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yes yes yes!<br>
<br>
As Daniel mentioned, the facilitation I lead was almost completely
unprepared because of a dearth of contact and returned
communications from the client. No proper "pre-work". No theme. No
extended period of invitation. People regularly dashing off to other
"more important" things. No closing circle. It still worked. As
Harrison Owen has said - what's going on?<br>
<br>
There's a huge need for technologies that Open Space - or open space
- and Open Space Technology is extraordinarily robust. I've seen it
work despite there being huge holes in how it was executed. And I
think the main reason it works so well in so many scenarios is not
from the skill of the facilitator - but in how parched is the soil.
Or perhaps, as Harrison has noted in his writings - how polluted is
the soul.<br>
<br>
Even a few drops of authentic human connection in a space closed by
rigid roles and goals...<br>
Even a few breaths of fresh air by opening a window in a space
filled with the pollution of soulless pursuits...<br>
<br>
I'd love to hear more stories of improvised techologies that opened
space. In this perspective, OST is so much more than a tool.<br>
<br>
Harold<br>
<br>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 6/21/15 5:45 AM, Daniel Mezick via
OSList wrote:<br>
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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 moz-do-not-send="true" class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="http://OpenSpaceAgility.com">http://OpenSpaceAgility.com</a><br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true" 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 moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://newtechusa.net/dan-mezick/">Bio</a></span><span
class="s2">. <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://newtechusa.net/blog/"><span class="s1">Blog</span></a>.
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
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
moz-do-not-send="true"
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 moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://newtechusa.net/services/agile-scrum-training/"><span
class="s3">Training</span></a> and <a
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class="s3">Coaching.</span></a></p>
<p class="p1">Explore the <a moz-do-not-send="true"
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class="s3">Agile Boston </span></a>Community.<span
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<div class="moz-signature">-- <br>
Harold Shinsato<br>
<a href="mailto:harold@shinsato.com">harold@shinsato.com</a><br>
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