<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN">
<html>
<head>
<meta content="text/html;charset=ISO-8859-1" http-equiv="Content-Type">
<title></title>
</head>
<body bgcolor="#ffffff" text="#000000">
Thank you everyone for you great and varied responses. I think I am
reminded of the importance of preparation and of clearly assessing if
OST is a good choice for the situation.<br>
<br>
The more I think of the OS my wife participated in, the more I start to
believe that the conditions may not have been right and the problems
may have exacerbated by the some of the modification of the format.<br>
<br>
I do have a concern about using OS situations where there are
significant power imbalances. I'm sure it has worked such on occasions
but I am also nervous that it may not always do that.<br>
<br>
Thanks again,<br>
<br>
Bui<br>
<br>
Thomas Herrmann wrote:
<blockquote cite="mid:4549AD72632743F48E544710D7B6EACF@PC204522113952"
type="cite">
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; ">
<meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11 (filtered medium)">
<!--[if !mso]>
<style>
v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
.shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
</style>
<![endif]--><o:SmartTagType
namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="PostalCode">
<o:SmartTagType
namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="State"><o:SmartTagType
namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City">
<o:SmartTagType
namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="Street"><o:SmartTagType
namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="address">
<o:SmartTagType
namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="country-region"><o:SmartTagType
namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place">
<o:SmartTagType
namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="PersonName"><!--[if !mso]>
<style>
st1\:*{behavior:url(#default#ieooui) }
</style>
<![endif]-->
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Tahoma;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0cm;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
span.E-postmall17
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:Arial;
color:navy;}
@page Section1
{size:595.3pt 841.9pt;
margin:70.85pt 70.85pt 70.85pt 70.85pt;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]-->
</o:SmartTagType></o:SmartTagType></o:SmartTagType></o:SmartTagType></o:SmartTagType></o:SmartTagType></o:SmartTagType></o:SmartTagType>
<div class="Section1">
<p class="MsoNormal"><font color="navy" face="Arial" size="2"><span
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: navy;">The other
day I had a participant in an
Open Space-meeting telling me that she had a not so good experience in
something called Open Space – where the facilitator used an alarm-clock
– I guess to “tell” participants when “it was
over” – and on top of that the alarm went off every now and then
– so it seemed not even the alarm-clock could be managed... That
participant, by the way, signed up for our upcoming training in
October...<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font color="navy" face="Arial" size="2"><span
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: navy;"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font color="navy" face="Arial" size="2"><span
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: navy;">One thing I
do is to provide participants
with an invitation to start with a round at hte start of each session.
That gives
everyone the opportunity to use his/her voice directly and share what
thoughts
they brought to the session – why they chose to come and also
presenting
their name to the workgroup. My experience is that this adds to the
conversation and highlights that there is such richness in the group –
straight
at the start of their meeting. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font color="navy" face="Arial" size="2"><span
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: navy;">I’ve
personally experienced working
sessions in Open Space where one or a few people in the group occupied
the
space talking and talking – and of course yes I used my feet...<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font color="navy" face="Arial" size="2"><span
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: navy;">Cheers<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font color="navy" face="Arial" size="2"><span
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: navy;">Thomas
Herrmann<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font color="navy" face="Arial" size="2"><span
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: navy;"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><font
face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"
lang="SV">
<hr tabindex="-1" align="center" size="2" width="100%"></span></font></div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><font face="Tahoma" size="2"><span
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma; font-weight: bold;"
lang="SV">Från:</span></font></b><font face="Tahoma" size="2"><span
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma;" lang="SV"> <st1:PersonName
w:st="on">OSLIST</st1:PersonName> [mailto:<st1:PersonName w:st="on">OSLIST</st1:PersonName>@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU]
<b><span style="font-weight: bold;">För </span></b>Jack Ricchiuto<br>
<b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Skickat:</span></b> den 8 april
2009 22:22<br>
<b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Till:</span></b> <st1:PersonName
w:st="on">OSLIST</st1:PersonName>@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU<br>
<b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ämne:</span></b> Re: [<st1:PersonName
w:st="on">OSLIST</st1:PersonName>]
Bad OS experiences</span></font><span lang="SV"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span
style="font-size: 12pt;" lang="SV"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;"><font
face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Thanks
Harrison, and I
resonate with the "no bad open space" experience because it always
does in a community exactly what it can to reveal, heal, evoke, provoke
and
connect. It may not satisfy obsessions with speed and scale, but often
delights
the tenders of organic growth.<br>
<br clear="all">
With gratitude, Jack<br>
<br>
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-<br>
DesigningLife.com<br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span
style="font-size: 12pt;">On Wed, Apr 8, 2009 at 3:36 PM, Harrison Owen
<<a moz-do-not-send="true" href="mailto:hhowen@verizon.net">hhowen@verizon.net</a>>
wrote:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span
style="font-size: 12pt;">How wonderful to return to find BAD OPEN
SPACE! I didn't know there was
any,<br>
and truthfully, I never met an Open space I didn't like. But then again
I am<br>
biased. My own experience is that as long as the conditions are OK (Real<br>
business issue, voluntary self-selection, lots of diversity, lots of<br>
complexity, real passion/confusion, and a decision time of yesterday)
and<br>
the procedure followed (sit in circle, create bulletin board, open
market<br>
place, go to work) just about everything comes out perfect. Does that
mean<br>
that everybody is 100% happy? Have they ever been? -- and if not, why
now?<br>
<br>
The president of a company whose employees decided to dissolve the
company;<br>
he was un-happy. Control freaks that were sure that their way was the
only<br>
way -- they were unhappy. People who suffer from Freedom Shock pretty
well<br>
go out of their gourds. People who think so little of themselves that
they<br>
permit the blowhards of this world to brow beat them without employing
the<br>
Law of Two Feet are definitely unhappy -- and must also understand that
they<br>
alone are responsible for their misery. Neither Open Space nor anything
else<br>
will turn raving idiots into towering Einsteins for silk purses do not<br>
ordinarily come from sow's ears -- and that is a bad rap on sows!
Goodness<br>
me -- we have problems. But are those problems attributable to Open
Space?<br>
<br>
All of that said most people, most places, most of the time find the<br>
ordinary to be extraordinary, the mundane to be magnificent. Just an
average<br>
day in Open Space, relishing the wonderful world of self organization --<br>
which truthfully is the only world we have.<br>
<br>
<st1:place w:st="on">Harrison</st1:place><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Harrison Owen<br>
<st1:Street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">7808 River Falls Drive</st1:address></st1:Street><br>
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Potomac</st1:City>, <st1:State
w:st="on">Maryland</st1:State> <st1:PostalCode w:st="on">20854</st1:PostalCode></st1:place><br>
Phone 301-365-2093<br>
Skype hhowen<br>
Open Space Training <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.openspaceworld.com" target="_blank">www.openspaceworld.com</a><br>
Open Space Institute <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.openspaceworld.org" target="_blank">www.openspaceworld.org</a><br>
Personal website <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.ho-image.com" target="_blank">www.ho-image.com</a><br>
<st1:PersonName w:st="on">OSLIST</st1:PersonName>: To subscribe,
unsubscribe,
change your options, view the<br>
archives Visit: <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html"
target="_blank">www.listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html</a><br>
<br>
<br>
-----Original Message-----<br>
From: <st1:PersonName w:st="on">OSLIST</st1:PersonName> [mailto:<a
moz-do-not-send="true" href="mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU">OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU</a>]
On Behalf Of Elisabeth<br>
Tepperk Kofod<br>
Sent: Wednesday, April 08, 2009 2:14 PM<br>
To: <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU">OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU</a><br>
Subject: Re: Bad OS experiences<br>
<br>
I believe the key is in preparing the right question or issue.<br>
<br>
Elisabeth Tepper Kofod<br>
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Venezuela</st1:country-region></st1:place><br>
<br>
-----Mensaje original-----<br>
De: <st1:PersonName w:st="on">OSLIST</st1:PersonName> [mailto:<a
moz-do-not-send="true" href="mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU">OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU</a>]
En nombre de Larry<br>
Peterson<br>
Enviado el: miércoles, 08 de abril de 2009 10:52 a.m.<br>
<st1:place w:st="on">Para</st1:place>: <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU">OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU</a><br>
Asunto: Re: [<st1:PersonName w:st="on">OSLIST</st1:PersonName>] Bad OS
experiences<br>
<br>
Bui:<br>
<br>
In <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Toronto</st1:City></st1:place>,
I've also experienced some people who were not happy with their<br>
experience of open space.<br>
<br>
Some people prefer the sense that somebody is in control of a meeting<br>
(particularly in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Canada</st1:place></st1:country-region>).
Others, particularly in healthcare, who are used<br>
to dominating get upset when they are not able to do that.<br>
<br>
To me a critical component is the preparation of the sponsor by the<br>
facilitator. This is especially important in smaller groups from my<br>
experience. How they frame the space that is opened before the
facilitator<br>
asks the question has a big impact on the sense of freedom that
participants<br>
have or do not have. It is also important to have enough time in open
space<br>
to get beyond the usual suspects shaping the discussion particularly
when<br>
the culture of the group has not encouraged participation in the past.<br>
<br>
Certainly the setup of the room and the breakout spaces particularly in<br>
smaller group have a real impact. A clear articulation of be done with
the<br>
results is also critical.<br>
<br>
I have led many open space events of 15 or fewer people that were
lively,<br>
new ideas emerging, new leadership surfacing, over six hours to two
days.<br>
Some individuals, however, are not quite ready to be full participants
in<br>
riding waves. They only find this out in the experience of open space.<br>
<br>
Larry<br>
<br>
<br>
Larry Peterson & Associates in Transformation<br>
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Toronto</st1:City>, <st1:State
w:st="on">Ontario</st1:State>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Canada</st1:country-region></st1:place><br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true" href="mailto:larry@spiritedorg.com">larry@spiritedorg.com</a>
416.653.4829 <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.spiritedorg.com" target="_blank">http://www.spiritedorg.com</a><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
-----Original Message-----<br>
From: <st1:PersonName w:st="on">OSLIST</st1:PersonName> [mailto:<a
moz-do-not-send="true" href="mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU">OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU</a>]
On Behalf Of Bui<br>
Petersen<br>
Sent: April-08-09 10:11 AM<br>
To: <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU">OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU</a><br>
Subject: [<st1:PersonName w:st="on">OSLIST</st1:PersonName>] Bad OS
experiences<br>
<br>
Hi everyone,<br>
<br>
Having almost settled in living in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City
w:st="on">St. John's</st1:City>, <st1:State w:st="on">Newfoundland</st1:State></st1:place>,
I am<br>
looking for opportunities to open space. It is a slow process to<br>
introduce something that people are not familiar with, especially as I<br>
am new in a town where everyone seems to know each other.<br>
<br>
My question is, what do you do in cases where you meet people who HAVE<br>
been exposed to OST but did not have a good experience. My wife for one<br>
participated in one OS forum, and she is not at all convinced. Her<br>
experience was that the usual suspects did all the talking and those<br>
that usually are quiet, stayed that way. I wasn't there myself, but from<br>
what I gather there may have been some factors that contributed to this<br>
such as, the size of the group (only 15), the breakout spaces had tables<br>
and a couple of other factors. Nevertheless, my wife is not convinced it<br>
could have been much different.<br>
<br>
What do you more experienced think is a play? My own experience is<br>
limited so I'm not sure what to say about this. Is it the case that some<br>
OS events just don't have the right energy and don't work out that well?<br>
If so, what can you do to make people consider doing it again? The best<br>
I have come up with is that even if OST may not be perfect, it is better<br>
than most other things I have tried.<br>
<br>
Your thoughts would be much appreciated.<br>
<br>
Thanks,<br>
<br>
Bui Petersen<br>
<br>
*<br>
*<br>
==========================================================<br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true" href="mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU">OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU</a><br>
------------------------------<br>
To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,<br>
view the archives of <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:oslist@listserv.boisestate.edu">oslist@listserv.boisestate.edu</a>:<br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html"
target="_blank">http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html</a><br>
<br>
To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and <st1:PersonName w:st="on">OSLIST</st1:PersonName>
FAQs:<br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true" href="http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist"
target="_blank">http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist</a><br>
<br>
*<br>
*<br>
==========================================================<br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true" href="mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU">OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU</a><br>
------------------------------<br>
To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,<br>
view the archives of <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:oslist@listserv.boisestate.edu">oslist@listserv.boisestate.edu</a>:<br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html"
target="_blank">http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html</a><br>
<br>
To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and <st1:PersonName w:st="on">OSLIST</st1:PersonName>
FAQs:<br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true" href="http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist"
target="_blank">http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist</a><br>
<br>
*<br>
*<br>
==========================================================<br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true" href="mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU">OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU</a><br>
------------------------------<br>
To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,<br>
view the archives of <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:oslist@listserv.boisestate.edu">oslist@listserv.boisestate.edu</a>:<br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html"
target="_blank">http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html</a><br>
<br>
To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and <st1:PersonName w:st="on">OSLIST</st1:PersonName>
FAQs:<br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true" href="http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist"
target="_blank">http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist</a><br>
<br>
*<br>
*<br>
==========================================================<br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true" href="mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU">OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU</a><br>
------------------------------<br>
To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,<br>
view the archives of <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:oslist@listserv.boisestate.edu">oslist@listserv.boisestate.edu</a>:<br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html"
target="_blank">http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html</a><br>
<br>
To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and <st1:PersonName w:st="on">OSLIST</st1:PersonName>
FAQs:<br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true" href="http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist"
target="_blank">http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist</a><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span
style="font-size: 12pt;"><br>
* * ========================================================== <st1:PersonName
w:st="on">OSLIST</st1:PersonName>@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your
options,
view the archives of <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:oslist@listserv.boisestate.edu:">oslist@listserv.boisestate.edu:</a>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html">http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html</a> To learn about
OpenSpaceEmailLists and <st1:PersonName w:st="on">OSLIST</st1:PersonName>
FAQs:
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist">http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist</a> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
*
*
==========================================================
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU">OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU</a>
------------------------------
To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
view the archives of <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:oslist@listserv.boisestate.edu:">oslist@listserv.boisestate.edu:</a>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html">http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html</a>
To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs:
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist">http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist</a>
</blockquote>
</body>
</html>
*
*
==========================================================
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