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Thanks for your open letter Marai. I'm always excited and willing to
receive feedback.<br>
<br>
As you'll remember over a year ago I opened up the content of this
article for comments and input from this list in the form of a
Google Doc. <br>
<br>
Such was the passion exhibited in the original thread I was eager
and excited to receive your inputs. Unfortunately only two people
replied though. I'm very grateful to both you and Keith Blundell for
taking the time.<br>
<br>
I must admit life took over and in my wait for more input other
priorities took over. I'm happy to revisit it now though as I can
feel the energy is back and I'd like to the right thing in the eyes
of this excellent community.<br>
<br>
Here's the link -
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ufIsy0BQvIqlRUbW0FAyXHGV0IKw3VdDT8L91RIJJU8/edit?usp=sharing">https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ufIsy0BQvIqlRUbW0FAyXHGV0IKw3VdDT8L91RIJJU8/edit?usp=sharing</a><br>
<br>
Please add your thoughts, comments and feedback and amend the
article as best I can.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
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<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 05/06/2019 01:53, Marai Kiele wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite"
cite="mid:DF1C8B11-F7F8-462D-944B-B445AA96EF4C@joyful-together.com">
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8">
Hello Nick Martin,
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">I find myself tense in my belly after reading your
newsletter today:</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class=""><span style="caret-color: rgb(10, 10, 10); color:
rgb(10, 10, 10); font-family: "Source Sans Pro",
Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;
background-color: rgb(254, 254, 254);" class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>I
just wanted to share with you </span><a
data-utm-override="true"
href="https://t.dripemail2.com/c/eyJhY2NvdW50X2lkIjoiMjM3MTU2MiIsImRlbGl2ZXJ5X2lkIjoiNjc1OTQzNzE4MiIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd29ya3Nob3BiYW5rLmNvbS9vcGVuLXNwYWNlLXRlY2hub2xvZ3k_dXRtX3NvdXJjZT1kcmlwXHUwMDI2dXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbFx1MDAyNnV0bV9jYW1wYWlnbj1uZXctdG9vbC1vcGVuLXNwYWNlXHUwMDI2X19zPXFtZXdvcGZiZnpzMnBvY3ltZTRnIn0"
style="font-family: "Source Sans Pro", Helvetica,
Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;" class=""
moz-do-not-send="true">a popular WorkshopBank tool</a><span
style="caret-color: rgb(10, 10, 10); color: rgb(10, 10, 10);
font-family: "Source Sans Pro", Helvetica, Arial,
sans-serif; font-size: 18px; background-color: rgb(254, 254,
254);" class=""> you can start using with your clients right
away. Let me know what you think.</span></div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">You suggest that the reader lets you know what they
think. I choose to do that.</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">I also choose to do that in the form of an open
letter, as several months back you asked on the os-list for
input to your description of the OST process for the
Workshopbank.</div>
<div class="">You introduced your version of „OST with a twist“,
and there was a somewhat heated discussion on this list about
it.</div>
<div class="">I participated in both, revising and giving you
feedback on your description (as requested) and discussing about
„is something with such a twist still OST?“</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Your
twist was about giving the leaders control about the topics. </div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">Back then I used the analogy that you are mixing red
wine with coca cola (which some people actually do and drink — I
tried it out as a teenager).</div>
<div class="">And that calling such a beverage „red wine with a
twist“ is an inaccurate representation of a) red wine and b) the
taste that a consumer will experience.</div>
<div class="">(side note: usually, this mix is done with red wine
of poor quality)</div>
<div class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></div>
<div class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>In
my analogy, OST is the red wine and controlling the process is
the coke.</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">In your description, you early on distinguish
between OST and OST with a twist. I first appreciated you for
making that distinction so upfront. </div>
<div class="">Then I read what you wrote under:</div>
<div class="">
<div class="tve_empty_dropzone thrv_text_element thrv_wrapper">
<p class=""><b class="">If you’re following the traditional
Open Space Process...</b></p>
</div>
<div class="thrv-numbered_list thrv_wrapper"
data-start-number="1" data-number-increment="1"
data-css="tve-u-161572dc992">
<ul class="tcb-numbered-list">
<li class="thrv-styled-list-item">
<div class="thrv_wrapper tcb-numbered-list-number
tcb-no-clone tve_no_drag tcb-no-delete
thrv-disabled-label" data-css="tve-u-161572dc996"><span
class="tcb-numbered-list-index">1</span></div>
<span class="tcb-no-delete thrv-advanced-inline-text
tve_editable tcb-numbered-list-text"
data-css="tve-u-161572dc993">Gather your participants
together and briefly explain how Open Space events work
using Harrison Owen’s 1 Law and the Guiding Principles
as appropriate. Traditionally you should do this with
everyone in a circle around you<font class=""
color="#ff91ff"> but you don’t necessarily have to.</font><font
class="" color="#8effff"> </font></span></li>
<li class="thrv-styled-list-item">
<div class="thrv_wrapper tcb-numbered-list-number
tcb-no-clone tve_no_drag tcb-no-delete
thrv-disabled-label" data-css="tve-u-161572dc995"><span
class="tcb-numbered-list-index">2</span></div>
<span class="tcb-no-delete thrv-advanced-inline-text
tve_editable tcb-numbered-list-text"
data-css="tve-u-161572dc993"><font class=""
color="#ff91ff">Ask participants to spend 10 minutes
thinking through </font><font class=""
color="#000000">if they have any issues they’d like to
raise.</font></span></li>
<li class="thrv-styled-list-item">
<div class="thrv_wrapper tcb-numbered-list-number
tcb-no-clone tve_no_drag tcb-no-delete
thrv-disabled-label" data-css="tve-u-161572dc995"><span
class="tcb-numbered-list-index">3</span></div>
<span class="tcb-no-delete thrv-advanced-inline-text
tve_editable tcb-numbered-list-text"
data-css="tve-u-161572dc993" style="font-style: normal;"><font
class="" color="#ff91ff">If there is a general
agreement that the issue has enough support and
passion behind it invite the issue owner to add the
issue to the schedule.</font></span></li>
<li class="thrv-styled-list-item">
<div class="thrv_wrapper tcb-numbered-list-number
tcb-no-clone tve_no_drag tcb-no-delete
thrv-disabled-label" data-css="tve-u-161572dc995"><span
class="tcb-numbered-list-index">4</span></div>
<span class="tcb-no-delete thrv-advanced-inline-text
tve_editable tcb-numbered-list-text"
data-css="tve-u-161572dc993">Once all issues have been
added invite the participants to sign-up for the
sessions they’re planning on attending (they are free to
change their mind later if they want to).</span></li>
<li class="thrv-styled-list-item">
<div class="thrv_wrapper tcb-numbered-list-number
tcb-no-clone tve_no_drag tcb-no-delete
thrv-disabled-label" data-css="tve-u-161572dc995"><span
class="tcb-numbered-list-index">5</span></div>
<span class="tcb-no-delete thrv-advanced-inline-text
tve_editable tcb-numbered-list-text"
data-css="tve-u-161572dc993">Your sessions start.</span></li>
</ul>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">There is much more on this page that, as I see
it, is NOT "the traditional Open Space Process“. I am giving
just some further examples:</div>
<div class=""><a
href="https://workshopbank.com/open-space-technology"
class="" moz-do-not-send="true">https://workshopbank.com/open-space-technology</a></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="">
<div class="tve-cb tve_empty_dropzone">
<div class="thrv_heading thrv_wrapper" data-tag="h2">
<h2 class="">Process for a Session</h2>
</div>
<div class="thrv-numbered_list thrv_wrapper"
data-start-number="1" data-number-increment="1"
data-css="tve-u-1615732417d">
<ul class="tcb-numbered-list">
<li class="thrv-styled-list-item">
<div class="thrv_wrapper tcb-numbered-list-number
tcb-no-clone tve_no_drag tcb-no-delete
thrv-disabled-label" data-css="tve-u-16157324181"><span
class="tcb-numbered-list-index">1</span></div>
<span class="tcb-no-delete thrv-advanced-inline-text
tve_editable tcb-numbered-list-text"
data-css="tve-u-1615732417e">Each session should be a
round group of chairs (no table in the middle) <font
class="" color="#ff91ff">with preferably one
facilitator to lead the discussion and a scribe on
the flip-chart.</font></span></li>
<li class="thrv-styled-list-item">
<div class="thrv_wrapper tcb-numbered-list-number
tcb-no-clone tve_no_drag tcb-no-delete
thrv-disabled-label" data-css="tve-u-16157324180"><span
class="tcb-numbered-list-index">2</span></div>
<span class="tcb-no-delete thrv-advanced-inline-text
tve_editable tcb-numbered-list-text"
data-css="tve-u-1615732417e">A session starts with the
issue owner welcoming and thanking the group for
coming and then giving a description of the issue as
they see it.</span></li>
<li class="thrv-styled-list-item">
<div class="thrv_wrapper tcb-numbered-list-number
tcb-no-clone tve_no_drag tcb-no-delete
thrv-disabled-label" data-css="tve-u-16157324180"><span
class="tcb-numbered-list-index">3</span></div>
<span class="tcb-no-delete thrv-advanced-inline-text
tve_editable tcb-numbered-list-text"
data-css="tve-u-1615732417e"><font class=""
color="#ff91ff">The facilitator then leads the
discussion</font> inviting people to give their
input at their request.</span></li>
<li class="thrv-styled-list-item">
<div class="thrv_wrapper tcb-numbered-list-number
tcb-no-clone tve_no_drag tcb-no-delete
thrv-disabled-label" data-css="tve-u-16157324180"><span
class="tcb-numbered-list-index">4</span></div>
<span class="tcb-no-delete thrv-advanced-inline-text
tve_editable tcb-numbered-list-text"
data-css="tve-u-1615732417e"><font class=""
color="#ff91ff">The scribe records the discussion on
flip chart paper making sure</font> to mark Issues,
Ideas, Questions (that can’t be answered today) &
Actions. <font class="" color="#ff91ff">When a flip
is finished they should tear it off</font> and put
it in the center of the circle or on a nearby wall for
people in the group to see.</span></li>
<li class="thrv-styled-list-item">
<div class="thrv_wrapper tcb-numbered-list-number
tcb-no-clone tve_no_drag tcb-no-delete
thrv-disabled-label" data-css="tve-u-16157324180"><span
class="tcb-numbered-list-index">5</span></div>
<span class="tcb-no-delete thrv-advanced-inline-text
tve_editable tcb-numbered-list-text"
data-css="tve-u-1615732417e">Allow people to leave and
arrive as they see fit though <font class=""
color="#ff91ff">don’t allow them to interrupt or
slow-down your progress.</font> It is a new
arrival’s responsibility to catch-up with the
discussion using the flip chart outputs no matter how
high up or important they are.</span></li>
<li class="thrv-styled-list-item">
<div class="thrv_wrapper tcb-numbered-list-number
tcb-no-clone tve_no_drag tcb-no-delete
thrv-disabled-label" data-css="tve-u-16157324180"><span
class="tcb-numbered-list-index">6</span></div>
<span class="tcb-no-delete thrv-advanced-inline-text
tve_editable tcb-numbered-list-text"
data-css="tve-u-1615732417e"><font class=""
color="#ff91ff">When the issue looks like it has
been covered and there are no more inputs coming
from your group thank them for their time and invite
them to join other groups if the session time is not
over.</font></span></li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
</div>
<div class="">To me, calling this description "the traditional
Open Space Process“ I wonder if</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>-
I am totally rigid and should just loosen up to the variations
of OST</div>
<div class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>-
You have never experienced a traditional Open Space Process</div>
<div class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>-
You just don’t care about the originality and instead rather
cater to business needs of controlled processes that limit
self-organisation</div>
<div class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>-
I misremember all my trainings with Harrison Owen, Michael M
Pannwitz, Michael Pannwitz jr, Joe Töpfer, and last but not
least Birgitt Williams. </div>
<div class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>-
or… ?</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">I totally don’t get it. </div>
<div class="">I don’t like what you are doing.</div>
<div class="">I also dislike that you market this description of
„the traditional Open Space Process“ as „a popular WorkshopBank
Tool“.</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">I feel sad when I imagine people following your
description and spreading the word that „this is the traditional
way of doing OST“.</div>
<div class="">
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">Using my former analogy: </div>
</div>
<div class="">I imagine what you are doing is like a beverage shop
introducing someone who has never tasted a good red wine to that
beverage.</div>
<div class="">Because this person usually drink coke, they are
being given red wine mixed with coke (to match their taste
buds).</div>
<div class="">And then they are being told, „this is a traditional
Cabernet Sauvignon“.</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">I want you to revise your description and move your
adaptions away from "the original version" to „OST with a
twist“.</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">Are you willing to do that?</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">
<div class="">Probably even better: Call it „…………….. - a process
partly inspired by Open Space Technology“ </div>
</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">I look forward to your response,</div>
<div class="">Marai</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class=""><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/marai-kiele/"
class="" moz-do-not-send="true">https://www.linkedin.com/in/marai-kiele/</a></div>
<div class=""><a href="https://about.me/maraikiele" class=""
moz-do-not-send="true">https://about.me/maraikiele</a></div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
</blockquote>
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