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<div class=Section1>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Denise --<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>So this is all great! And my question is how can you do the same
thing every day with every project, organization start-up, whatever… <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>I think you are hinting at the problem of making a REAL invitation…
Not the sort that we all have received knowing full well that we will be shot
at dawn if the invitation is not accepted. Or at the very least -- FIRED!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>So what would happen if all our invitations were real? Which
means they could be refused. And then what?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Harrison<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Harrison Owen<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>7808 River Falls Dr.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Potomac, MD 20854<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>USA<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Phone 301-365-2093<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>www.openspaceworld.com<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>www.ho-image.com (Personal Website)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><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>Denise Tennen<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, December 15, 2009 2:17 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU<br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: Opening space 24X7 --Wave Riders Unite!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span class=apple-style-span><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>Harrison</span></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span class=apple-style-span><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>Thanks
for these thought-provoking words.</span></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span class=apple-style-span><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>As
far as invitiation - in my work as an artist supporting large groups to come
together to create collaborative works of "permanently" installed art
for their (the participants') communities - Invitation is the only thing that
works.</span></span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span class=apple-style-span><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>My
underlying belief is that engagement in artistic endeavors is a useful piece in
the puzzle of creating a peaceful world. I've found that eople creating
art together generally aren't engaged in fighting</span></span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span class=apple-style-span><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>here
are the ingredients of invitation, for me, that I believe contribute to good
flow:</span></span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span class=apple-style-span><span style='font-size:13.5pt'> </span></span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span class=apple-style-span><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>1)
getting the word out is critical, </span></span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span class=apple-style-span><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>2)
the "stickiness" (see Malcolm Gladwell and more particularly, the
brothers Heath in their book Making It Stick) of the invitation and project
description heavily affects the outcome in terms of participation and
engaged-ness of participants.</span></span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span class=apple-style-span><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>3)
having the setting ready before the participants arrive so I'm not distracted
by DOING and can keep my attention on BEING PRESENT with the participants</span></span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span class=apple-style-span><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>4)
having a structure in mind and at the same time being willing to let it go at
any moment</span></span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span class=apple-style-span><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>5)
keeping participation voluntary (a bit tricky when I am operating in a
classroom setting where the children are basically in the position of being
"sitting ducks")</span></span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span class=apple-style-span><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>As
far as the invitation, my on-the-ground work is lots of word-of mouth, who
knows who. Increasingly via internet - helps spread the word quickly,
although in the end, nothing beats the realm of the personal, one by one
invitation.</span></span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span class=apple-style-span><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>Different
age groups respond to different methods (snail mail/flyer vs internet etc)</span></span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span class=apple-style-span><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>my
beginning thoughts on this for now...</span></span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span class=apple-style-span><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>Denise</span></span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>On Dec 15, 2009, at 7:26 AM, Harrison Owen wrote:<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></p>
<div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:black'>Several days ago I sent a note to what I thought was going to be a
small group of friends, inviting thinking about opening space every day, what
that might mean, and how to accomplish all that in specifics. In effect, I was
taking off from my book "Wave Rider" which is my best shot on the
subject to date -- with the expectation that there is much more "out
there" in terms of ideas and actions. Along the way I did suggest that OST
(as the meeting approach) might be getting in the way of the larger discussion.
Even worse, I facetiously (jokingly) invited everybody to join "The
Imperial Society of Wave Riders!" Well you can imagine the uproar this
caused. Here I am suggesting that we eliminate OST and become imperialists! Not
a good day -- but I do think the proposed discussion has merit. In fact from
where I sit it may just be the most important discussion we could have.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:black'>Given the state of the world (no need for detailed analysis)
superior human performance achieved in a peaceful fashion seems like a very
good idea. Or put another way how do we find the intelligence and energy to
deal with the massive issues we face without killing each other? I believe that
the 25 year Open Space experiment has clearly shown that superior performance
in a peaceful manner can be achieved any time we open space. It may not be
perfect, but it works better than just about anything else, and for sure it is
a lot less work. The reason for all this is that we are not really doing
anything. Rather, we are inviting the system (business, family, organization)
to do what it can do all by itself. Self organize. We are just helping people
to notice that -- and when they do magic seems to happen. Peace and high
performance show up. If we are honest about it, I think we might realize that
OST is in some real ways a fraud and a joke, at least it becomes all that if we
take credit for the power and effect of the process, and the special way that
we might "do" it. Rather like taking credit for the power and effect
of gravity -- which will continue no matter what we do!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:black'>Anyhow, I believe the community that gathers here online (and
anybody else who cares to join us) is uniquely positioned to engage in this
discussion not just at a theoretical level but at a very solid practical level.
We have the shared experience of hundreds of thousands of Open Spaces. And we
have something else -- the shared experience of life in our community. As the
world might see it the "Open Space Community" is a pretty strange
thing. It has no boundaries, no formal organization, leadership, or corporate
status. Membership is pretty much whoever shows up -- and the party has been
going on for 25 years. Odd but very effective. Indeed there are multiple formal
organizations in the world who with might greater effort have accomplished
substantially less. Think about it! Multiple Global and regional meetings. A
world wide reach. More training programs than you can name. And absolutely
nobody is in charge. There has never been a Business Plan, and if a budget
exists it has never been found. Is it all just a gossamer dream, a fanciful
delusion, or something much deeper and more important? I vote for the latter. I
think this is a conversation that needs to happen, not to the exclusion of all
others, but this is where my passion is.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:black'>Anyhow I invite you to share and think about our common experience
-- and let our experience be our guide. As a starting point we might just begin
with invitation. What would happen if all our projects began with invitation as
opposed to assignment?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:black'>Harrison <o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span class=apple-style-span><span style='font-size:13.5pt;
font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>* *
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