<div>Great story Judy. Beyond the funny parts, its touching & inspirational.</div> <div> </div> <div>Regards</div> <div> </div> <div>Pankaj<BR><BR><B><I>Judy Gast <jgast@sympatico.ca></I></B> wrote:</div> <BLOCKQUOTE class=replbq style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff 2px solid"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.6000.16544" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> <div 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></div> <div 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></div> <div 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></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div> <div 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></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div> <div 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></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div> <div 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></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div> <div 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></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div> <div 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></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div> <div 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></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div> <div 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></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3></FONT> </div>
<div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>This is where my story begins. </FONT></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"></FONT></FONT> </div> <div 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></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><I><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></I></div> <div 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></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div> <div 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></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm
0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div> <div 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></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div> <div 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></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div> <div 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></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div> <div 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></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div> <div 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></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div> <div 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></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div> <div 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></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm
0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div> <div 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></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New
Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div> <div 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></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div> <div 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></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div> <div 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></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div> <div 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></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div> <div 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></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div> <div 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></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div> <div 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></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div> <div 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></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div> <div 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></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div> <div 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></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div> <div 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></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div> <div 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></div> <div class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div> <div 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></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div> <div 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></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div> <div 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></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"></FONT></FONT> </div> <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>* * ========================================================== 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 </BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR><BR>Regards<br><br>Pankaj
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