consensus was. Up to that point it was not uncommon for that
elder to sit in silence for hours. Just holding the space. I don’t know
where you are, or what groups you are working with, but I would be willing to
bet that they already know a lot more about Open Space than you think. If so,
all you have to do is to open the space and let them, get on with what they
would do naturally. I have also had a very similar experience here in the </span></font><font
color=red face=Arial><span style='font-family:Arial;color:red'>US</span></font><font
color=red face=Arial><span style='font-family:Arial;color:red'> when doing OS
with First Nation People. At first they thought it was some strange new white
magic. I guess the name threw them – or the fact that I am white made
them sure that whatever I might do was going to be strange. But it usually only
took about 20 min and they forgot all the strangeness and felt right at home. I
remember one Navajo Chief coming up to me after the 1<sup>st</sup> day saying “What
took you so long, White Man?” He said it with a smile. This strange, new,
wonderful thing called Open Space had actually been in native tradition from
the beginning. We (white people) were only just catching on.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'>Have fun!</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'>Harrison</span></font><font color=red
face=Arial><span style='font-family:Arial;color:red'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'> </span></font></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=2
color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:red'>Harrison Owen</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=2
color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:red'>7808 River Falls Drive</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=2
color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:red'>Potomac, Maryland 20845</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=2
color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:red'>Phone 301-365-2093</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'></X-SIGSEP><font
size=3 color=red face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
color:red'><!--StartFragment --><X-SIGSEP>Open Space Training <a
href="http://www.openspaceworld.com/" eudora=autourl>www.openspaceworld.com</a>
</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=3
color=red face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:red'>Open
Space Institute <a href="http://www.openspaceworld.org" eudora=autourl>www.openspaceworld.org</a></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=3
color=red face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:red'>Personal
website <a href="http://mywebpages.comcast.net/hhowen/index.htm"
eudora=autourl>http://mywebpages.comcast.net/hhowen/index.htm</a></span></font><font
color=blue><span style='color:blue'><br>
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<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>-----Original Message-----<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>From:</span></b> OSLIST
[mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>On
Behalf Of </span></b>Mayke Wagner, essence<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Saturday, March 20, 2004
3:23 PM<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> Re: AW: Open Space
experience with African countries</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:
.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Hi
Holger, <br>
thanks for getting me in touch with Valerie and also for sharing your
experience with OST with African participants. <br>
The first aspect you mentioned ("To my experience so far, you should not
fall into the African ³trap² that everything needs to be discussed at length.
So, after you have introduced the rules, do not accept any discussions but open
the market place immediately.") makes perfectly sense to me. <br>
For the second aspect ("You might also run into slight problems if there
are some senior people who want their status to be honored.") I am
wondering how you deal with that. In terms of space invasion I can imagine
possible ways to deal with this. Do you have any other recommendations for this
specific situation? What did you do? And what did other people do who found
themselves in this specific situation?<br>
<br>
Thanks for your support and your willingness to share. I am very impressed by
the openness and the readiness to invite newcomers to the OST community!<br>
Happy trails,<br>
Mayke<br>
___________________________________________<br>
essence - Beratung, Training, Coaching<br>
Mayke Wagner<br>
Hanser 3<br>
88279 Amtzell<br>
GERMANY<br>
<br>
mayke.wagner@t-e-a-m.org<br>
Tel (+49) 07520 / 9232 02<br>
visit us: <http://www.t-e-a-m.org></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:
.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Von: </span></b>Change Management Toolbook
<holger@change-management-toolbook.com><br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Antworten an: </span></b>OSLIST
<OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU><br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Datum: </span></b>Tue, 16 Mar 2004 10:06:09
+0100<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>An: </span></b>OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Betreff: </span></b>[OSLIST] AW: Open Space
experience with African countries</span></font></p>
<blockquote style='margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt'>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Hello Mayke,</span></font> <br>
<br>
<font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'><br>
</span></font><br>
<font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>I will
have a short training session on Open Space in South Africa next week. I will
give you feed back once I am back.</span></font> <br>
<br>
<font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'><br>
</span></font><br>
<font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>To my
knowledge one of the leading OST specialists in Africa is Valerie Morris from
Cape Town. I am copying your message to her and you might contact her if you
wish. <br>
</span></font><br>
<font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'><br>
</span></font><br>
<font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>To my
experience so far, you should not fall into the African ³trap² that everything
needs to be discussed at length. So, after you have introduced the rules, do
not accept any discussions but open the market place immediately. You might
also run into slight problems if there are some senior people who want their
status to be honoured.</span></font> <br>
<br>
<font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'><br>
</span></font><br>
<font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Michael
P Pannwitz, can we send her Theo¹s dissertation?</span></font> <br>
<br>
<font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'><br>
</span></font><br>
<font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Regards,</span></font>
<br>
<br>
<font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Holger</span></font>
<br>
<br>
<font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'><br>
</span></font><br>
<font size=2 color="#003366" face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial;color:#003366'><br>
</span></font><br>
<font size=2 color="#003366" face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial;color:#003366'>Dr. Holger Nauheimer</span></font> <br>
<br>
<font size=2 color="#003366" face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial;color:#003366'>BeraterKompetenz</span></font> <br>
<br>
<font size=2 color="#003366" face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial;color:#003366'>Rosenheimer Str. 5</span></font> <br>
<br>
<font size=2 color="#003366" face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial;color:#003366'>10781 Berlin</span></font> <br>
<br>
<font size=2 color="#003366" face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial;color:#003366'><br>
</span></font><br>
<font size=2 color="#003366" face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial;color:#003366'>Tel. +49-30-219 684 49</span></font> <br>
<br>
<font size=2 color="#003366" face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial;color:#003366'>http://www.beraterkompetenz.de/</span></font> <br>
<br>
<font size=2 color="#003366" face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial;color:#003366'><br>
</span></font><br>
<font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>http://www.change-management-toolbook.com/</span></font>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'><br>
</span></font><br>
<font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>-----Ursprüngliche
Nachricht-----<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Von:</span></b> OSLIST
[mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU]<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Im
Auftrag von </span></b>Mayke Wagner, essence<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Gesendet:</span></b> Dienstag, 16. März 2004
08:19<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>An:</span></b> OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Betreff:</span></b> Open Space experience
with African countries</span></font> <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Hello from springtime Germany,<br>
<br>
I have my first Open Space Conference coming up in April and Lisa encouraged me
to make use of the expertise and experience of all of you! <br>
The Open Space will take place in Nairobi, Kenya and we will have participants
from Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia and Sounth Africa. The topic
will be "Towards Sustainability of Healthcare Technology Systems"
with participants being stakeholders, decision makers, and maintenance staff
from all levels (national, regional, district, facility) of the healthcare
technology system.<br>
My question is whether - from your experience - there are certain cultural
aspects I need to consider. Do you have any experience with / recommendations
for this group of participants?<br>
<br>
Looking forward to your ideas and stories,<br>
<br>
Mayke<br>
___________________________________________<br>
essence - Beratung, Training, Coaching<br>
Mayke Wagner<br>
Hanser 3<br>
88279 Amtzell<br>
GERMANY<br>
<br>
mayke.wagner@t-e-a-m.org<br>
Tel (+49) 07520 / 9232 02<br>
visit us: <http://www.t-e-a-m.org> <br>
<br>
<br>
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