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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'>I started to call this one – In Defense
of the Circle – but then it became clear to me that the circle needs no
defense. It just is. I guess that sounds a little weird, but my point is that
circles, and being in circles is the natural way to go. A notable First Nation
Elder (name forgotten by this elder </span></font><font color=red
face=Wingdings><span style='font-family:Wingdings;color:red'>J</span></font><font
color=red face=Arial><span style='font-family:Arial;color:red'>) said
somewhere, “Nothing useful ever happened in a square.” So to be
sure we can operate in almost any geometric configuration with or without physical
obstacles in our way. But the core question is – why on earth would you
want to? To me this is not about “pure Open Space,” “pure
ritual” – it is about pure common sense.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'>Or put somewhat differently, Chris. Presumably
your client is spending a lot of money and time to bring 500 people together,
who in turn are going to spend more money and time. Under these circumstances,
why would you want to give them anything less than the best opportunity to
maximize their investment? As for the opening speaker Michael may have the
clue -- “bail on him!”. I think I would be a little kinder -- Give
him/her the exquisite opportunity to speak to his/her brothers and sisters in
the most natural and powerful environment – in a circle with nothing in
the way between him/her and everybody else. Could make him/her a little nervous
– then again he/she might rise to the occasion. And wouldn’t that
be a wonderful surprise!</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'>Good Night Chris!! </span></font><font
color=red face=Wingdings><span style='font-family:Wingdings;color:red'>J</span></font><font
color=red face=Arial><span style='font-family:Arial;color:red'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'>Harrison</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'> </span></font></p>
<div>
<p align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=2 color=red face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'>Harrison Owen</span></font></p>
<p align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=2 color=red face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'>7808 River Falls Drive</span></font></p>
<p align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=2 color=red face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'>Potomac</span></font><font
size=2 color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:red'>, </span></font><font size=2 color=red face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'>Maryland</span></font><font
size=2 color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:red'> </span></font><font size=2 color=red face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'>20854</span></font></p>
<p align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=2 color=red face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'>Phone </span></font><font size=2 color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:red'>301-365-2093</span></font></p>
<p align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=2 color=red face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'>Skype hhowen</span></font></p>
<p align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=3 color=red face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'>Open Space Training</span></font><font
color=red><span style='color:red'> <a href="http://www.openspaceworld.com/"><font
face=Arial><span style='font-family:Arial'>www.openspaceworld.com</span></font></a>
</span></font></p>
<p align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=3 color=red face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'>Open Space Institute</span></font><font
color=red><span style='color:red'> <a href="http://www.openspaceworld.org/"><font
face=Arial><span style='font-family:Arial'>www.openspaceworld.org</span></font></a></span></font></p>
<p align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=3 color=red face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'>Personal website</span></font><font
color=red><span style='color:red'> <a href="http://www.ho-image.com/"><font
face=Arial><span style='font-family:Arial'>www.ho-image.com</span></font></a> </span></font></p>
<p align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=3 color=red face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'>OSLIST</span></font><font
color=red face=Arial><span style='font-family:Arial;color:red'>: To subscribe,
unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives Visit: </span></font><font
color=red><span style='color:red'><a
href="http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html"><font face=Arial><span
style='font-family:Arial'>www.listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html</span></font></a></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>-----Original Message-----<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>From:</span></b> OSLIST
[mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>On
Behalf Of </span></b>Michael Herman<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> </span></font><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>Tuesday, March
31, 2009</span></font><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Tahoma'> </span></font><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>11:43 PM</span></font><font
size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'><br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> Re: [OSLIST] RE :
[OSLIST] Help!</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:
.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>okay,
so now you want us to start posting on all the reasons for them to bail on the
opening speaker? <grin> m<br>
<br>
<br>
<br clear=all>
<br>
--<br>
<br>
Michael Herman<br>
Michael Herman Associates<br>
<br>
<a href="http://www.michaelherman.com">http://www.michaelherman.com</a><br>
<a href="http://www.ronanparktrail.com">http://www.ronanparktrail.com</a><br>
<a href="http://www.chicagoconservationcorps.org">http://www.chicagoconservationcorps.org</a><br>
<a href="http://www.openspaceworld.org">http://www.openspaceworld.org</a><br>
<br>
312-280-7838 (mobile)<br>
<br>
</span></font></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>On </span></font>Tue, Mar 31, 2009 at 10:26 PM, Chris Corrigan <<a href="mailto:chris@chriscorrigan.com">chris@chriscorrigan.com</a>>
wrote:</p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>This just continues to give hope and inspiration.<br>
<br>
The irony here is that the client IS familiar with Open Space and wants Open
Space type outcomes, just the kind that are expected froma conference of 500
people spending three sessions in Open Space. We're harvesting
proceedings using laptops and a news room and uploading them to a
webiste. Nothing unusual there. And many of the participants will
know what to do as well, so that helps. <br>
<br>
For me the circle is an entirely practical piece...it's about first of all
creating enough space to logistically make an open space meeting work.
Second, it's about the centre and the rim and that physical and metaphysical
structure, and third it is about the invitation on how to work together.
Some of the ideas for creating a metaphysical circle here are pretty cool, and
we will have lots of youth at this gathering and perhaps we can press them into
service.<br>
<br>
The good news is that this flood of creative responses has given me the energy
and optimism I need to continue to engage the client constructively and we had
a good call today to talk about removing the tables. It's not a reticence
to have a circle in this case...it's a purely logistical consideration in terms
of a few other things that are happening around the Open Space - meals and an
opening speaker. <br>
<br>
So that's where we stand tonight.<br>
<br>
Many thanks for the continued generosity.<br>
<font color="#888888"><span style='color:#888888'><br>
Chris</span></font></span></font></p>
<div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:
.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><br>
<br>
</span></font></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>On </span></font>Tue, Mar 31, 2009 at 6:50 PM, douglas germann <<a href="mailto:76066.515@compuserve.com" target="_blank">76066.515@compuserve.com</a>>
wrote:</p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>Chris--<br>
<br>
What do these 500+ folks love to do? Can you take what they love and<br>
turn that into an offer for how to make the space work?<br>
<br>
You could create a circle without the table barriers by having people<br>
turn their chairs around to face people at the tables behind them--when<br>
they turn around, voila! No tables!<br>
<br>
What Larry said about getting people away from the tables conjured up a<br>
picture for me--like a dance party--an ever-growing "snake" line of<br>
people threading their way amongst the tables, dropping off people to<br>
individual circles.... If it does not work as is, this picture might<br>
suggest something fun to someone on the list....<br>
<br>
...Like maybe helium balloons with the topics attached and snaking<br>
around the tables to gather participants....<br>
<br>
:- Doug.</span></font></p>
<div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'><br>
<br>
<br>
On Tue, 2009-03-31 at </span></font>13:43 -0700, Chris Corrigan wrote:<br>
> This is what I need guys...thanks for the wisdom, and keep it coming.<br>
><br>
> You're never too old to be stumped, and never to experienced to ask<br>
> for help!<br>
><br>
> Chris<br>
><br>
> On Tue, Mar 31, 2009 at 1:35 PM, Esther Matte <<a
href="mailto:ematte@excellence.ca" target="_blank">ematte@excellence.ca</a>><br>
> wrote:<br>
> I’ve had a soft/fabric covered and we
used both pins and blue<br>
> 3M tape. I thought the tape wouldn’t
hold, but it did!<br>
> Throughout the whole day too!<br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
> I’ve also had a stage, and used it as
the newsroom. Worked<br>
> wonderfully – nice overview of the room,
good feeling of a<br>
> “whole”.<br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
> The tables are definitely a downer… but
I would say trust the<br>
> process. Instead of walking the circle, walk
the tables. Take<br>
> more time maybe and make sure you do a lot of
eye contact.<br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
> And if you do this with the tables, let us
know the results<br>
> and the feeling of it.<br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
> If anything else comes to mind, I’ll
send another message.<br>
> Good luck and have fun too!<br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
> Esther Matte<br>
><br>
> Discover - Engage - Accomplish<br>
><br>
> New York: 212.755.0551<br>
><br>
> Montreal: 450.583.5849<br>
><br>
> <a href="http://www.excellence.ca"
target="_blank">www.excellence.ca</a><br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
> -----Message d'origine-----<br>
> De : OSLIST [mailto:<a
href="mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU" target="_blank">OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU</a>]
De la part<br>
> de Chris Corrigan<br>
> Envoyé : 31 mars 2009 15:38<br>
> À : <a
href="mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU" target="_blank">OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU</a><br>
> Objet : [OSLIST] Help!<br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
> I've been at this a long time now, but I've
run up against a<br>
> situation like this. I'm stumped and
looking for help.<br>
><br>
> I;ll be opening space for a gethering of 500+
people. The<br>
> client is completely unwilling to set the room
in a circle.<br>
> Instead, we will have 96 tables with 6 chairs
at each table<br>
> packed into a spacious but full ball room
facing a stage. The<br>
> walls of this room are incredible...they
appear to be actually<br>
> stuffed with cotton and covered in fabric.
There is little<br>
> hope of putting anything on the walls.<br>
><br>
> On the plus side we will have lots of AV, so
there is a goodly<br>
> amount of technology available to play with
for agenda setting<br>
> and huge screen projection.<br>
><br>
> I'm worried on a number of levels as you can
imagine, but at<br>
> the moment I'm trying to put that all aside
and figure out, in<br>
> this worst case scenario, what is the best
thing we could do<br>
> to Open Space? Anyone been faced with
similar constraints?<br>
> Help me out here...<br>
><br>
> All tips and support I get on this, I'll roll
up into a little<br>
> document on "what to do when nothing is
what you need it to<br>
> be" and we can share it out.<br>
><br>
> OSLIST group mind...activate!<br>
><br>
> Chris<br>
><br>
> --<br>
> CHRIS CORRIGAN<br>
> Facilitation - Training - Process Design<br>
> Open Space Technology<br>
><br>
> Weblog: <a
href="http://www.chriscorrigan.com/parkinglot" target="_blank">http://www.chriscorrigan.com/parkinglot</a><br>
> Site: <a href="http://www.chriscorrigan.com"
target="_blank">http://www.chriscorrigan.com</a><br>
><br>
> Principal, Harvest Moon Consultants, Ltd.<br>
> <a href="http://www.harvestmoonconsultants.com"
target="_blank">http://www.harvestmoonconsultants.com</a><br>
><br>
> * *
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------------------------------<br>
> To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your
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><br>
><br>
> --<br>
> CHRIS CORRIGAN<br>
> Facilitation - Training - Process Design<br>
> Open Space Technology<br>
><br>
> Weblog: <a href="http://www.chriscorrigan.com/parkinglot" target="_blank">http://www.chriscorrigan.com/parkinglot</a><br>
> Site: <a href="http://www.chriscorrigan.com" target="_blank">http://www.chriscorrigan.com</a><br>
><br>
> Principal, Harvest Moon Consultants, Ltd.<br>
> <a href="http://www.harvestmoonconsultants.com" target="_blank">http://www.harvestmoonconsultants.com</a></p>
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<br clear=all>
<br>
-- <br>
CHRIS CORRIGAN<br>
Facilitation - Training - Process Design<br>
Open Space Technology<br>
<br>
Weblog: <a href="http://www.chriscorrigan.com/parkinglot" target="_blank">http://www.chriscorrigan.com/parkinglot</a><br>
Site: <a href="http://www.chriscorrigan.com" target="_blank">http://www.chriscorrigan.com</a><br>
<br>
Principal, Harvest Moon Consultants, Ltd.<br>
<a href="http://www.harvestmoonconsultants.com" target="_blank">http://www.harvestmoonconsultants.com</a><br>
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