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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'>Ralph – I always like the way your
mind works! I would take what you propose all under the heading of getting the
middle man out of the way. Or something. Maybe we might call this the “disappearing
OST.” We could go a little further and understand that “opening
space” is a basic human act – usually productive of such things as
innovation, respect, creativity, fun. On the other hand “closing space”
is (unfortunately) another basic human act – usually productive of
regimentation, sterile thinking, and constrained actions, loss of agility. OST
then might take its proper place as simply one way of going about “opening
space.”  It is certainly useful in certain situations, and neither
appropriate nor needed in others. And actually why would you go to all the
bother of making signs, inscribing post-its, setting up chairs in a circle if
you could just open space? I like it.</span></font></p>

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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:
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style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'>Potomac,
Maryland   20854</span></font></p>

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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;
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style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'>Open Space Institute</span></font><font
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<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
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face=Arial><span style='font-family:Arial'>www.ho-image.com</span></font></a> </span></font></p>

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<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>Ralph Copleman<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Thursday, February 08, 2007
9:40 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> A Capital Idea</span></font></p>

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<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=1 face=Times><span
style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Times'>Hi,<br>
<br>
If we seek to have what we do become the norm, let’s begin by normalizing
the way we refer to it.  Perhaps we ought to stop capitalizing the term
Open Space.  We don’t see formats that are otherwise commonly used
with capital letters, do we?  I don’t ever see...<br>
<br>
“Panel Discussion”<br>
“Committee Meeting”<br>
“Staff Meeting”<br>
“Meeting”<br>
<br>
...in organizational communication.  Why would we make “Open
Space” an exception?  I suppose “OS” is okay if we need
an abbreviation, or “OST” if you insist, but I never capitalize
“future search” for example, when I use it or write it, and
that’s a technique that is not likely to blend into ordinary daily
application.  From now on, I open space, rather than convene an Open Space
meeting.<br>
<br>
Ralph Copleman</span></font> </p>

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