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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'>Tonnie – I have been trying for 25
years to explain Open Space and to this point I am quite clear that I have not succeeded.
And I have also had a lot of fun and learning in the attempt and am not about
to give up. That said I have found that explaining Open space to a client was
usually a waste of time for exactly the reasons you specify – they really
only care about results, and it is only odd ducks such as us who get all hot
and bothered about this process or that one. And the strange thing is
that despite the fact that OST remains “counter-intuitive” to say
nothing of irrational, illegal, immoral and fattening for many – it continues
to spread around the globe. Who’s counting – but 300,000 iterations
in 136 countries ain’t nothing. There may be a lesson here – just do
it. </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><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>
<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,
Maryland 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>
</div>
<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 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>Tonnie van der Zouwen<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Friday, May 29, 2009 9:50 AM<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: Volunteers and
conscripts</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-left:.5in'><font size=2 color="#1f497d"
face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#1F497D'>Harrison</span></font><font
size=2 color="#1f497d" face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:
Arial;color:#1F497D'>, you are right. What I mend to say is that a lot of
clients are not familiar with, or a bit allergic for, “jargon”
of consultants. They don’t ask me to make an offer to facilitate self-organization,
they ask me to facilitate a process for ……..whatever their goal is.
One of my challenges is to explain the process and why it works in everyday
language. And it might be very confronting to discover that we don’t
really have a choice, only indirect controls maybe? </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 color="#1f497d"
face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#1F497D'>Tonnie</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 color="#1f497d"
face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:#1F497D'> </span></font></p>
<div>
<div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><b><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span
lang=NL style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;font-weight:bold'>Van:</span></font></b><font
size=2 face=Tahoma><span lang=NL style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>
OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] <b><span style='font-weight:
bold'>Namens </span></b>Harrison Owen<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Verzonden:</span></b> donderdag 28 mei 2009
19:40<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Aan:</span></b>
OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Onderwerp:</span></b> Re: [OSLIST] Volunteers
and conscripts</span></font></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
lang=NL style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 color=red face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'>Tonnie – As small
point. You said, “I think it wise to realize that clients don’t
want self-organization.” Point is – Clients don’t
really have a choice. At least they don’t have a choice if
self-organization has been the order of the day for 13.7 billion years. I guess
you could call that “theory” but to me it feels very much like
boots on the ground fact. At the very least I know I didn’t organize the
cosmos – so it either happened all by itself or. . .</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 color=red face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><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 style='margin-left:.5in'><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='margin-left:.5in;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='margin-left:.5in;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='margin-left:.5in;text-align:center'><font size=2
color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:red'>Potomac, Maryland 20854</span></font></p>
<p align=center style='margin-left:.5in;text-align:center'><font size=2
color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:red'>Phone 301-365-2093</span></font></p>
<p align=center style='margin-left:.5in;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='margin-left:.5in;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='margin-left:.5in;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='margin-left:.5in;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='margin-left:.5in;text-align:center'><font size=3
color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:red'>OSLIST: 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>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 color=red face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:1.0in'><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>Tonnie van der Zouwen<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Thursday, May 28, 2009 9:19
AM<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: Volunteers and
conscripts</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:1.0in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:1.0in'><font size=2 color="#1f497d"
face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:#1F497D'>Hi
Jack,</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:1.0in'><font size=2 color="#1f497d"
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:1.0in'><font size=2 color="#1f497d"
face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:#1F497D'>Thank
you for your critical comments. I think it wise to realize that clients don’t
want self-organization or a specific method, they want to get a job done. It’s
our skill to help find and facilitate an effective process. For my research
project on success factors of large scale interventions I certainly am going to
use the quote <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>That’s all very well in
practice – but will it work in theory?</span></b></span></font><b><font
size=2 color="#1f497d"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D;font-weight:
bold'> </span></font></b><b><font size=2 color="#1f497d"
face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:#1F497D;
font-weight:bold'> </span></font></b><font size=2 color="#1f497d" face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:#1F497D'>Reminds me of the
quote “In theory there is no difference between theory and practice, in
practice there is” ( Yogi Berra or ?, see <a
href="http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?DifferenceBetweenTheoryAndPractice">http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?DifferenceBetweenTheoryAndPractice</a>
). Building bridges between theory and practice is not so easy in scholarly
research, I notice. </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:1.0in'><font size=2 color="#1f497d"
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:1.0in'><font size=2 color="#1f497d"
face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:#1F497D'>One
of the conclusions of my research so far is that of course things can go wrong
if you do not master the technique of Open Space, but one of the most important
success factors in organizations is the play with the client and the planning
team. Expectation management, getting clear what they want to achieve, talking
about the philosophy why this approach will work, negotiating about adequate
conditions, the guts to say no if basic requirements are not met (time is too
short to get the job done, or diversity is too low, no compelling issue, </span></font><font
size=2 color="#1f497d"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D'> </span></font><font
size=2 color="#1f497d" face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:
Calibri;color:#1F497D'>etc.). Just as in every consultancy process. </span></font><font
size=2 color="#1f497d"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D'> </span></font><font
size=2 color="#1f497d" face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:
Calibri;color:#1F497D'>Maybe this play is less important </span></font><font
size=2 color="#1f497d"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D'> </span></font><font
size=2 color="#1f497d" face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:
Calibri;color:#1F497D'>in communities where power is more distributed among
participants and people are really free to participate or not? Another success
factor turns out to be the focus on the bigger process, not on the event. </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:1.0in'><font size=2 color="#1f497d"
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:1.0in'><font size=2 color="#1f497d"
face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:#1F497D'>Although
I often lack the time to respond, I am learning a lot from this OSList. Thanks
to you all! Let’s celebrate on the 4<sup>th</sup> of July. </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:1.0in'><font size=2 color="#1f497d"
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:1.0in'><font size=2 color="#1f497d"
face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:#1F497D'>Tonnie</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:1.0in'><font size=2 color="#1f497d"
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:1.0in'><font size=2 color="#1f497d"
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D'> </span></font></p>
<div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:1.0in'><b><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span
lang=NL style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;font-weight:bold'>Van:</span></font></b><font
size=2 face=Tahoma><span lang=NL style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>
OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] <b><span style='font-weight:
bold'>Namens </span></b>Jack Martin Leith<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Verzonden:</span></b> donderdag 28 mei 2009
11:24<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Aan:</span></b>
OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Onderwerp:</span></b> [SPAM]Re: [OSLIST]
Volunteers and conscripts</span></font></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:1.0in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
lang=NL style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:1.0in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>Harrison, thank you for the clarification </span></font><span
lang=NL>... and the birthday date.</span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:1.0in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
lang=NL style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:1.0in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
lang=NL style='font-size:12.0pt'>I propose that we declare 4 July 2010 (July 4
2020 if you do it that way round where you live) World Open Space Day, and mark
the occasion in some suitable way. Does anyone have some ideas about how we
might do this?</span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:1.0in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
lang=NL style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:1.0in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
lang=NL style='font-size:12.0pt'>I'll make a post to Osuki - let's see what
emerges!</span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:1.0in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
lang=NL style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:1.0in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
lang=NL style='font-size:12.0pt'>Regarding the 60 minute Open Space that
someone mentioned, I'll describe the way I did it on this list if anyone's
interested. The event was the MIT Entrepreneurship Center (<a
href="http://entrepreneurship.mit.edu/">http://entrepreneurship.mit.edu</a>)
conference that took place in Madrid in May 2008.</span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:
1.0in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span lang=NL style='font-size:12.0pt'><br
clear=all>
Jack<br>
<br>
Jack Martin Leith<br>
Innovation Next : An emerging hub for innovation next practice<br>
Bristol, United Kingdom<br>
Mobile: 07831 840541 (+44 7831 840541)<br>
Skype: jackmartinleith<br>
email: <a href="mailto:jack@innovationnext.org">jack@innovationnext.org</a><br>
<a href="http://www.innovationnext.org">www.innovationnext.org</a> | <a
href="http://www.jackmartinleith.com">www.jackmartinleith.com</a><br>
<br>
Follow me on Twitter for innovation news: <a
href="http://twitter.com/jackmartinleith">http://twitter.com/jackmartinleith</a><br>
Join the management renegades at <a href="http://moon-shots.ning.com">http://moon-shots.ning.com</a></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:1.0in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
lang=NL style='font-size:12.0pt'>2009/5/27 Harrison Owen <<a
href="mailto:hhowen@verizon.net">hhowen@verizon.net</a>></span></font></p>
<div>
<div>
<p style='margin-left:1.0in'><font size=3 color=red face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'>Jack I never said that OS
would not work with “conscripts.” I did say that the result would
be less than optimal – and that if one wanted the very best, voluntary
self-selection was essential. At least that has been my experience so far. In
fact Open Space works very effectively in prisons – where voluntary
self-selection is not an ordinary practice. But I cannot believe that prison
life could be confused with optimal human conditions, although I grant that a
number of places of business have much in common with many prisons. There may
be a lack of concertina wire and guard towers, but I found the atmosphere very
much the same. In such places Open Space works as well, if only because even
such miserable excuses for work environments are also part of this self
organizing world. But I think it safe to say that high levels of performance,
creativity, innovation, and the like are not commonly found. As for the
birth date of Open Space Technology – that would be July the 4<sup>th</sup>
weekend in Monterey California. Didn’t think of it at the time, but in
retrospect I find that date marvelously appropriate. Something about --
Revolution and Freedom (from the Crown). You might say Voluntary
Self-Selection! </span></font></p>
<p style='margin-left:1.0in'><font size=3 color=red face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'> </span></font></p>
<p style='margin-left:1.0in'><font size=3 color=red face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'>Harrison</span></font></p>
<p style='margin-left:1.0in'><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='margin-left:1.0in;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='margin-left:1.0in;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='margin-left:1.0in;text-align:center'><font size=2
color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:red'>Potomac, Maryland 20854</span></font></p>
<p align=center style='margin-left:1.0in;text-align:center'><font size=2
color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:red'>Phone 301-365-2093</span></font></p>
<p align=center style='margin-left:1.0in;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='margin-left:1.0in;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/" target="_blank"><font
face=Arial><span style='font-family:Arial'>www.openspaceworld.com</span></font></a>
</span></font></p>
<p align=center style='margin-left:1.0in;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/" target="_blank"><font
face=Arial><span style='font-family:Arial'>www.openspaceworld.org</span></font></a></span></font></p>
<p align=center style='margin-left:1.0in;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/" target="_blank"><font
face=Arial><span style='font-family:Arial'>www.ho-image.com</span></font></a> </span></font></p>
<p align=center style='margin-left:1.0in;text-align:center'><font size=3
color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:red'>OSLIST: 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" target="_blank"><font
face=Arial><span style='font-family:Arial'>www.listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html</span></font></a></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<div>
<p style='margin-left:1.0in'><font size=3 color=red face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'> </span></font></p>
<p style='margin-left:1.5in'><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:<a
href="mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU" target="_blank">OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU</a>]
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>On Behalf Of </span></b>Jack Martin Leith<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Wednesday, May 27, 2009
12:59 PM<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> <a
href="mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU" target="_blank">OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU</a><br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> Volunteers and conscripts</span></font></p>
<p style='margin-left:1.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<div>
<p style='margin-left:1.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>I've turned Bhav's question and Harrison's response
into a blog post on the Osuki website, and added a comment of my own.</span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p style='margin-left:1.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p style='margin-left:1.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>Here's the link: <a href="http://www.osuki.net/?p=913"
target="_blank">www.osuki.net/?p=913</a> </span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p style='margin-left:1.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p style='margin-left:1.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>If you don't want to click on the link you can see my
comment below.</span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p style='margin-left:1.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p style='margin-left:1.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>Harrison and Bhav, I hope it's OK with you that I've
posted this article. I haven't named Bhav. I'll delete the post if either of
you asks me to.</span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p style='margin-left:1.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p style='margin-left:1.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>Warm wishes from Bristol, UK.</span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p style='margin-left:1.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'><br clear=all>
Jack</span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p style='margin-left:1.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p style='margin-left:1.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>P.S. Harrison, can you please remind us of the exact
date of the 25th birthday of Open Space?<br>
<br>
Jack Martin Leith<br>
Innovation Next : An emerging hub for innovation next practice<br>
Bristol, United Kingdom<br>
Mobile: 07831 840541 (+44 7831 840541)<br>
Skype: jackmartinleith<br>
email: <a href="mailto:jack@innovationnext.org" target="_blank">jack@innovationnext.org</a><br>
<a href="http://www.innovationnext.org/" target="_blank">www.innovationnext.org</a>
| <a href="http://www.jackmartinleith.com/" target="_blank">www.jackmartinleith.com</a><br>
<br>
Follow me on Twitter for innovation news: <a
href="http://twitter.com/jackmartinleith" target="_blank">http://twitter.com/jackmartinleith</a><br>
Join the management renegades at <a href="http://moon-shots.ning.com/"
target="_blank">http://moon-shots.ning.com</a></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p style='margin-left:1.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p style='margin-left:1.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>---------------------------------</span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p style='margin-left:1.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p style='margin-left:1.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'><a href="http://www.osuki.net/?p=913#comments"
target="_blank">http://www.osuki.net/?p=913#comments</a></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p style='margin-left:1.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>While I agree with pretty much everything Harrison
says here, in the 20 years that I’ve been working professionally with
Open Space Technology, I can’t think of a single client that was seeking
to create a self-organising system. They simply wanted to get a job done, and
OST was the chosen tool.</span></font></p>
<p style='margin-left:1.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>Many of the Open Space events I’ve co-designed
and facilitated were not organised on a voluntary participation basis, yet the
respective clients were happy with the results. Would voluntary participation
have bettered these results? Maybe … maybe not. We’ll never know.</span></font></p>
<p style='margin-left:1.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>What’s beyond doubt is that OST is a very robust
process that can be effective even when prevailing thinking suggests it’s
doomed to failure.</span></font></p>
<p style='margin-left:1.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>In the early 1990s I co-facilitated, with <a
href="http://www.osuki.net/?page_id=530" target="_blank"><font color="#336600"><span
style='color:#336600'>Mo Cohen </span></font></a>of this parish, a two-day Open
Space event for the change management practice of a large management consulting
firm.</span></font></p>
<p style='margin-left:1.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>The client had a hidden agenda that was shockingly
revealed at the end of the first day of a two-day Open Space event. The secret
plan was a radical reorganisation of the change management practice that would
have a big impact on everyone in the room.</span></font></p>
<p style='margin-left:1.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>At the start of the second day the participants,
conscripts one and all, binned their agenda and created a new one focused on
the implications of the reorganisation.</span></font></p>
<p style='margin-left:1.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>My friend and collaborator <a
href="http://www.osuki.net/?page_id=126" target="_blank"><font color="#336600"><span
style='color:#336600'>Jean-Marc Le Tissier</span></font></a> (also of this
parish) was an employee of the consulting firm and a participant in the event.
Whenever we recollect those two days we agree that Open Space was the right
tool for the job. It shouldn’t have worked – but it did.</span></font></p>
<blockquote style='margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt'>
<p style='margin-left:1.5in'><strong><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>That’s all very well in practice – but
will it work in theory?</span></font></b></strong><b><span style='font-weight:
bold'><br>
</span></b><em><i><font face="Times New Roman">Unknown</font></i></em></p>
</blockquote>
<p style='margin-left:1.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>Open Space is an extremely resilient 24 year old.
Let’s start planning the 25th birthday celebrations (early July 2010)
now!</span></font></p>
<p style='margin-left:1.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>---------------------------------</span></font></p>
</div>
</div>
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