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<DIV><SPAN class=453460412-14012008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>Dear
Peggy, Michael, Elena and others!</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=453460412-14012008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=453460412-14012008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2>I will support Elena and tell why we are doing this in our part of
the world. We have the lucky opportunity to introduce OST to different
categories of the state and municipal civil servants here at the Siberian
Academy for Public Administration (SAPA). It's written in their program as
Business game with the theme on improving their work.They come to us for 3 and
often for only 2 hours. It gives us only 30 minutes for each
item: Introduction (including moving tables and putting chairs into the
circle), 2 sessions and Closure (in case of 2 hours). In 3 hours I have some
time for reports, voting and convergence and after it Closing circle. As I call
it Voluntarily-compulsory participation in OST. Great majority of our
participants have no idea what to expect from this event and we have a very
short time to invite them and explaine it as a good way to have conversations
about issues and opportunities of How to improve their work.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=453460412-14012008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>In
first 30 minutes they have a collective cultural shock while they are sitting in
the circle and facilitator going inside telling them what they can do and
everything is OK even to go away if they don't like it ( in this case it is
voluntary participation). Common reaction is : We all will be butterflies
today. Then, as Harrison said it happens always everywhere, some people begin to
write the topics and all works well. When people at the Market place are trying
to realize what to do and where to go I wish them all well and say when we will
meet again in the circle and go out. But then I usually come back at the time of
change between sessions to see if they do it or not. Sometimes they can do
it themselves, sometimes little bit later than on the schedule. But their
shock of freedom is so big and they have such a fun talking in their first
groups and leaders of the second sessions are too weak to break it, that mostly
they expect someone to take the lead and say - now it is time for the second
session or they miss it at all. I do the same as "Town crier", saying - it's
time for the second session, but it's up to you what you are doing now. Then
they can move or not. I agree with Elena that when we have such short time we
have to encourage them to take the lead and organize second groups. Sometimes
they come all into one big circle and discuss all issues alltogether. The energy
is high, they have great fun, but some issues even discussed, don't get the
reports. </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=453460412-14012008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>I
learnt to take it easy and let them do whatever they want during this
2 or 3 hours, because I know that at the end they say - it was the best in our 2
weeks here and it should be at the beginning of the course. Each time somebody
says "I will do it at my working place". I give them
short written instructions.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=453460412-14012008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>What
else you don't do normally - listen the reports - I do it every time -
have them in the circle to share briefly their reports. I have a 3 minutes
sand-glass and show to them, but don't interrupt. They have chance to ask
questions or discuss something. If it goes longer I show the principle "When
it's not over it's not over" and say that it needs additional discussion.
Because my class takes place normally at the end of their 2 weeks course this
sharing in the circle is the only way they could really see the results of their
work and feel their collective wisdom. They always say that they learnt more
from each other than from all their other classes.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=453460412-14012008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>You
will be surprised, but I also collect their reports and type them and give them
back to take home with them as tangible "Collective wisdom", because it's no
other way yet - they don't have access to computers. </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Tahoma><FONT size=2><SPAN class=453460412-14012008><FONT
face=Arial color=#0000ff> So, you see, we really do some more things than
you and probably do it in a different way. But I realized that even 2 hours
in open space is more powerful than two weeks of passive learning from teachers.
That is why I try to use every opportunity to introduce OST to every possible
group. The shortest one I had OST in 1,5 hours with a group of trainers,
where we all worked very fast, but had all 4 items - opening, 2 sessions
and closing. If i don't have much time for closing I send the bell and ask
people to say one word or two. It's always positive and inspiring. I believe
that we have homeopathic influencing on the civil servants in Siberia through
these short OST classes at SAPA. Some people come and say "I've heard about a
workshop which is must to participate". We help people to feel happier,
more self-confident and be leaders. If additional ring of the bell helps
us to do this, we will ring. By the way, for the Russian people tibetian bells
work magicly. I also like the arrow, but someone have to come and move
it.</FONT></SPAN></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=453460412-14012008>With warm greetings from cold
Siberia,</SPAN></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=453460412-14012008></SPAN></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=453460412-14012008>Marina Tyasto</SPAN></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=453460412-14012008><A
href="mailto:tyasto@sapa.nsk.su">tyasto@sapa.nsk.su</A></SPAN></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Tahoma><FONT size=2><SPAN
class=453460412-14012008></SPAN></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Tahoma><FONT size=2><SPAN
class=453460412-14012008> </SPAN>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B>
Elena Marchuk [mailto:marco@mail.nsk.ru]<BR><B>Sent:</B> Monday, January 14,
2008 8:25 AM<BR><B>To:</B> OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU<BR><B>Subject:</B> Re:
Thoughts on a Town Crier<BR><BR></DIV></FONT></FONT>
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Dear Peggy,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I wish I could NOT ring the bells and let
participants to work as they care, but most OSs I provide are very limited in
time, and several time I missed the time by chance (though not much...) I
could see, that people are just seeting and talking in a previous groups. If I
had the time to give them a 'teach' that it is their way of doing things and
will have time to 'spread' time for another quant of session, I would probably
do, but I'm affraid, may be it is ok to be, and just do, but I'm afraid, that
we would have just no time for the next session, so I usualy ring, though say
in opening, that it is up to them, how they will work, I would just be a Town
Crier, as you say...</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>thank you for the question</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>warm hugs from -25 C Siberia with a lot of snow,
though sun shining :)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>elena marchuk</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>novosibirsk</FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=peggy@opencirclecompany.com
href="mailto:peggy@opencirclecompany.com">Peggy Holman</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A
title=OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
href="mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU">OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU</A>
</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Sunday, January 13, 2008 11:22
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Thoughts on a Town Crier</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>Has anyone noticed more milling about before people move into sessions
over the last few years? I'd been noticing enough of a trend this way
that I always intend to explicitly tell people that there won't be anyone
telling them when to move, that it is up to them to follow their own rhythms
and interests. I haven't quite internalized this yet, so I usually
forget. Anyway, I think I may have figured out what is going on.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I just did an OS for a friend for a group of about 50. He uses OS
a lot but wanted to be able to really participate in this
one. He told me that he was a little surprised when
the first round of breakout sessions was starting that I didn't tell people
it was time to get started. He came to me when the
first round after lunch were scheduled to start and asked me wasn't I going
to ring a bell and let people know? I basically told him that I never
did that. The participants were adults and could figure it out for
themselves. He was floored and a little upset. He said he always
lets people know. And then it dawned on me: there are more and
more people who have experienced OS. Perhaps there are many
practitioners doing what Jon does - telling people when it is time to start
the next session. I realized that since most of these folks came at
Jon's invitation, they were probably enculturated to responding to a
bell. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>So I took what seemed a middle ground to me and rang a bell, saying,
"It's 1:30 and all's well." I figured a town crier was a minimalist
thing to do -- providing information without attachment to how
people used it.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I then spoke more with Jon because I wanted to understand his
perspective. He said that to him, what is posted, like the
session start times, are part of the commons and when he is holding the
space, that is part of his contract with the group, to give them the
information. He doesn't care what they do once they hear it. So,
it strikes me that Town Crier is a good description of what he does.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Given the trend I mentioned, I suspect Jon isn't the only one
doing something like this. I'd love to hear other thoughts on
providing information that marks the passage of time.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>from sunny (for a change) Seattle,</DIV>
<DIV>Peggy</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>________________________________<BR>Peggy Holman<BR>The Open Circle
Company<BR>15347 SE 49th Place<BR>Bellevue, WA 98006<BR>(425) 746-6274
</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><A
href="http://www.opencirclecompany.com">www.opencirclecompany.com</A></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><BR>For the new edition of The Change Handbook, go to: <BR><A
href="http://www.bkconnection.com/ChangeHandbook">www.bkconnection.com/ChangeHandbook</A>
</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>"An angel told me that the only way to step into the fire and not get
burnt, is to become <BR>the fire".<BR> -- Drew Dellinger</DIV>* *
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