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<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'>Thank you all for your suggestions on my practical
question. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'>I went with this structure: 45 minutes for intro and agenda, then
2 x 45 minute sessions, then 45 minutes for a closing circle. It worked
brilliantly. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'>Perhaps calling this a 'taster' in my email was not quite right,
however. This event was the whole afternoon in a full-day seminar on
leadership that I presented to about 44 executives from 20 different
corporations and one large charity. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'>The morning consisted of meditation and laughter (presented as
leadership skills), plus a lecture on complexity, chaos, play, and newer
leadership styles. At lunchtime, I did a very fast re-set for an Open
Space (I had made the signs the night before). Thus the afternoon gave
the participants a chance to experience Open Space <i><span style='font-style:
italic'>as a leadership technique</span></i> and also to explore any issues
that were provoked by the morning session. The theme for the afternoon
was “What is my cutting-edge as a leader?” <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'>Despite the short amount of time, they took to the process and had very
meaningful discussions. They posted about 12 topics and I had trouble
getting them to stop talking when it was time to close. Several people
got significant help from their peers in solving organizational problems (or
discovered the answers for themselves). Everyone seemed to get into the
spirit of peer-learning, and most importantly, learn the benefit of solving
problems by first asking other people for their ideas. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'>Despite the short amount of time, there was a definite sense of
convergence, in the closing circle, around one issue: Many of these
leaders had felt quite isolated in their organizations, particularly in their
attempts to explore more expanded ways of working, and were truly relieved to
learn that other leaders in other organizations were also struggling with some
of the same challenges. This Open Space gave them a chance to interact
inter-organizationally, and they loved it.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'>Although the event didn't demonstrate the full potential of Open Space,
it sure did give them a meaningful conversation, a lively afternoon, and the
opportunity to explore a different way of leading a group. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'>So, was that a taster?<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'>Marty<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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