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Lately I'm noticing that people are absolutely starved for genuine
connection with other humans. Or, so it seems...<br>
<br>
...I'm coming to this conclusion as a result of getting more and
more experience doing these Open Space events in organizations and
conferences. <br>
<br>
At a conference at PMI in Boston last Friday, I facilitated an very
short event that was 1 hour from end to end. We did 5-minute
sessions to introduce the format. All 50++ of them were completely
new to it. In the closing circle, these people reported genuine
authentic pleasure in connecting with others. <br>
<br>
This was more than a little strange to me, since the 3 sessions were
just 5 minutes long. <br>
<br>
Earlier that same week, inside an organization, with about 20-25
people, Harold and I with Louise Kold Taylor literally "threw
together" an OST event last Tuesday. It was all improv. We were
winging it. We were all unsettled. We were all making sh*t up on the
fly. We had like 20 minutes to set it up and convene.<br>
<br>
It wasn't supposed to work. <br>
<br>
This "improv-episode" was missing many of the standard elements in
the standard OST composition. <br>
I'm embarrassed to say which... and how many.<br>
<br>
And hey guess what? There was loads of connection and engagement by
and between the members. LOADS.<br>
<br>
This from an organization "with no time" to do such things. This via
an "unsettled" facilitator. We scheduled the 45-min sessions for
10AM, 1045AM, 330PM and 415PM. So there was this huge gap in the
schedule. We did not expect the afternoon sessions to be attended at
all. What was amazing to us was the fact that almost all of them
returned for the afternoon sessions and they all immediately
engaged. <br>
<br>
All of which had me scratching my head for quite awhile. Do you know
what I mean? As in, "what the heck is going on here?" <br>
<br>
Why is this OST thing so robust, even when some of the essential
"big O, big S" elements are missing? When there is "no time?" When
there is no planning? When the facilitator is not really prepared? <br>
<br>
What is making this OST stuff work, even when it's "slipshod" in
terms of planning and form?<br>
<br>
My current hypothesis is: typical people in our world are literally
starved for real connection. <br>
<br>
And that anything, anywhere resembling anything AT ALL that looks
like a genuine and authentic opportunity to connect ... is going to
work. <br>
<br>
And this without "management" of things like "when to start", "when
to stop", "topics", "silence", etc. <br>
<br>
This Human-Connection-Starvation hypothesis might tend to explain:
why OST always seems to (mysteriously) work, why getting out of the
way is a primary job of the facilitator, etc. <br>
<br>
Daniel <br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://OpenSpaceAgility.com">http://OpenSpaceAgility.com</a><br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://DanielMezick.com">http://DanielMezick.com</a><br>
<br>
<br>
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<p class="p1">Daniel Mezick, President</p>
<p class="p1">New Technology Solutions Inc.</p>
<p class="p1">(203) 915 7248 (cell)</p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1"><a
href="http://newtechusa.net/dan-mezick/">Bio</a></span><span
class="s2">. <a href="http://newtechusa.net/blog/"><span
class="s1">Blog</span></a>. <a
href="http://twitter.com/#%21/danmezick/"><span class="s1">Twitter</span></a>.<span
class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p>
<p class="p3"><span class="s2">Examine my new book:<span
class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a
href="http://newtechusa.net/about/the-culture-game-book/"><span
class="s1">The Culture Game </span></a></span><span
class="s1">: Tools for the Agile Manager</span><span
class="s2">.</span></p>
<p class="p1">Explore Agile Team <a
href="http://newtechusa.net/services/agile-scrum-training/"><span
class="s3">Training</span></a> and <a
href="http://newtechusa.net/services/agile-scrum-coaching/"><span
class="s3">Coaching.</span></a></p>
<p class="p1">Explore the <a
href="http://newtechusa.net//user-groups/ma/"><span class="s3">Agile
Boston </span></a>Community.<span
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