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<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">G'day All</FONT>
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<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">After a lengthy absence from postings but a long time lurking I would like to share some recent experience of using OST from inside an organisation. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Recently I was asked to help launch a new initiative in another region of the country and we decided OST would be the best way to do this (surprise surprise!). What followed was the most intense opening of space I have ever done: six OST workshops over six consecutive days. Gave me loads of practice to sort out my opening! </FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">I have struggled facilitating OST workshops working inside a big government department. Often I am very conversant with the content, I can never get enough time, we always have a limited budget etc. So this time I decided to let go my scruples and broke all the rules:</FONT></P>
<UL><LI><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">I gave a presentation as part of a team in the morning session. </FONT></LI>
<LI><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">I crammed an OST workshop into an afternoon. In a nut shell: 30 minute intro and agenda setting, three 40minutes sessions, 15 m minutes to read the book of proceedings, one 20 minute action planning session using non-convergence and closing circle. 31/2 hours all up. A crash course.</FONT></LI>
<LI><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">I was intimately involved in the theme but did not enter into discussion during the workshop.</FONT></LI>
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<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">The result:<B> it worked!</B> It never ceases to amaze me how all the chaos at the start disappears like mist once the groups convene and begin their conversations. The body language changes, people launch into their topics with gusto and a calm descends. People relish the opportunity to speak and thrash ideas among themselves. It always reminds me of those beautiful evenings one has around the dinner table or beside the fire on a cold winters night when the conversation becomes very intimate and well: open!</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">This has been very liberating for me and there have been a few learning's for me as an OST practitioner inside and organisation, which is massively bureaucratic:</FONT></P>
<UL><LI><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Letting go oughts and shoulds even around OST (whatever happens is the only thing that could have)</FONT></LI>
<LI><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Big bureaucracies will seldom provide optimum conditions to do OST so sometimes I just have to work within their closed spaces</FONT></LI>
<LI><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">The thing that irks me sometimes about this list serve is often we get bogged in perfecting OST and turn the process into a bunch of oughts and shoulds which are anything but open.</FONT></LI>
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<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">On that salvo and on a wet spring day here in Aotearoa (Land of the Long White Cloud, New Zealand) I will leave you. </FONT>
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<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Thanks for listening.</FONT>
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<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Mike Copeland</FONT>
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