Harold in response to your observation that there is "minimal advice (in Open Space) for convening sessions" and your invitational question for comments about "how to successfully convene a single session" and "why (sessions) some are better than others?", I offer this:<br>
<br>For me, it's totally about "whatever happens is the only thing that could have!" followed by an expanded way to look at the 5th principle "wherever people are is the right place"...in their head, spiritually and otherwise. <br>
<br>I figure if people "just bring themselves" whatever that looks like in the moment, it will be enough. <br><br>My 2 cent reply to your invitation for comments Harold! <br><br>Suzanne<br><br><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">
On Thu, Jul 14, 2011 at 11:37 AM, Harold Shinsato <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:harold@shinsato.com">harold@shinsato.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex;">
<u></u>
<div bgcolor="#ffffff" text="#000000">
Hi Dan - fellow Agilista!<br>
<br>
Fascinating question. It does seem to be something o.k. to do in
polite conversation - "let's not go there". But there's no guarantee
it will work in a conversation between equals. "There" might be
exactly where the conversation needs to go. Getting consensus about
taboos at the beginning of an Open Space doesn't sound like a good
time investment. Setting up the taboos without consensus declares
that the organizers are the high priests. Big problem! Like Harrison
said - the invitation sets the focus and that's the best way to keep
things on track rather than declaring all the places the
conversation should not go. But maybe there's an exception - do you
have a specific situation?<br>
<br>
Departing from the "givens" question for the entire Open Space, I
continue to wonder about how to successfully convene a single
session within an Open Space event. In each convened sessions, you
might actually have the "let's not go there" conversation and it
will work. The group is small enough to do so. And if the session
convener starts with the taboos and people don't like it, they can
use their two feet or they can just ignore the convener and have the
conversation anyway. Mostly I think the "let's not go there"
admonition works when someone brings up a "dead horse" topic that no
one else in the circle really wants to hear, rather than declaring
all the taboos in the beginning of a session.<br>
<br>
It's interesting that Open Space gives very minimal advice for
convening sessions - but I can tell that some are much better at it
than others. Both in the choice of topics that are relevant and in
the actual facilitation of the group conversation. I continue to be
curious about what works and what doesn't work for the convening of
individual sessions in an Open Space.<br>
<br>
Harold<div><div></div><div class="h5"><br>
<br>
On 7/12/11 9:30 AM, Dan Mezick wrote:
<blockquote type="cite">Hi,
<br>
<br>
I am a respectful lurker who now has an inquiry, so it is time to
introduce myself.
<br>
<br>
Hi! I am Dan Mezick, coach to Agile teams, their sponsors, and
executive management. I live in CT. I am friendly, curious and
playful. I enjoy conducting frequent experiments. I like to be
surprised and learn. I have a history of software development. I
receive a software patent in 1999. In 2003, I run an elaborate
search engine optimization experiment that results in over 120,000
unsolicited, incoming web links from all around the world, in 20
days. Those 120,00++ links-in result in a #1 Google rank for over
7 years.
<br>
<br>
Now I am curious about Open Space. I play with it. I read all the
books from Harrison. I experience many surprises as I read these
books. I convene five OST events in Boston since 2009. The
largest is the Agile Boston Open Space in Sept 2010 where 275
people participate. I have experience directly facilitating some
smaller OST meetings for clients recently.
<br>
<br>
I am currently quite fascinated with Open Space and OST dynamics.
<br>
<br>
This list is very awesome and awe-inspiring. I am very happy to be
here.
<br>
<br>
If you like to be surprised, you may enjoy this:
<br>
<a href="http://sprott.physics.wisc.edu/pickover/esp.html" target="_blank">http://sprott.physics.wisc.edu/pickover/esp.html</a>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Here is my inquiry:
<br>
<br>
<br>
My Inquiry
<br>
=========
<br>
<br>
"Let' s not go there."
<br>
<br>
This is a common utterance used in conversation, one that clearly
signals that the space is closed to that topic.
<br>
<br>
Open Space, limited by only a broad Theme, is not very limiting.
Authority often is concerned with this wide-ranging freedom to
explore "just about anything" when considering OST, and what might
result from that afterward.
<br>
<br>
I wonder if any of us have experience with doing OST with some
sections in the discussion-space explicitly closed.
<br>
<br>
I wonder how these limits are expressed-in-fact; for example
inside the Invite or in the composition of the Theme.
<br>
<br>
I wonder how the "explicitly stated as closed" space is then
successfully maintained in an OST setting. I then wonder how much
fun the event is, when some space is closed.
<br>
<br>
I wonder also, if this is an oxymoron, that just does not work
very well, ever.
<br>
<br>
I think have read here somewhere here, in a passing comment, that
sometimes, certain topics are closed in OS meeting.
<br>
<br>
I wonder if anyone has experience trying this, and if any specific
knowledge about this is documented explicitly anywhere.
<br>
<br>
Thank you for your help ! I am preparing to be surprised.
<br>
_______________________________________________
<br>
</blockquote>
<br>
<br>
</div></div><font color="#888888"><div>-- <br>
Harold Shinsato<br>
<a href="mailto:harold@shinsato.com" target="_blank">harold@shinsato.com</a><br>
<a href="http://shinsato.com" target="_blank">http://shinsato.com</a><br>
twitter: <a href="http://twitter.com/hajush" target="_blank">@hajush</a></div>
</font></div>
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<br></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>Suzanne Daigle<br>NuFocus Strategic Group<br>7159 Victoria Circle<br>University Park, FL 34201<br>FL 941-359-8877; <br>CT 203-722-2009<br><a href="http://www.nufocusgroup.com" target="_blank">www.nufocusgroup.com</a><br>
<a href="mailto:s.daigle@nufocusgroup.com" target="_blank">s.daigle@nufocusgroup.com</a><br>twitter @suzannedaigle<br><br>