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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I just finished my second Open Space event for
HAPPEN (a local executive networking group for people who are in career
transition). This post is a follow up to the tome that I posted to this list
after doing the first OS with this group last November. I think it
also is in line with the current thread - Be Prepared to be
Surprised.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>This second session went well - good turnout, good
topics and conversations. This time the 'Man in Charge' let the group
know about the opportunity and sent out the invitation at least a week
before the event. That helped. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The interesting thing to report was a conversation
I had midway through with the 'Boss of the Man in Charge' (i.e. head
honcho of the group). This man was particularly sceptical. At the
last session he told me that one of the groups wasn't 'working' (i.e. one
participant in his opinion was dominating) and he asked me to 'facilitate' that
session. I politely told him that I couldn't do so, however he was free to
intervene if he thought that would be helpful. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>My conversation with him this time was interesting
and delightful. When I arrived in the morning he was
sceptical. Midway through I asked him how he thought it was
going. He responded somewhat incredulously,"I didn't think that this would
work, however it is working here... and the people are enjoying
themselves". What happened was obviously a surprise to him. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>As I was thinking about it while driving home, I
remembered my first conversation with the 'Man with the Hat'. I met him in
a coffee shop after he had finished an OS training nearby. He explained
the process to me... I was sceptical. I thought 'That would never work'
and I brushed him off as another consultant with the latest technique to
sell. However, he must have intrigued me - as a year later, I took
the course...</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>During the wrap up at today's session, numerous
people commented about how it was the best session they had ever attended of
this group. They explained that they were much better able to go deep on
their topic and get into meaningful and helpful conversations (than the
typical session where participants are numbered off and expected to do a round
robin prescribed process). A couple commented on how they got to
know each other much better through this process (i.e. than the typical
process). Many comments were made with awe (or surprise) in their
tone. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I encouraged those who commented to write down
their thoughts on the evaluation form.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>As a follow up to the previous post, when the
thread on this group was 'getting paid to do community work' and many on this
list encouraged me to "just do it", I want to report back that I did, it worked
and I got paid this time. And have numerous new connections and potential
leads as a result. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>To conclude - just in case anyone out there hasn't
already figured this out - the Martini Drinking Man with the Hat has
introduced us to something pretty profound....</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Judy Gast<BR>in snowy Mississauga, Ontario,
Canada<BR></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
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