<div>Chris thank you for sharing these insights, <br><br>So much of what you said resonates especially what Eleder also mentioned that "None of us are innocent bystanders anymore...". </div><div><br>For days since you wrote what you did I haven't been able to get something out of my mind. I fear that I risk confusing myself and others as I think it out loud struggling for clarity on the matter. Perhaps that is Harrison's invitation.</div>
<div> </div><div>My pondering refers to the 2 thoughts in bold:</div>
<div> </div><ol><li> "Big meetings aren't going to change things." and "In working with clients these days <strong>I make sure that they aren't in love
with the idea that their big Open Space is going to change the world.
It's not."</strong> and.....<br></li><li><strong>"Instead billions of small and connected conversations, self-organizing their own insights and futures, hanging together and learning how to deal with the new reality and then sharing their stories with others"</strong></li>
</ol><div><font size="4"> I am often conflicted by this "big" and "small"!</font></div><div> </div><blockquote style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-width: 1px; border-left-style: solid;" class="gmail_quote">
<p>Like so many people these days, I feel overwhelmed by the magnitude and complexity of issues that are out there at a national and global level. As hard as I try, I cannot ignore these. Whether it is sadness, fear and the feeling that my (our) efforts are like a small drop in a very big bucket or the feeling I have of hope and and bliss mixed with purpose and gratitude as we connect in small group conversations finding each other in the vulnerability of who we are and giving each other courage to create possibilities for a better future...</p>
</blockquote><blockquote style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-width: 1px; border-left-style: solid;" class="gmail_quote"><p> I think a lot about this "big" and "small".</p>
<div>It often seems that we cannot be satisfied making small changes in our small piece of the world be it our neighborhood, a department in a company, one hospital or one school, etc. </div></blockquote><blockquote style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-width: 1px; border-left-style: solid;" class="gmail_quote">
<div> </div><div>When small groups achieve amazing things, it is often with an eye on the whole. It is where we find the greatest inspiration (or is that ego?). Where we bump into problems is when others in the whole, who are not involved, perceive we are fixing, imposing or intimating that something should be done for which they feel no ownership or connection. That we are better than they are. It seems we all want to invent and create for ourselves and yet we need each other so we are not forever re-inventing the wheel or worse being exclusive rather than inclusive towards each other. Bottom line, we're all connected. </div>
</blockquote><div> </div><div> Which takes me to the <strong>"big meetings".</strong> For right or for wrong, I cannot give up on those big Open Space meetings. I have attended/facilitated some (300+) where it seemed there were pockets of magic in the room. Granted some sessions seemed better than others. Big groups less effective than smaller groups. Whether is was the exhiliration of watching people write their topics or the intimacy felt in the big whole at closing circle, I know there is something courageous and special happening when people let themselves be seen and heard where many are present. Where things unravel is afterwards at least from the perspective of being able to replicate this feeling of the whole connected as it was. What I can't always know however is how many hubs connected, how many individuals were moved, touched and inspired leading them to initiate things they would not have had the courage to do before. What I do know is that I have been affected much in small and in large groups. </div>
<div> </div><div>These days, on the basis of what I learned working with the Creative New Jersey Open Space team, I am initiating and planning an event that has the potential to be big (150 - 200 or more people) working with a large planning group. Until New Jersey, I had never worked with such a large planning group (12 - 15 people) over many months to prepare an OS event before. It was not always easy but there were elements of greatness that stayed with me </div>
<div> </div><div>Now I see that by having many people involved in the planning, it's as if we are all hosts creating the invitation, knowing more deeply the intent of what we want to create with others, imagining those who will attend, speaking of them with the anticipation of friends meeting friends, colleagues meeting colleagues, struggling together about what will happen afterwards trying hard not to predict and control, being playful, working through conflicts and frustrations, etc. </div>
<div> </div><div>I smile thinking that as we do this planning work now, few on the committee have experienced Open Space which was also the case in New Jersey. It is truly a giant leap of faith for them to invite people they know to a 2-day meeting where there are no speakers, power point presentations or even an agenda. Lots of bonding and trust happens because of this. </div>
<div> </div><div>In summary then, on the big and the small, I hope there are ways that we can have it all. I'm still learning and experimenting. Maybe in the end, I will come to the conclusion that small is beautiful and where I most want to be. </div>
<div> </div><div>In the meantime, permit me to wish that WOSonOS in Chile be as big as it can be! </div><div>. </div><div> </div><div>Suzanne</div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div>
<div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><blockquote style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-width: 1px; border-left-style: solid;" class="gmail_quote">
<div>. </div></blockquote><div> </div><div> </div><blockquote style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-width: 1px; border-left-style: solid;" class="gmail_quote">
<div> </div></blockquote><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div>. </div><div> </div><div> </div><div><strong></strong> </div><div> </div><div><strong></strong> </div>
<div> </div><div><br><br><br><br> <br><br></div><div class="gmail_quote">On Tue, Aug 30, 2011 at 11:41 AM, Chris Corrigan <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:chris.corrigan@gmail.com" target="_blank">chris.corrigan@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote style="margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-width: 1px; border-left-style: solid;" class="gmail_quote"><div bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><div>Thanks Harrison for these reflections from the Maine coast. I have given up on the power of the convened conference to make the changes that are needed in the world. Copenhagen was the final straw in that line of thought. Big meetings aren't going to change things. Instead billions of small and connected conversations, self-organizing their own insights and futures, hanging together and learning how to deal with the new reality and then sharing their stories with others. This is the power of the web and the social architectures that surround us now: we are all potential authors of our future and present states. None of us are innocent bystanders anymore, and thus we all have a stake in creating the solutions that are needed for the myriad acute problems thrown at us from the present moment.</div>
<div><br></div><div>OST is a gift in this sense, but beyond that, it gives us a sense of how it feels to work in that unfamiliar, strange and ultimately empowering way. OST points the way to a skillful and hair-raising way to address the emerging future. </div>
<div><br></div><div>In working with clients these days I make sure that they aren't in love with the idea that their big Open Space is going to change the world. It's not. But it might activate enough leadership that a community or organization ends up finding a way out of whatever pickle they are in. Come to this gathering...you are invited to start something, and who knows where it will go...</div>
<div><br></div><div>Much love to you my friend, and my friends.</div><div><br></div><div>Chris<br><br>---<div>CHRIS CORRIGAN</div><font color="#888888"><div><a href="http://www.chriscorrigan.com" target="_blank">http://www.chriscorrigan.com</a></div>
<div><a href="tel:%2B1%20604%20947%209236" target="_blank" value="+16049479236">+1 604 947 9236</a></div></font></div><div><div></div><div><div><br>On 2011-08-28, at 8:09 AM, Harrison Owen <<a href="mailto:hhowen@verizon.net" target="_blank">hhowen@verizon.net</a>> wrote:<br>
<br></div><div></div><blockquote type="cite"><div><div><p class="MsoNormal">While waiting for Irene – she has now come and largely gone – but the waiting went on for a week or so. And in that time I started to write a note to myself. That note took on a life of its own and led me to some places I have been pondering, but never quite reached. I shared it with a few friends and they seemed to enjoy. So I make bold to offer it to you my friends on OSLIST. I guess that is appropriate, for the note has a lot to do with Open Space, our collective learning, and where we might go from here. Actually it is an invitation… and if curious go to:<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://openspaceworld.com/August%20Morning.pdf" target="_blank"></a><a href="http://openspaceworld.com/August%20Morning.pdf" target="_blank">http://openspaceworld.com/August%20Morning.pdf</a><u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal">Enjoy!<u></u><u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal">Harrison<u></u><u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal">
<u></u><u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal">Harrison Owen<u></u><u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal">7808 River Falls Dr.<u></u><u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal">Potomac, MD 20854<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">USA<u></u><u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal">189 Beaucaire Ave. (summer)<u></u><u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal">Camden, Maine 20854<u></u><u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal">
<u></u> <u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal">Phone <a href="tel:301-365-2093" target="_blank" value="+13013652093">301-365-2093</a><u></u><u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal">(summer) <a href="tel:207-763-3261" target="_blank" value="+12077633261">207-763-3261</a><u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.openspaceworld.com" target="_blank">www.openspaceworld.com</a><u></u><u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.ho-image.com" target="_blank">www.ho-image.com</a> (Personal Website)<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Consolas; font-size: 10.5pt;">To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of OSLIST Go to:<a href="http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org" target="_blank"></a><a href="http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org" target="_blank">http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org</a><u></u><u></u></span></p>
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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 <a href="tel:941-359-8877" target="_blank" value="+19413598877">941-359-8877</a>; <br>
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