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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Lisa – Back on “Training” – that marvelous thread you initiated, or majorly contributed to, way back yonder… You said,”</span><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black'> </span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Well...I will adjust that - I have seen this process - or some things called Open Space - done terribly.” I don’t doubt that for a minute, but I would make a further “adjustment.” Maybe it is just semantics – but I would have to say that I have never seen Open Space done well or terribly – for a very simple reason. I don’t believe we “do” Open Space. More accurately, Open Space DOES us! <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'>You will understand that I am back on my old soap box talking about self-organization but I believe the point is a critical one. If Open Space “works” simply and only because self-organization works, as it has for 13.7 billion years – then all of our “doing” has little if any effect. We didn’t create it, design it, least of all “do” it. The simple truth of the matter is that, left to its own devices, self-organization does quite well all by itself. It is a completely natural act, it is what we are and do at the most fundamental levels. Problems arise when we try to organize things, for reasons altruistic or nefarious. Organizing a self organizing system is never a good idea. If nothing else it is a waste of time and energy.<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'>What we do do -- and it is not nothing – is to invite people to remember what they already know, to be what they already are. The invitation is short, sweet, and from the heart, but there is nothing to learn, no arcane expertise required on the part of the participants or the facilitator. It is absolutely true – Anybody with a good heart and good head can “do” it. No advanced training required!<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'>The story, of course, does not end with the event. And indeed, there is a lot to learn from the experience, albeit much of that “learning” is really UN-learning. And we can be very helpful, which is nice if only because that means we are not out of a job. Lots to do, having nothing to do with “doing a process.” <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'>At the core, it is all about weaning ourselves from our sever addiction to the illusion of control. Just think about all the strictures, procedures, and processes we have designed to maintain control! Call it the “Corporate Structure” for short – but I honestly feel that if we were to set ourselves the task of designing a perfect system for eliminating innovation and creativity, to say nothing of making people feel generally miserable – we simply couldn’t have done any better. And when we hear participants say how good Open Space feels (“I’ve come home”) that has nothing to do with the brilliance of the “process” or our incredible skills as a facilitator. It is simply that they have stopped beating their heads against the wall. It is amazing how good you feel if you just stop beating your head against the wall!<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><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'><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'><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'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>189 Beaucaire Ave. (summer)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Camden, Maine 20854<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'>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'>(summer) 207-763-3261<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'>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><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Consolas;color:#1F497D'>To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of OSLIST Go to:<a href="http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org">http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org</a><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-bounces@lists.openspacetech.org [mailto:oslist-bounces@lists.openspacetech.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Lisa Heft<br><b>Sent:</b> Saturday, January 28, 2012 4:18 PM<br><b>To:</b> World wide Open Space Technology email list<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [OSList] Training<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><blockquote style='margin-left:30.0pt;margin-right:0in'><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><i><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black'>Naps do come first. Or something.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></blockquote><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black'>Naps! Siestas! Harrison in a dream state!<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black'>Harrison my friend - the amazing thing is that you have written "Open Space Technology: A User's Guide" in such a clear and thoughtful way and shared your knowledge and experience so generously that there is no requirement to take anybody's workshop - including mine - to be able to understand and do this amazing process. <o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black'>Well...I will adjust that - I have seen this process - or some things called Open Space - done terribly. With the participants feeling unproductive or with only some participants feeling they can contribute. But that is almost always because - from my observation - the facilitator does not explore what is behind the surface, does not do thorough pre-work, does not trust the process or the people, does not feel they are always learning, messes with the simple effective structure, inserts their ego, 'helps' people, interrupts the flow, uses this tool for the wrong reason or situation... As can happen for any process and any group work.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black'>I will always remember when the incredible Pepe Nummi of Finland walked into an Open Space workshop I was giving at an international facilitator's conference. He said 'I hope you do not mind if I just visit for the Opening Circle to see how you do it. I read the book and I have already facilitated 54 Open Space events but I have never seen someone else do it.' It is true - we so rarely get to each each other's work as only one facilitator is needed for any sized group - from 10 to 2500.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div></div></div></div><blockquote style='margin-left:30.0pt;margin-right:0in'><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><i>Lisa – what I love about what you do is NOT the detail – which frankly takes my breath away. Honestly, if I had to learn all “that” I am positive I never would have ventured into Open Space – Something about working much too hard! But you know me. <o:p></o:p></i></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></blockquote><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><i> </i><o:p></o:p></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black'>I admit to being a detail queen. "My name is Lisa Heft and I am a detail queen!"<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black'>My workshops are for those new to Open Space and those richly experienced who wish to dig down deep into those unseen-to-the-participant elements. Not because everyone has to do things just like me - but simply to share stories and lessons learned, possibilities, opportunities. <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black'>Those of you who know and have worked with me know I am a combination of loving the details of good design, preparation, access and inclusion - and being very in the moment. In life and in facilitation.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black'>My own approach to facilitation is to build a strong and thoughtful scaffolding - thoughtful thorough pre-work with careful attention to how food, site, context, culture, invitation, documentation design, follow-up and all the other details support whatever dialogue method I select for the job - including Open Space. And then - knowing I and the client planning team have done all that we can - I breathe...and trust the people and the process... and dance the dance wherever it takes us. With attachment to participant-centered usefulness and capturing participant-driven documentation to support sustainability - but without attachment to a particular outcome.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></div></div></div><blockquote style='margin-left:30.0pt;margin-right:0in'><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><i>All that said, I simply love what you do – Giving Freely. It is all out there, and everybody is invited to partake and share. There is no license, no certification. Open Space belongs to everybody as a birthright. Marvelous! Open Space IS pure gift, but it comes with a cost (responsibility) – That we share freely all that we have learned.” That, so far as I am concerned, is the essence of Open Space. It is the Spirit of our global community, of OSLIST, and it is the same Spirit you manifest so well. Thank you!</i><o:p></o:p></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></blockquote><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div></div></div></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black'>Harrison Harrison - you are the model. I heartily believe that knowledge is not to be 'owned' but to be shared freely. That whatever it takes to make an event or workshop or process accessible to whomever has the passion for learning is worth any effort. And to me that is joyful effort. I strongly agree with you - no license, no certification. For a process you can learn for yourself from a book - and because I hope we Open Space facilitators are all life-long learners and no one is a 'master' to anyone - nobody needs my blessing or approval to go ahead and jump in and do Open Space. Although in some cultures and countries a certificate is very important - and in that case I will certificate that you -attended- a workshop but not that you are 'officially' now able to do Open Space. Our workshops and OSonOSs and WOSonOSs and this OSLIST are about mutual learning - this interesting combination of sharing stories and experiences -and- staying in the beginner's mind. About welcoming each person's wisdom, no matter what their experience level. About saying 'this is what I have learned to do - but you may have a different experience...'<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black'>And what is *your* different experience, dear readers and fellow learners...?<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black'>Lisa<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>