<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class="">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="">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 color="#ff91ff" class=""> but you don’t necessarily have to.</font><font color="#8effff" class=""> </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 color="#ff91ff" class="">Ask participants to spend 10 minutes thinking through </font><font color="#000000" class="">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 color="#ff91ff" class="">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="">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 color="#ff91ff" class="">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 color="#ff91ff" class="">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 color="#ff91ff" class="">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 color="#ff91ff" class="">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 color="#ff91ff" class="">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 color="#ff91ff" class="">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="">https://www.linkedin.com/in/marai-kiele/</a></div><div class=""><a href="https://about.me/maraikiele" class="">https://about.me/maraikiele</a></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><br class=""></div></body></html>