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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>Diane,
as I read your posting, I felt myself transported to June 2009 when you
facilitated a 2.5 day Open Space for our young and vibrantly growing company. Raffi
speaks of subtleties in your (facilitated) action planning to which I would add
intuitiveness, a deep sense of presence and love.<br>
As a member of the sponsoring team, I can remember you huddling us together,
asking us how we wanted as we were proceeding in our action planning with you suggesting
a few options that we had not discussed in our pre-meetings. I don't remember the
specifics, I just remember so vividly the feeling of that conversation, the
very deep insight of your questions, the delicate way you had of guiding us to
alternatives in the action planning that captured the essence and subtleties of
what was happening at the time, in that place going from emergence to
convergence. You were still the invisible facilitator, yet somehow so very
present and caring. <br>
I remember thinking then that it will take me a lifetime to learn the subtlety
of your presencing which had that mix of letting go, of it not being attached
to you, and then so honoring of us whatever we decided to do for and with our
larger group. <br>
Today NuFocus continues to grow. Magic happened there and it is still with us
and in us now. Thank you for your posting which took me back to feeling it was
June again in that special time and place with you and all of us. Suzanne<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";
color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";
color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:silver'>Suzanne Daigle</span><i><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:
"Arial","sans-serif";color:silver'><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:silver'>Managing Partner, US Operations<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:silver'>NuFocus Strategic Group<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span lang=FR style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:silver'>Tel: 941-359-8877<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span lang=FR style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:#FF9900'><a href="mailto:s.daigle@nufocusgroup.com"><span
style='color:#FF9900'>s.daigle@nufocusgroup.com</span></a></span><span lang=FR
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#FF9900'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";
color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";
color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> OSLIST
[mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Diane Gibeault<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, December 02, 2009 12:33 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU<br>
<b>Subject:</b> Open spacisms<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Hi
everyone,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>The
question of Open spacisms raised recently on this list struck a cord because I
had been thinking about some of my experimentations around Open Space, some
that I consider keepers and others that I have let go a while back.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Peggy
(Holman) in your recent Nov 23 message about<i> Honouring each other, </i> you
said different things about open spacisms (the shouldn’ts in OS practice
that Kaliya had first raised) and wanting to experiment with them like many do.
I agree with the examples you gave of your personal evolution around OS. I
copied those extracts below to keep a link to that thread. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Here
are a couple of my keeper experiments and an experiment that I let go of.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText>A Keeper I’ve experimented with: Personal action
plan. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span
style='mso-list:Ignore'>-<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>
</span></span><![endif]>Even for OS events where collective action plans have
been developed, I invite participants to silently work on a few key questions
about what they personally have passion to move forward in relation with the
theme of the OS event. This lasts just a few minutes just before the closing
circle. This gives every single person a chance to leave with something in hand
and ‘’in heart’’. Many participants have said to me
that this gave them their most important ‘’Ah Ah’’
moment of the whole event. Or else they felt the completeness of the experience
with this reflection and better anchored. I try to plan for an extra 10 minutes
or more for an exchange with the person of their choice. Not only do they go
deeper in their thinking and get some support but the fact of expressing it out
loud increases the chances of moving forward according to studies I’ve
frequently heard of around change. Those who don’t feel like sharing use
their 2 <span lang=EN-CA>feet </span>and are usually found near the coffee pot
in the room where they have other kinds of interesting conversations.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText>One to let go: Decision Makers communicating their go
ahead to priorities identified by the group.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText>Another to keep: Action Groups choosing mentors within
the organization or the community.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText>Those two come from the same story: <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText style='margin-left:.5in'><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText style='margin-left:.5in'>A while ago, an OS facilitator
shared this practice he began. After priorities were identified by the group,
participants would do the exercise of identifying related discussion reports to
each priority and have a coffee. During that 15 minute period, managers would
meet briefly in another room and confirm if they could give a clear go ahead on
those priorities. They would also chose among senior management, a different
person to be a mentor for each priority planning group. The intention was to
show the group clear and strong support from the decision makers, i.e.,
something good from the point of view of management. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText style='margin-left:.5in'><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText style='margin-left:.5in'>I thought there was some merit
in this intention. The very first time I tried this, during lunch group
representatives came to me one after the other with strong emotional objections
to the specific choice of mentors and for various good reasons (harassment
problems with some, micromanagement with others etc). They suggested that each
group working on a priority should choose their own mentor, from any level of
the organization, based on their real need and trust relationship. I informed
the top manager and their was quick recognition of the importance to do just
that. It worked. I still offer this option of group selected mentors when the
organizers feel it’s a plus for their organization in follow-ups. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText style='margin-left:.5in'><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText style='margin-left:.5in'>Now about letting go! I
continued trying the practice of management confirming priorities. It gave a
sense of security to decision makers who might be nervous about letting
priorities surface without any chance of intervening if they felt things were
going the wrong way. After a while I realized that it was unnecessary. No one
ever overturned a group’s priority. In reality the management team can be
well informed of what is emerging. In the preparation phase I tell managers
they can do that by fully participating in discussions, being bumble bees and
butterflies and reading reports posted on the wall throughout the event. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText style='margin-left:.5in'><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText style='margin-left:.5in'>I also make available to a key
senior person, if there is interest for it, an advanced copy of the full Book
of reports so they can have a complete overview while reports are being printed
overnight. They often feel so confident about what is happening that they pass.
If by the morning they really feel they have to clarify a given before people
made choices on priorities (much better than after), that can be done
informally during morning news. Still, I’ve yet to see that happen, maybe
because during the preparation, I work closely with the organizing committee
and management to clarify givens – what’s not on the table for
discussion. Even if I encourage them to keep givens to the strict minimum so
that newness can emerge, the exercise of reflecting on this brings a sense of
safe space for everyone. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText style='margin-left:.5in'><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText style='margin-left:.5in'>Removing that priority approval
step also sends the right message that when as a leader you open space, you
trust the group, you trust the process, you get out of the way and you allow
yourself to be surprised. Greater things do happen when we let go. I can
almost hear Harrison’s voice here. You are certainly right on that one.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText>Yes, Harrison does often also say, a system that isn't
changing is dead. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText>I do believe experimenting is good even if messy at
times. I also think that sometimes we keep life flowing best by coming back to what
worked well in the first place, to that wisdom of simplicity and the
fundamental truth of the power of letting go. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText>This is just another opportunity to say again, thank you
Harrison for all that. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Diane<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:navy'>Diane Gibeault & Associé.es-Associates <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:7.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:navy'>Ottawa Canada Tel. 613-744-2638 diane.gibeault@rogers.com <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:7.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:navy'><a href="http://www.dianegibeault.com"><span style='text-decoration:
none'>www.dianegibeault.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:7.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif";
color:#002060'>Consultation, Facilitation and Training in Support of
Transformation<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span lang=FR-CA style='font-size:7.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif";
color:#002060'>Conseils, animation et formation en appui à la
transformation <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span lang=FR-CA style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:#4F6228'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span lang=FR-CA style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:
"Arial","sans-serif";color:#4F6228'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Peggy
wrote : (a few extracts)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:#4F6228'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText>MY STORY<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText>When I began working with OS, I fiercely defended the
space from all comers. I worked to keep any pre-work to a bare minimum,
sure that people would understand the brilliant freedom of Open Space the
moment they stepped in. Since then, I've found compassion for those who
experience the disorientation of freedom shock when they first experience Open
Space.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText>When I began working more in community settings, with
greater diversity and where there aren't the implicit "rules of
engagement", I found that cultivating a sense of connection and clarity of
purpose is part of creating a welcome, nutrient space. And contrary to
the myth that talks don't work in Open Space, even Harrison has successfully
given them in the morning of the second and third day of an Open Space
gathering. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText>In other words, as my practice has grown, I treat quite
differently "givens" that I used to take as gospel and defend.
Examples:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText>* Pre-work (clarifying the intention and calling
question, identifying and inviting stakeholders) is trivial. If you spend
a lot of time on it, you're working too hard.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText>* Open Space doesn't mix well with other
practices. In fact, I have found creative, flowing ways in which
different practices work together to meet the needs of the specific situation
and culture. It requires getting creative with design colleagues and
sponsors to meet the needs of a group. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText>* Once you're in an Open Space event, stay in Open Space.
While this is still my preference, there are circumstances where integrating
other activities, like a morning talk, serves the needs of the group just fine.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText>I want to be clear that I am still there to ensure the
space is as open as possible. I have just come to believe that what keeps
the space open is more nuanced than I understood when I started working with
Open Space Technology in 1993. I no longer defend the space. I
co-creatively ensure it stays open.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText>…..Wisdom involves discerning how to navigate the
contradictions. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText>Yes, whatever happens is the only thing that could
have. This is empowering when used to awaken someone to their own
capacity to meet their needs. When it is used consciously or
unconsciously to maintain the status quo, it becomes destructive. It
becomes a way to do nothing. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText>Rather than just saying "who ever comes..." or
"whatever happens...", when someone raises an issue, I now treat it
as a potential learning moment for either or both of us; an opening to
understand something more fully Most often, exploring the issue leads to
them discovering their own power to act. But through the conversation,
they feel heard, respected, met. And I learn something about their
culture. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText>With this change in my practice, I have become more fluid
in how I open space, sometimes using other processes as a doorway in, sometimes
hosting a speaker because it serves the needs of the session. I am less
glib than I used to be about the principles, recognizing both their power and
their shadow. And I am more wiling to experiment with form, knowing that
the real work is opening space within and among us.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText>What does this sort of experimentation which many of us
are doing mean for how Open Space Technology itself evolves? <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText>Is OST's form perfection as is? It is definitely
elegant. As Harrison often says, a system that isn't changing is
dead. Isn't this an interesting paradox?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText>I think that the last OST innovation that has been widely
embraced was when several of us began opening space for convergence following a
conversation at the Toronto OSonOS in 1997!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText>So with all the people experimenting with how we use OST,
what might we learn about the nature and form of our work? I suspect
there's more fluidity to the nature of opening space than most of us consider.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText>For example, I sometimes hear from colleagues who use
other conversational practices that Open Space doesn't surface the collective
intelligence of a group in easily shared ways. I can hear the "open
spacisms" raised in objection to this statement. Indeed, I have seen
groups come away with a deep sense of how they fit together as a system.
Yet, through their words or the notes, communicating that collective
intelligence to those who weren't there is often a mystery. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText>How might we approach this as a design challenge while
staying true to the ethics of "one less thing to do" and trusting the
people of the system to find their own answers? <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText>I've become more willing to experiment, to seek simple,
natural forms that meet these sorts of objections. For example, I have
come to appreciate the intimacy of reflecting in small groups. Since
people don't all return to the large group at the same time, there's a natural
rhythm to starting small then moving to one circle.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText>I don't pretend to have "the" answer of how OST
and our understanding of Open Space evolves. Perhaps the evolution isn't
in the form but in our deeper thinking. It could be that the simple
elegance of internalizing the practice of opening space frees us to experiment
more with the form. After 16 years, I still feel like a novice, learning
about the nature of opening space.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText>I think it is an important, creative question for the
evolution of our work and our community to consider how we evolve rather than
dismissing criticisms and objections by naming a principle. Is anyone
else interested in such conversations?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText>Kaliya, thanks for calling out open spacisms. It
gave me a doorway to speak to something that I haven't been able to figure out
how to say.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText>from cold, cloudy Seattle,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText>Peggy<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span lang=FR-CA style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:
"Arial","sans-serif";color:#4F6228'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span lang=FR-CA style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:
"Arial","sans-serif";color:#4F6228'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
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