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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>Hello, dear Sully and also Jennifer (and hi,
darling Chris!)–<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>[Bob <span class=SpellE>Sullens</span> and
Jennifer Hurley wrote about using OS for strategic planning in faith
communities where there were differences in opinions and values]<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>Bob, you may have heard me tell about this –
but I used Open Space quite successfully in two instances where churches wanted
to do strategic planning and when there were huge differences in what the
participants felt were the essential key points/issues/values.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>In both cases one of the largest
differences of opinion where between those who wanted the directly-by-the-original-word,
classic rituals, works and activities (we might call this pre-Vatican 2 in the
Catholic Church – is that right? or ‘conservative’) and those
who wanted the church to respond more to what they feel are
current-yet-timeless issues/points/values (what we might call more ‘progressive’
– such as those asking for more on what they felt were the needs of today’s
diverse parishioners: social justice issues, more women and youth involvement,
inclusion and support of gay and lesbian members, ‘more guitar music less
organ music’, even in some cases public church response against war and
so on).<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>In both cases the more
conservative folks felt a bit pushed aside by the newer or more progressive
folks and the churches wanted to help them all feel included, engaged,
essential to the life of the church and its community.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>There were also tensions about programs to
be funded versus programs to be let go, and so on.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>In both cases Open Space was in fact the
only thing the client/church thought would work (allowing for differences to be
heard and for people to see each other across differences, engage in common
passions and so on and take personal responsibility for naming things, for
actions they wished to further and so on).<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'>
</span>And in both cases it was apparently the first time people felt heard,
acknowledged in their differences, included (even if they did not have a
majority opinion) and so on.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>Also
in both cases the topics and discussions informed the strategic plan (one
client even developed a prayer for the strategic/pastoral plan and other
rituals that fit into the church’s culture and community).<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>And as usual, it was ‘typical’
Open Space, in that there was a lot required for pre-work (the host team had to
invite for diversity, and keep on inviting other thinkers into the room until
the day the OS began; some key budget areas such as funding for infrastructure
had to be identified; in one case extensive surveys and facilitated processes
in a large diocese gathered data to see what were the 3 top issues parishioners
agreed should be funded [this again found out in ADVANCE of the OS], and so on.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>Regarding convergence and action – I find
it is always helpful to find out if this is really needed, what the mechanisms
are for follow-through and so on.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'>
</span>Sometimes clients/sponsors think they need action but there’s
another committee who will be responsible for that at another time (so it’s
really an advisory vote and should be framed as such for participants at
opening and closing) or another mechanism for choosing issues.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>I personally enjoy the reopening of
space for any action items that participants may wish to champion, after
thoroughly warning clients/sponsors that they may not see what they expect
emerge at that point.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>In one case I only had 1 day to do it, even
though there was existing conflict identified (of course I pushed for more time
– conflict does so well with at least an overnight – but we were
limited to that one day); in another case the OS was 1.5 days in September and
then 1.5 days in November.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>I hesitate to do convergence in a short OS
(less than 2 or 2.5 days) but in the event of the 1-day strategic planning
event we had to show a decision-making team what the ‘will of the people’
was – so I had participants post their written notes all around the room,
gave them 30 minutes to catch up on reading the notes, then I invited them to place
1 sticky-dot (in red) onto the topics they wished the team to pursue further
and then go again, placing a green sticky-dot on those topics which they will
personally act on (no matter whether there’s a committee acting on it or
not).<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>Both ‘dots’
informed the committees of the peoples’ energies (at least as a ‘snapshot’
for that moment), plus the personal action dot helped individuals take
responsibility for the items that mattered to them, whether or not they were
chosen by a majority.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>Jennifer - I have never had a problem with doing
the Opening and agenda setting on evening 1 (or even that plus a session or
two) and then a brief re-opening (just a reminder or two and a chance to
announce ‘late-breaking issues – the ‘typical’ Morning
News) the next day for sessions – as long as you (the facilitator) keep
the energy open and don’t try (or let them try) to summarize or anything
on Friday night.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>And it depends
where the meals are, Jennifer – are they eating 6-7p? <span class=GramE>can</span>
they arrive 8:30a on Saturday to have breakfast snacks and so be able to start
at 9? <span class=GramE>...and so on.</span><span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>As many of my colleagues, I fight for
every bit of extended ‘time real estate’ I can get.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>Okay but I do run on.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>They are lucky to have you, Jennifer and
Bob...<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>Lisa<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-no-proof:yes'>________________________________<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-no-proof:yes'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'><font size=2
color=blue face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";
color:blue;font-weight:bold;mso-bidi-font-weight:normal;mso-no-proof:yes'>L i s
a<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>H e f t<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=blue face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:blue;mso-no-proof:
yes'>Consultant, Facilitator, Educator<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=blue face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:blue;mso-no-proof:
yes'>O p e n i n g<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>S p a c e<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-no-proof:yes'>2325 Oregon<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-no-proof:yes'>Berkeley, California<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-no-proof:yes'>94705-1106<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>USA<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-no-proof:yes'>+01 510 548-8449<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-no-proof:yes'><a
href="mailto:lisaheft@openingspace.net"><font color=black><span
style='color:black'>lisaheft@openingspace.net</span></font></a></span></font><span
style='mso-no-proof:yes'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-no-proof:yes'><a
href="http://www.openingspace.net"><font color=black><span style='color:black'>www.openingspace.net</span></font></a>
<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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