I have opened space for a small board retreat. There were five
board members present. I opened space and then they created their
agenda. The agenda started out having nine separate topics, which
got combined into three or four. And as the small group discussed
the agenda, combining topics, etc. they also discussed how they were
all interested in all of the agenda items. Then, without any
consultation with me, they decided they would stay together for the
three hours they had and work through each of the agenda items (they
ended up with three topics).<br>
<br>
As they worked, I considered closing in a different way. . . but my
consulting partner insisted that we have a closing circle. In the
closing circle, it was reflected that 'everyone' liked open
space: they liked creating the agenda together,they liked
deciding how to spend their time together, they liked, well, the
openness.<br>
<br>
I felt a little bit shaky at the beginning, when I heard them
suggesting that they could all stay together. It took a littl
effort to say nothing, to trust the power of self-organization.<br>
<br>
It was just fine. I have been invited back to facilitate their
retreat this year, too. .. it is coming up in early October.<br><br><div><span class="gmail_quote">On 9/19/06, <b class="gmail_sendername">catherine corbaz</b> <<a href="mailto:c.corbaz@hispeed.ch">c.corbaz@hispeed.ch
</a>> wrote:</span><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">hello, Esther,<br>i did not open space my self, with such a small group. However, i intended
<br>one last year. We were 6 people.It was in a seminar of for those, who wanted<br>to animate OS within the genuine contact program.<br><br>the OS was facilitate by Marainne Gerber (<a href="mailto:sonetz@bluewin.ch">sonetz@bluewin.ch
</a>). According to<br>me it worked well. We worked in a large room, so people courl walk from one<br>groupe to another. However the law of the two feet was not much used.Maybe<br>we where to shy to move in such a small group. Marianne has done from the
<br>afternoon to the next day morning. the convergence took place on the<br>morning. And she did not walk inside the circle usual.<br><br>I found it pleasant as a participant and i'm sure its possible. finally i<br>end up in the cafeteria with a colleague. Like in OS with a large
group.If<br>you don't get other ideas, i suggest you contact her.<br><br>Good luck<br><br>Catherine Corbaz<br>Ch.des Roseaux 20<br>CH-2503 Bienne<br>Switzerland<br>+41 32 323 38 43<br><br><br><br>----- Original Message -----
<br>From: "Communications Esther Matte" <<a href="mailto:ematte@excellence.ca">ematte@excellence.ca</a>><br>To: <<a href="mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU">OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU</a>><br>
Sent: Tuesday, September 19, 2006 2:29 PM<br>Subject: opening space with very small groups<br><br><br>> Hello everyone!<br>><br>> First, let me say thank you for the wonderful learning I found in the<br>> OSList. I'm new to Open Space, and even though I have yet to make my
<br>> "first big circle" as Ted put it recently, I feel more confident thanks to<br>> you all.<br>><br>> I may have two possible projects with very small groups (5-7 people) <br>> which is what worries me. I have participated to one OST in my
<br>> experiential training with Diane Gibeault (fantastic!), and co-facilitated<br>> one with 45 people. But I simply cannot visualize how it works with as few<br>> as 5 people. How do you do this? Do you have several rounds of
<br>discussions?<br>> In separate rooms? Do people actually work by themselves and team up? Can<br>> you do it in approximately 3 hours ? (Maybe 20-30 minutes opening, 2 X<br>> 40-minutes rounds of discussion or 3 X 30-minutes, action planning and
<br>> closing).<br>><br>> I'm sure some of you have done this. I'll be meeting with the first<br>> possible group next week, and nothing is set in stone yet for the other.<br>> Any comments, suggestions, ideas or warnings will be very much
<br>appreciated.<br>><br>> Thank you very much in advance for your time!<br>><br>> Esther Matte<br>> Communications Esther Matte<br>> 1011, Marie-Victorin<br>> Verchères (Québec) J0L 2R0<br>> <a href="http://www.excellence.ca">
www.excellence.ca</a><br>><br>> "L'art de dire"<br>><br>> Tél. : (450) 583-5849<br>> Téléc. : (450) 583-3513<br>><br>> *<br>> *<br>> ==========================================================
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http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist</a><br></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>Love rays,<br>Tree Fitzpatrick<br><br>.
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Augustine, "I want you to be," without being able to give any
particular reason for such supreme and unsurpassable
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