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In a message dated 3/24/05 9:34:12 PM, jlwalker@MI.CL writes:<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE CITE STYLE="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px" TYPE="CITE"></FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Geneva" FAMILY="SANSSERIF" SIZE="2">But I also<BR>
recognize that is a great challenge for me to make that client more open,<BR>
step by step, word by word, conversation by conversation an perhaps, more<BR>
sooner than later we will be initiating an OST event. Too much persistence?<BR>
What does the rest of you in the list think about this?<BR>
<BR>
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I do not want to talk the clients into agreeing to something they do not really want to support. But I want them to see the great possibilities that Open Space offers, before they say "Yes" or "No."<BR>
<BR>
I was in a meeting talking about Open Space conferences with the management team of an organization. The associate director asked if there were any conditions where Open Space was known not to work. I replied that it would not work if the leaders wanted to keep control over the outcomes.<BR>
<BR>
"Well, now I know what my challenge will be, because I want to be in control. But what we are doing now is not working well enough. I want to try Open Space, and learn to work that way."<BR>
<BR>
I thought this was an honest and courageous statement. The management team decided to begin with an Open Space conference, and let the rest emerge from that. We worked together for a year, everyone learned a lot, and the project accomplished just what they had hoped.<BR>
<BR>
You are right--this is the kind of client I want to work with!<BR>
<BR>
If you have a client who is unwilling to learn, I doubt that they will be open enough for an Open Space to succeed. If the client is willing to learn, then I think your step by step, word by word strategy might work.<BR>
<BR>
Thanks for sharing these heartfelt questions--and your english is easy to understand, without the dictionary.<BR>
<BR>
Joelle Everett<BR>
Shelton, Washington, USA <BR>
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