<html>
<head>
<META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
<meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 10 (filtered)">
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Tahoma;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
p
{margin-right:0in;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";}
p.Style1, li.Style1, div.Style1
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";}
span.EmailStyle19
{font-family:Arial;
color:red;
font-weight:normal;
font-style:normal;
text-decoration:none none;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</style>
</head>
<body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=blue>
<div class=Section1>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'>Chris – I am sure that in terms of
pure numbers, Corporations are the least likely to willingly enter Open Space,
for all the reasons you enumerate. I can also understand why, given a limited
amount of time and energy you would choose to concentrate your efforts on
communities and community based organizations. However, I would not give up on
the corporations for two reasons. First, they desperately need what Open Space
has to offer, and the fact that they are hesitant says more (in my view) about
their limited understanding of the world than it does about Open Space. Their
need could just be an interesting side bar on the day’s news, but I don’t
think so. For better or worse, corporations are us, and also have a massive
impact on who we are and our future. The second reason -- It is actually fun
to work with them and can be very productive. Watching a group do a highly
complex and technical project in two days which they “knew” would
take several years is a real turn on for me. But I have learned one thing in
working with the corporate folks – don’t beg, don’t sell,
just be available when they run out of options. At a point where they know that
they have nowhere else to turn to and nothing to loose, Open Space doesn’t
look all that risky. After all – when the risk is ultimate, there is
ultimately no risk. Don’t give up on these folks, they are human beings
too. And whenever I have the chance, I take it. Next week I have another chance
with 30 CEOS of global corporations and Deans of Business Schools – Theme
is “Preparing Globally Responsible Corporate Leaders.” And it is
all in Open Space.</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></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 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 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 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 20854</span></font></p>
<p 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 </span></font><font size=2 color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:red'>301-365-2093</span></font></p>
<p align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=2 color=red face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'>Skype hhowen</span></font></p>
<p align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=3 color=red face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'>Open Space Training</span></font><font
color=red><span style='color:red'> <a href="http://www.openspaceworld.com/"><font
face=Arial><span style='font-family:Arial'>www.openspaceworld.com</span></font></a>
</span></font></p>
<p align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=3 color=red face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'>Open Space Institute</span></font><font
color=red><span style='color:red'> <a href="http://www.openspaceworld.org/"><font
face=Arial><span style='font-family:Arial'>www.openspaceworld.org</span></font></a></span></font></p>
<p align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=3 color=red face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'>Personal website</span></font><font
color=red><span style='color:red'> <a href="http://www.ho-image.com/"><font
face=Arial><span style='font-family:Arial'>www.ho-image.com</span></font></a> </span></font></p>
<p align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=3 color=red face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'>OSLIST</span></font><font
color=red face=Arial><span style='font-family:Arial;color:red'>: To subscribe,
unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives Visit: </span></font><font
color=red><span style='color:red'><a
href="http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html"><font face=Arial><span
style='font-family:Arial'>www.listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html</span></font></a></span></font></p>
</div>
<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 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>Chris Corrigan<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Tuesday, April 04, 2006 1:50
AM<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: Is anything possible?</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'>I have
been finding lately that in the world of business, government and big
organizations, people are much less likely to let go of control than in
community settings. Corporations exist to stabilize and protect things:
assets, property, ideas, money, reputations...they are all about control.
Communities are messy, evolutionary, out of control and chaordic. I
find that Open Space works beautifully in community settings, and works great
in organizations where you are all about building a community, or where the
leaders understand that the real way anything happens in the organization is if
you view the whole enterprise as a big messy community, in which the agency of
all contributes to the bigger good. In general, you will find very few
people in corporations willing to take this risk, but in communities, for the
most part, this is how people operate. <br>
<br>
I've given up on the holy grail of using OST in Fortune 500 settings to help
groups of IT managers find innovative work processes, for example. It's
certainly possible there, and applicable and probably improves the world in
some small way. But I've seen OST animate community action on poverty,
sustainability, rights, suicide, drug addiction, homelessness, food security,
economic development and child welfare. I've seen people who have nearly
nothing find a true sense of power and purpose in the process. So I've
taken to using it in places where it makes a huge difference in the lives of
people and communities, and I hold this arena in high regard, because the
people who take risks here do so with everything on the line, and in some
cases, everything means their life. <br>
<br>
Dee Hock's quote is about living and life. People live and die in
communities every day. If they are willing to bring that richness of
experience to work in the corporations and organizations that exist all over
the place, Open Space will follow them in there and do all kinds of great
things. But it will not make magic for folks who don't want to truly
experience the naked terror of "Is anything possible?" <br>
<br>
Cheers,<br>
<br>
Chris</span></font></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span class=gmailquote><font
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>On 4/3/06, <b><span
style='font-weight:bold'>Harrison Owen</span></b> <<a
href="mailto:hhowen@verizon.net">hhowen@verizon.net</a>> wrote:</span></font></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>Thomas -- I hear what you are saying, and I can
certainly understand why<br>
certain executives would want to hold onto some "givens" (which I
read as<br>
"controls"). And these are the same people who want certainties and <br>
guarantees. The only problem is there are no certainties, no guarantees in<br>
this life. There never have been, and there never will be. Yes, of course,<br>
there is one -- Life will end. But in the interim between beginning and <br>
ending -- everything is at risk, everything is uncertain. And that, of<br>
course is both the joy and terror of living. Dee Hock of Chaordic<br>
Organization fame has a nice phrase (amongst many) in his book. Dee was also <br>
the CEO of one of the world's largest corporations: Visa International. Goes<br>
like --<br>
<br>
"Life is not about control. It's not about getting. It's not about having.<br>
It's not about knowing. It's not even about being. Life is eternal, <br>
perpetual becoming, or it is nothing. Becoming is not a thing to be known,<br>
commanded, or controlled. It is a magnificent, mysterious odyssey to be<br>
experienced."<br>
<br>
Harrison<br>
<br>
Harrison Owen<br>
7808 River Falls Drive <br>
Potomac, Maryland 20854<br>
Phone 301-365-2093<br>
Skype hhowen<br>
Open Space Training <a href="http://www.openspaceworld.com">www.openspaceworld.com</a><br>
Open Space Institute <a href="http://www.openspaceworld.org">www.openspaceworld.org
</a><br>
Personal website <a href="http://www.ho-image.com">www.ho-image.com</a><br>
OSLIST: To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the<br>
archivesVisit: <a href="http://www.listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html">www.listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html</a><br>
<br>
<br>
-----Original Message-----<br>
From: OSLIST [mailto:<a href="mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU">OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU</a>]
On Behalf Of Thomas<br>
Herrmann<br>
Sent: Monday, April 03, 2006 5:35 PM<br>
To: <a href="mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU">OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU</a><br>
Subject: Is anything possible?<br>
<br>
Dear friends in Open Space<br>
I am wondering where you find those leaders in organizations and <br>
corporations who are willing to support whatever will emerge from an<br>
OS-meeting? Unfortunately my experience is that this level of trust is very<br>
hard to find. I´ve also experienced leaders closing the space down, which <br>
could have been avoided if they had had some givens to hold on to.<br>
<br>
I always do my best to give the sponsor the possibility to make an informed<br>
decision about if they think OST is the meeting format they´d like to use. <br>
Using the concept of givens, I think makes it possible for the sponsor to<br>
open authentic space within the reality of that organization. Well, as<br>
he/she who is accountable perceives that reality anyway.<br>
<br>
Then of course it is important work to minimize the givens! And next time <br>
there may be fewer...<br>
<br>
But this question is not easy, if we´d have had an OS-meeting 15 years ago<br>
in Gothenburg about making the town internationally known, building an East<br>
Indiaman at a cost of 500 000 000 SEK would probably have been far exceeding <br>
any thinkable givens....now it is on its journey to China!<br>
<br>
So the question may be - is anything possible? And are the persons in charge<br>
willing to take responsibility for whatever happens - without any givens? I <br>
agree there is a difference when working focusing primarily within an<br>
organization where someone is in charge - or thinks he/she is in charge.<br>
<br>
I have a given tomorrow morning, have to get up early so:<br>
Warmest regards and good night <br>
Thomas Herrmann Phone +46
(0)709-98 97 81<br>
Open Space Consulting Fax +46 (0)300-713 89<br>
Pensévägen 4<br>
434 46 Kungsbacka, Sweden<br>
Email: <a href="mailto:thomas@openspaceconsulting.com">thomas@openspaceconsulting.com
</a><br>
<a href="http://www.openspaceconsulting.com">www.openspaceconsulting.com</a><br>
<br>
*<br>
*<br>
==========================================================<br>
<a href="mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU">OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU </a><br>
------------------------------<br>
To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,<br>
view the archives of <a href="mailto:oslist@listserv.boisestate.edu">oslist@listserv.boisestate.edu</a>:<br>
<a href="http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html">http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html</a><br>
<br>
To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs:<br>
<a href="http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist">http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist</a><br>
<br>
*<br>
*<br>
==========================================================<br>
<a href="mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU">OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU</a><br>
------------------------------<br>
To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, <br>
view the archives of <a href="mailto:oslist@listserv.boisestate.edu">oslist@listserv.boisestate.edu</a>:<br>
<a href="http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html">http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
</a><br>
<br>
To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs:<br>
<a href="http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist">http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist</a></span></font></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'><br>
<br clear=all>
<br>
-- <br>
CHRIS CORRIGAN <br>
Consultation - Facilitation<br>
Open Space Technology<br>
<br>
Weblog: <a href="http://www.chriscorrigan.com/parkinglot">http://www.chriscorrigan.com/parkinglot</a><br>
Site: <a href="http://www.chriscorrigan.com">http://www.chriscorrigan.com </a><br>
Open Space Resources: <a href="http://tinyurl.com/r94tj">http://tinyurl.com/r94tj</a>
* * ==========================================================
OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU ------------------------------ To subscribe,
unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of
oslist@listserv.boisestate.edu:
http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html To learn about
OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist </span></font></p>
</div>
</body>
</html>
*
*
==========================================================
OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
------------------------------
To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
view the archives of oslist@listserv.boisestate.edu:
http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs:
http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist