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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>In keeping with the vein of<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>‘Just Do It and resources will appear’ (formerly Finding Funding for
Community Work), this is a report on an Open Space event I facilitated this week
wherein, I ‘Just Did It’ and … resources appeared (or will appear). </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">The title of this story and the theme of the OS event is
(was); <B>“Making It Happen”.</B></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><I><U><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Background on me (for
context):<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></U></I></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">My life was forever altered the week of May 27 – 31, 1996
when I took the Open Space Train the Trainer at St. Ignatius College (a
monastery in Guelph, Ontario) with the Man with the Hat, Larry Peterson and
Birgitt Williams.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>At the time, I
was an Organizational Development/Training and Development type working for a
large prestigious (at the time) multinational corporation.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>I had just spent a year of my life working for a Type A micromanager (who
was located in Australia) planning, organization and implementing a series of
conferences for the senior level executives outside of North American.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>It was a huge and cumbersome project. I
was on the phone 24-7. I spent thousands of company dollars – doing a detailed
needs assessment, designing workshops, hiring facilitators around the world, and
managing the onsite logistics in four international locations.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>All while playing the role of group
psychologist and attempting to manage the emotional roller coaster inherent in a
micromanaged, remote team. While the hotels were nice and the food was good, at
the end of the day (or month or year), most people involved (participants,
sponsors, organizing team) would say (provided they were guaranteed
confidentiality) that we did <B><I>not</I></B> get a good return on the
investment. </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>If it weren’t red, I would have grey hair as a result of this
experience.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>After that, unless I
found a better way, I swore I would never get involved in planning large group
events again.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> Fortunately, a</SPAN>t St.
Ignatius College, I found ‘the better way’. </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>After that I introduced the approach to my company.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>While I had considerable success at the
lower levels, my inroads with the executives were limited.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">I was let go from this company several years ago. Since
then, as an external Organizational Development/Training and Development type, I
have had several opportunities to Open Space with organizations and sponsors who
‘get it’ as I do.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I also had child
number two.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>This past spring, as both kids would be in school in September and our
finances were faltering, my husband and I agreed that it was time for me to seek
full time employment again.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>To help
me learn ‘how to get a job’, I joined a local networking group comprised of
‘Executives in Transition’. </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3></FONT> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>This is where my story begins. </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><I><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">The Story – ‘Making It
Happen’<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></I></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><I><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></I></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>The first session I attended, I felt a bit awkward.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The group, about 60<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>‘Executives in Transition’, were mostly
40-60 year old men in suits and white shirts<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The few women attendees were
wearing dressy suits, high heels and pantyhose (not attire this mother of young
children is familiar with).<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I
tried not to feel too self-conscious, as I stood up in my Birkenstock
equivalents and corduroy pants to introduce myself and give my ‘30 second
commercial’. (I had failed to read on the website that the dress code for these
meetings is ‘first interview’).</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>However, it appeared like a group where I could work on my 30 second
commercial, interviewing skills, and, network to make connections to those who
might hire me. So I dusted off my ‘professional woman’ jackets and pants (no
pantyhose for me…) and showed up at the second meeting better ‘suited’ to fit
in. </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>The format of the group was conventional.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The first half hour was “Good News’ –
reports from people who had interviews or had landed, and then new members were
asked to give their 30 second commercial (aka ‘You never get an second chance to
make a first good impression.).<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Then a keynote speaker, followed by 1 ½ hours of table team
‘networking’.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>For networking we
were numbered off and asked to go to the appropriate<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>table.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>In a round robin fashion, each person at
the table talks about their career background and direction, practices their
commercial, and the group supports with suggestions and advice. </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">At the first networking session I ended up with a group
of men (mostly in white shirts), most of who were in the Food Packaging
industry.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I learned a bit about
this industry and asked some relevant questions, and they were polite and worked
to understand my field and come up with appropriate suggestions and advice for
me.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>Of course, I know that this process would be much more valuable (and fun)
if we did it in Open Space.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>To me,
it is a ‘no brainer’ application.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>So I suggest it to the Man in Charge.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>He was intrigued, and amongst
other questions asked me how he would ‘measure the success’ of such a
session.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I told him that we would
measure it by the number of people who showed up (there are about 1500 members
of this group, but only 100 – 150 show up for the weekly meetings at three
locations) and the formal and anecdotal feedback from the attendees of the
session.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>He agrees that it might be
a good idea to ‘try something new’ and says he will fit me into the schedule.
</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>Several months later, after numerous exchanges of emails and
conversations (discussing Open Space and agreeing on the theme and invitation),
the Man in Charge schedules the session for November 20<SUP>th</SUP>.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>In the announcement on the
organization’s website and in the local paper, and at the November
13<SUP>th</SUP> meeting, the session is announced as “Open Space Technology –
The Next Generation of Networking” by expert speaker – Judy Gast. (Wow…. an Open
Space <I>and</I> a Networking expert…if only...life would be beautiful…)<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I raise my hand and clarify that I
am not an expert on networking and will be ‘facilitating’ a session where
participants have an opportunity to get into conversations about whatever they
have passion for.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I say our theme
will be “Successful Career Transitions – Making it Happen”.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The boss of the Man in Charge (i.e. the
founding father of the organization) interrupts me and says curtly, “Oh, I
didn’t know, no one told me about that”. </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>Weeks before the event, I discuss the set up for the room with the Event
coordinator for the facility.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I
give her a hand drawn diagram.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>She
sends me back a computer diagram with 60 chairs in a <I>square</I>.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I email her back that the chairs need to
be in a <I>circle</I>. We go back and forth.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>She sends me a terse email and says that
the square is the best her software can do.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I explain how once before I showed up
early in the morning before an Open Space and had to rearrange 200 chairs into a
circle.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>She reassures me that her
staff will understand the concept of a circle.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>(They didn’t.)</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>I patiently wait for the Man in Charge to send out the short, pithy,
intriguing announcement (as we had agreed) to the entire group (all 1500
members).<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>He doesn’t.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I call him a couple days before the
event and politely tell him that if members think that a speaker named Judy Gast
(i.e. an unknown person who hasn’t written a book) is going to talk about ‘Open
Space – The Next Generation of Networking’, then he will get less than the
normal number of attendees.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>He sees
my point and emails the announcement to the entire group. </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>The day before the event I am shopping in my local drug store and I see a
cute little battery-operated massager in the shape of a bee.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I think this will be cute to use when I
describe the bumblebees.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>At
25 dollars it is overpriced, but I fork over my grocery money for the week and
buy it nevertheless. </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>I show up for the event early, concerned about whether the facility staff
understands the concept of a <I>circle</I>.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Forty five minutes later, after having
rearranged chairs, put the bee and the pens and paper in the centre, put up the
posters and garnered flipcharts for the breakouts, I am ready and confident that
everything is going to work just fine.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>After all, The Man with the Hat’s number one mantra is: “Anyone with a
good head and a good heart can do it”.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>I had loving parents who sent me to good schools, so I should qualify.
</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">About 75 people show up by 8:30, the scheduled start
time. A different Man in Charge welcomes everyone and announces the ‘workshop’
agenda.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>First he says we will have
‘Good News’ and ‘Introduction of New Members’. That will be followed by Part One
of the Open Space Workshop, followed by a 15 minute break, after which comes
Part Two of the Workshop.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Obviously, he didn’t know and no one told him either.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I don’t say anything.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>We have about 20 new members (the average for any previous meeting I
attended was 6).<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>It takes forever
for them to get through their ’30 second commercials’ per the required formula,
which is projected on the wall. (I couldn’t convince them that an overhead
projector was really not required for this piece.)<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The group patiently and politely
listens. </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">The original Man in Charge is handed the mike to
introduce me. I had emailed him a short, pithy biography. Since I hadn’t written
a book, I thought the group would need some information about me to let them
know they were not going to be turned over to a complete incompetent<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>(this group is particularly sceptical of
touchy feely HR/OD types).<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>He
doesn’t read it.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>He says something
to the effect of “At this group, we are always willing to try something
different.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>After all, if you always
do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you always got.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Judy Gast, a member of this group,
twisted my arm to try this new process for our networking. It is called Open
<I>Source</I> Technology.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Please be sure to give us your feedback at the end so we know whether to
do it again. Please welcome Judy Gast.”<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>I sigh, under my breath, but loudly.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The man sitting next to me notices. I
stand up, thank the Man in Charge for the opportunity to present something new
to the group, and start walking the circle.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I breathe.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>They are all staring at me, sceptically,
with their arms crossed.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Or so it
appears to me. In the interest of time, or perhaps because I was nervous, I
don’t say half the things I had planned.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Actually, I cut it short because...at the last moment..I remember the
words of the Man in the Hat.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>His
second mantra is ‘Think of one more thing <I>not to</I> <I>say</I>… or was it
<I>not to</I> <I>do</I>?’<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Whatever,
it works.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>(That, by the way, is the
Man in the Hat’s third mantra: ‘It always works’.)</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">I didn’t forget to give tribute to the Man in the Hat –
even told the group about the Utube video wherein he does a 30 second elevator
speech on Open Space in the back of a cab.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>(They were not interested, probably should have left that piece
out.)<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>When I get to the part about bumblebees and butterflies I turn on the
battery operated bumblebee.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>It
makes a loud racket on the wood floor as it buzzes around.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>People laugh.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I am glad I spent my grocery money on
the bee… I know I have plenty of oatmeal and peanut butter in the cupboard.
</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">When I say ‘Go for it’ and point to the paper in the
centre, half a dozen folks rush to the centre.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Others are amazed.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>After several periods of silence,
wherein people and potential topics lurk, twelve sheets of paper are posted on
the wall - six for each time slot.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Perfect – just what the grid allocated (there were more stickies/spaces
if needed).<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I invite everyone to go
to the wall and get to work. Everybody goes to the wall.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The mingling, shuffling and buzzing
starts.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Several ask me questions
about what they are supposed to do.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>I think; perhaps I left out too much. Oh well, they get it and go to
work.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">A couple minutes later I go to the wall to peruse the
topics.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>There are only four topics
posted for the first session and numerous people are still hanging out deciding
where to go.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Where are the missing
topics?<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I look around.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The initiators took their papers and
posted them on the walls next to their flipcharts.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I scurry around and collect them and
retape them to the agenda wall.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>A woman wearing a dressy suit, high heels and pantyhose comes up to
me.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>She tells me that she would
have posted a topic but she didn’t want to get down on the floor in her skirt
and heels.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I smile
apologetically and tell her that I am sorry I didn’t think of that.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I hand her a piece of paper and
encourage her to post her topic.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>She carefully writes her topic on the paper and tapes it on the
wall.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I’m glad that I don’t
own a dressy suit, high heels or a pair of pantyhose.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>When it is about 10 minutes past the time for the second session to
start, people are all over … mingling and talking to each other (being
butterflies).<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Two people come up to
me, plainly worried.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>“Aren’t you
going to ring a bell and ask people to move to the next session?”, they
ask.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>“Whenever it starts is
the right time”, I reply politely.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Turns out, they were topic initiators - worried that no one would show up
for their sessions.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>They returned
to their flipcharts, people showed up, and the discussions flowed. </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>The boss of the Man in Charge is concerned as one group has about 20
people, and one person appears to be dominating.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>He tells me a story about how for a
while they ‘had’ to put an external ‘person in charge’ at each of the networking
table teams to make sure that everyone got equal air time.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I smile and make an inane comment noting
that; ‘if you treat people like adults, they are more likely to act like
adults’.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>He doesn’t get it.
</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>When it is time for the closing circle, I do ring my bell.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Every seat is occupied.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I explain that this time is for
comments, reflections, insights on what they learned… whatever people feel like
saying.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I walk the circle
with the mike.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Numerous comments
are made about how much fun it was, how people really opened up and shared what
was important to them. There are several poignant comments about new insights,
new connections and actions planned as a result of the conversations.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>A man volunteers to write up the
session, include all the Reports and post a consolidated document on the
website. A woman asks me how often this group plans to use this approach for our
meetings.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I carefully deflect the
question and turn to the Man in Charge to answer it.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>He smiles (at me) and asks the group;
“How many people would like to see us use this approach again?”.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Everyone raises his/her hand
enthusiastically.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>He says that they
will for sure use it (and me, if I am available) again. </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>When it is over, numerous people come up to me and thank me for the great
session.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Several people want to
talk to me about potential applications for their not-for-profit or other group.
One person asks me to be a speaker at a course that she is organizing. I am
happy the ‘trial’ worked.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">After cleaning up, the Man in Charge comes over to thank
me.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>He says he wants me to do it
for the other two locations and he will deem those sessions ‘workshops’ (vs.
speakers).<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I tell him I don’t
really care what it is called (after all this one was announced in the beginning
as a ‘workshop’).<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>He tells me; “We
<B><I>pay</I></B> people to run the workshops.”<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I reply, “Fine, make it a
workshop”.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>After all, I need money to buy groceries for my family. </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></FONT></P>
<H1 style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><EM><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=4>Postlude
and thanks</FONT></EM></H1><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"><FONT
size=4>I want to thank Larry Peterson for encouraging me to write up this
story.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>He has been my colleague,
friend and mentor ever since I met him at St. Ignatius College in May 1996.
</FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Judy Gast<BR></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
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