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<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: PT" lang=EN-US>[As many of you probably understood, my answer to Peggy's post was not complete. It will probably never be. But I will profit from half an hour I have free (before trying to run out of the Christmas season) to make some more comments: <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: PT" lang=EN-US> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: PT" lang=EN-US>7. OST is mainstream? No, one cannot say it is. But a lot of people speak today about Open Space or even OST without any idea about it, as well as there are other similar techniques (like unconferences, to give only one example). And every person interprets OST in a different way. To give also only one example, I have told this list, some time ago, of a so-called OST meeting of CPsquare, in LA, where the issues were already defined in advance... <o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: PT" lang=EN-US><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: PT" lang=EN-US>Probably the people that make revisions to the OST entry at the Wikipedia, or convey OST-like (or unlike) meetings are well intentioned. Some of them have not read the book at all. Others may have, but don´t have a good head, or a good heart, or both. Others have their own heretic views (respectable and respected I hope, as I am guilt of that too). <o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: PT" lang=EN-US> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: PT" lang=EN-US>But the expressions OS and OST are more and more known and give place to many misinterpretations. Probably, we have to learn to live with that.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: PT" lang=EN-US> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: PT" lang=EN-US>But there are some clarifications we can make, from time to time. One is to revise and then monitor the OST entry at the Wikipedia. Another is to know when we shall do nothing and when we shall do something, like saying for instance – “No, this is maybe interesting, maybe fruitful, but it is not OST”. That is one reason I thing that to progress in the sense of having some sort of "confederation" (?) of the OSIs (and other similar organizations, be them informal groups, coops, or anything) that can talk </SPAN><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: PT;
mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt" lang=EN-US>at one voice</SPAN></B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: PT" lang=EN-US> on behalf of OST may be interesting.</SPAN></DIV>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: PT" lang=EN-US></SPAN> </DIV>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: PT" lang=EN-US>------------<o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: PT" lang=EN-US> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: PT" lang=EN-US>Summary of next chapters:<o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: PT" lang=EN-US> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: PT" lang=EN-US>8. Control versus self-organization<o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: PT" lang=EN-US> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: PT" lang=EN-US>9. The true nature of OST is: it is free.</SPAN></DIV>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: PT" lang=EN-US></SPAN> </DIV>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: PT" lang=EN-US>--------------<o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: PT" lang=EN-US><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: PT" lang=EN-US>Have a nice and fruitful New Year </SPAN></DIV>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: PT" lang=EN-US></SPAN> </DIV>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: PT" lang=EN-US>(those of you that belong to cultures that are approaching the New Year in the next few days) <o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: PT"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: PT">Artur<o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV></DIV>
<DIV>-------------</DIV>
<DIV><BR>--- On <B>Sun, 12/13/09, Artur Silva <I><arturfsilva@yahoo.com></I></B> wrote:<BR></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE style="BORDER-LEFT: rgb(16,16,255) 2px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px"><BR>From: Artur Silva <arturfsilva@yahoo.com><BR>Subject: [OSLIST] Future of OST (was: Re: [OSLIST] honouring each other)<BR>To: OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU<BR>Date: Sunday, December 13, 2009, 3:44 PM<BR><BR>
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<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang=EN-US>Dear Peggy:</SPAN></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang=EN-US> </SPAN>
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<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang=EN-US>Thank you for articulating this an inviting us to think about the “open spacism”, the future of OST practice and how can we maintain “Open Space” open, hence, evolving and transforming over time. </SPAN>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang=EN-US> </SPAN>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang=EN-US>The first thing that came to my mind, when reading your post, was a note that Harrison made many times in the past about the future of OST being to stop talking about OST - when every meeting will be an Open Space one, there is no need to talk about OST.</SPAN>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang=EN-US> </SPAN>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang=EN-US>Unfortunately – or not – IMHO, that time is far from happening. So, we must discuss what will be the future of OST before that time will come or, putting in a different way, what future do we want to construct for OST (</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'; COLOR: red; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang=EN-US>*</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang=EN-US>) <SPAN> </SPAN>in the next (few) years.</SPAN>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang=EN-US> </SPAN>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang=EN-US>That is where your post invites us to think about. There are so many different ideas in your post that I will not be able to discuss them all. I will not event try. But I would like to add to some of your comments some other (probably even more heterodox) views. <SPAN> </SPAN></SPAN>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang=EN-US> </SPAN>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang=EN-US>[The previous part of this mail was already written (and saved), before the post Harrison sent yesterday to some friends about “Wave Riders in the Sky”. What follows is written after that, but I will try to maintain the points I wanted to add, and not be influenced – if that is possible – by his post]</SPAN>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang=EN-US> </SPAN>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt" class=MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang=EN-US><SPAN>1.<SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang=EN-US>Some time ago, I have tried to discuss (twice) about the “Foundations of OST”. Let me recall those discussions: The first, on </SPAN><SPAN class=MsoHyperlink><SPAN lang=EN-US><U><FONT color=#0000ff size=3 face=Calibri>doing self-organization - OST "foundations”</FONT></U></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang=EN-US>, began here: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0705&L=oslist&P=R55873&I=-3&X=016DDA0C8CAC43541F&Y=arturfsilva%40yahoo.com. (May/2007). And the main post of the second one, on
</SPAN><SPAN class=MsoHyperlink><SPAN lang=EN-US><U><FONT color=#0000ff size=3 face=Calibri>Anti Laws of OST - Foundations of OST?</FONT></U></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang=EN-US>, is here: <A href="http://listserv.boisestate.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0906&L=oslist&P=R65903&I=-3&X=016DDA0C8CAC43541F&Y=arturfsilva%40yahoo.com" rel=nofollow target=_blank>http://listserv.boisestate.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0906&L=oslist&P=R65903&I=-3&X=016DDA0C8CAC43541F&Y=arturfsilva%40yahoo.com</A> (May-June/2009).</SPAN>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt" class=MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang=EN-US><SPAN>2.<SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang=EN-US>I will not repeat here what I wrote there but the main point of the “Foundations of OST” are, IMHO, to give the major attention to the “Pre-work” (theme, invitation, diversity, etc) and then sit in a circle, clarify the rule of two feet, create a Bulletin Board, a market Place and go on with the Business.</SPAN>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt" class=MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang=EN-US><SPAN>3.<SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang=EN-US>From here I concluded that the Principles (the main basis for “open-spacism”) are <B>one more thing not to</B> do/state/refer. Harrison himself suggested that more than once. (What about that as a major paradigm shift for OST?)</SPAN>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt" class=MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang=EN-US><SPAN>4.<SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang=EN-US>So I don’t even understand how someone can say that the invitation/preparation is one less thing to do – on the contrary, I think it is the most important and the most difficult part of OST!</SPAN>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt" class=MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang=EN-US><SPAN>5.<SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang=EN-US>In what relates to your concern, Peggy, with people that are not prepared for the <STRONG>openness</STRONG> of OST, I don’t think that the solution is to combine methods (say, add some AI in the beginning, or clarify the so called – and IMHO useless – “givens”), but to decide - in the preparation phase - that OST <B>is not</B> (yet) the adequate method for that situation. Some other less open methods (like The World Café or Future Search, to refer only two, may be what is needed in the situation. (If I conclude that the most useful method is TWC I can even facilitate that, as a
preliminary approach to arrive later to OST, as I think that TWC is less frightening and opens some space, which can be later enlarged. If I conclude that what is needed in the situation is Future Search – which btw never happened <SPAN> </SPAN>– I will have to ask the client to search for a different facilitator, as I think that FS is not compatible with OST, because the facilitator is always in a central position that disempowers the client – later they will never be prepared to OST, and will be more and more away from it.</SPAN>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt" class=MsoListParagraphCxSpLast><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang=EN-US><SPAN>6.<SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang=EN-US>There are so many other things I would like to comment to your post, Peggy, but this is more than enough for a first take</SPAN>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang=EN-US> </SPAN>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang=EN-US>Warm regards</SPAN>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang=EN-US> </SPAN>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang=EN-US>Artur</SPAN>
<DIV style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 1pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-BOTTOM: 1pt; PADDING-LEFT: 0cm; PADDING-RIGHT: 0cm; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0cm">
<P style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0cm; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; PADDING-LEFT: 0cm; PADDING-RIGHT: 0cm; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0cm" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang=EN-US> </SPAN></DIV></DIV>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang=EN-US> </SPAN>
<DIV style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 1pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-BOTTOM: 1pt; PADDING-LEFT: 0cm; PADDING-RIGHT: 0cm; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0cm">
<P style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0cm; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; PADDING-LEFT: 0cm; PADDING-RIGHT: 0cm; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0cm" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang=EN-US>(</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'; COLOR: red; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang=EN-US>*</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang=EN-US>) There is a difference about saying “what will be the future of OST” or “what is the future that we want to construct for OST”. People that prefer the second, probably don’t even agree that “whatever happens is the only thing that could”. What will happen to OST is what we will care (and will be able) to create. Not “the only thing that could” ;-)</SPAN></DIV></DIV><BR><BR>--- On <B>Mon, 11/23/09, Peggy
Holman <I><peggy@opencirclecompany.com></I></B> wrote:<BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE style="BORDER-LEFT: rgb(16,16,255) 2px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px"><BR>From: Peggy Holman <peggy@opencirclecompany.com><BR>Subject: Re: [OSLIST] honouring each other<BR>To: OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU<BR>Date: Monday, November 23, 2009, 4:19 PM<BR><BR>
<DIV class=plainMail>I've been following this exchange wondering what, if anything, I have to contribute.<BR><BR>I want to tease out a thread that has to do with what Kaliya called "open spacisms". It also relates to something Holger said: <BR><BR>> in my experience, the OS folks are among the most<BR>> change resistant people that I have met in my life. <BR><BR>Before I expand on this thread, just a few words about the exchange itself:<BR><BR>Thank you Karen, Wendy, Lisa, Artur, and Holger for your leadership. In particular, Karen, I appreciated the distinction you gave in your messages:<BR><BR>> I welcome direct and frank conversations. What I do not welcome is blaming, name-calling, and yelling.<BR><BR>Kaliya, thank you for being a voice for change. And, when faced with some very direct feedback, for moderating your tone in your last several posts. I value your brilliance and passion and am glad to see you step in on
behalf of this community. <BR><BR>Michael, thank you for the years of service and being there on behalf of Open Space's online presence. I hope your dedication to this community continues. I also thank you for facing a challenging onslaught with, what I thought was doing your best to be squeaky clean in your communication through the last several days. <BR><BR>It is a challenge to be a lightening rod and I honor the work both of you are doing, Michael and Kaliya, for staying with the deeper purpose I see you both carrying on behalf of us all.<BR><BR>****<BR><BR>So, here's the thread that I want to pursue: how the Open Space principles help us both support and resist change and what that means for the evolution of OST and opening space.<BR><BR>The OS principles are wise and wily (clever). They are at their best when they remind people to take responsibility for what they love; when, for example, people discover that they
really can moderate their own conflicts without a facilitator. <BR><BR>I think the principles are at their worst when they replace co-creativity with resistance. For example, someone comes to me when preparing for an OS gathering and says, Open Space goes broad, not deep. I can turn that back to them quite simply by telling them that they create their own experience. And that's true. It also shuts off an exchange about what it means to go deep and how we can create the space so that people come together with greater depth. <BR><BR>Too often, I have taken the "turn it back" route rather than engaging. And I don't think I'm alone. This may sound heretical, but I believe the cues for making this choice are embedded in the Open Space community's culture and to our detriment, that has made us change resistance. I offer a bit of my personal journey on this and then how I see it relating to this
community.<BR><BR><BR>MY STORY<BR><BR>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.<BR><BR>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. <BR><BR>In other words, as my practice has grown, I treat quite differently "givens" that I used to take as gospel
and defend. Examples:<BR><BR>* 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.<BR><BR>* 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. <BR><BR>* 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.<BR><BR>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.<BR><BR><BR>THIS COMMUNITY<BR><BR>So what does this have to do with this community being resistant to change? <BR><BR>The OS principles contain deep truths. I think most deep truths contain contradictions. On a light note, here are a few examples of such contradictions:<BR><BR>1. Look before you leap. / He who hesitates is lost.<BR><BR>2. Absence makes the heart grow fonder. / Out of sight, out of mind.<BR><BR>3. The pen is mightier than the sword. / Actions speak louder than words.<BR><BR>4. Better safe than sorry. / Nothing ventured, nothing gained.<BR><BR>5. Birds of a feather flock together. / Opposites attract.<BR><BR>6. You’re never too old to learn. / You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.<BR><BR>Wisdom involves discerning how to navigate the
contradictions. <BR><BR>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. <BR><BR>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. <BR><BR>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.<BR><BR>What does this sort of experimentation which many of us are doing mean for how Open Space Technology itself evolves? <BR><BR>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?<BR><BR>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!<BR><BR>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.<BR><BR>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. <BR><BR>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? <BR><BR>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.<BR><BR>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.<BR><BR>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?<BR><BR><BR>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.<BR><BR>from cold, cloudy
Seattle,<BR>Peggy<BR><BR><BR>______________________________<BR>Peggy Holman<BR>The Open Circle Company<BR>15347 SE 49th Place<BR>Bellevue, WA 98006<BR>425-746-6274<BR>www.opencirclecompany.com<BR>www.journalismthatmatters.org<BR><BR>For the new edition of The Change Handbook, go to: <BR>www.bkconnection.com/ChangeHandbook <BR><BR>"An angel told me that the only way to step into the fire and not get burnt, is to become <BR>the fire".<BR> -- Drew Dellinger<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>On Nov 22, 2009, at 9:20 PM, Raffi Aftandelian wrote:<BR><BR>> friends,<BR>> <BR>> as someone who has made both positive and hurtful contributions to the ost community, two more <BR>> things come to mind:<BR>> <BR>> i notice myself asking myself what are the ways in which i have showed up at my best in this circle, <BR>> and also at less than best in this unexpected and wondrous time on OSlist.<BR>> <BR>> also, i wonder what else seeks to be
expressed right now, what remains unfinished?<BR>> <BR>> thank you all!<BR>> <BR>> warmly,<BR>> raffi<BR>> <BR>> p.s. and yes, jon, absolutely vegetarian chicken, my omission<BR>> <BR>> p.p.s. thank you alan re: good things happen!<BR>> <BR>> *<BR>> *<BR>> ==========================================================<BR>> <A href="http://us.mc546.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU" rel=nofollow target=_blank>OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU</A><BR>> ------------------------------<BR>> To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,<BR>> view the archives of <A href="http://us.mc546.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=oslist@listserv.boisestate.edu" rel=nofollow target=_blank>oslist@listserv.boisestate.edu</A>:<BR>> <A href="http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html" rel=nofollow target=_blank>http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html</A><BR>> <BR>> To learn
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