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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'>Duration: One day for simple stuff. Two Days for complex situation with the possibility of decision making/action group formation. If the people involved say that is too much time, that it is pretty clear that: A) The issue isn’t that important. B) Nobody really cares. This actually a really good test for the first essential pre-condition for a productive Open Space – A really critical issue that has folks’ Attention. In short, they care.<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'>ho <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 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 [mailto:oslist-bounces@lists.openspacetech.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Jake Yeager via OSList<br><b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, August 14, 2019 8:07 AM<br><b>To:</b> World wide Open Space Technology email list; Michael M Pannwitz<br><b>Cc:</b> Jake Yeager<br><b>Subject:</b> [OSList] Determining Duration of Open Space Event?<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal>Hey Michael, <o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Back in mid-July you provided a really helpful description of your contracting process for Open Space (reproduced below). I am using this to make my contracting process more robust, so thank you!<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>One question I have for you: in your contracting process when is there a determination of the duration of the Open Space? And how does that come about?<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>If others have thoughts on this subject, please join in!<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Thanks!<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>All the best,<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Jake<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>----------------------------<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Dear Mark,<br><br>had a good laughing attack, reading your message.<br><br>The approach I have developed to improve on the role and task of the <br>"leader" goes like this:<br><br>1. Contact:<br>I get a call from someone, not necessarily the "leader", sometimes a <br>person from the OD department of the organization requesting an OST <br>event. This professional person, as anyone else, can really have a <br>number of assumptions about the organization she or he works for. After <br>listening for a very short while (since I dont want to get confused) I <br>suggest my standard procedure, a contact meeting with those that decide <br>on this event.<br><br>2. Contact meeting face-to-face, never online or similar stuff:<br>Usually three or four or five people (I suggested to the first caller <br>that it should be a bit of a diverse small group) gather for this <br>contact meeting which lasts exactly 1 hour and maybe 15 minutes. For <br>this meeting I dont charge anything regardless of the outcome. The <br>potential client simply pays the costs (if I have to fly to Paris and <br>spend a night there which happened in the early stage of the 300 leaders <br>with Muslims, Jews and Christians engaged in World Peace in Sevilla (HO <br>facilitated, I helped).)<br>In this meeting I suggest the present folks have an exchange on what the <br>gathering is planned for (usually there is a pretty divergent response <br>but the central issue becomes clearer).<br>After that I tell them about the 5 or 6 prerequites for an OST event and <br>have them exchange on those.<br>At the end I also ask them how aware they are about the role of leaders <br>after an OST event in face of the fact that participants start to lead <br>themselves. Oh, yes, they exclaim, thats what we would love. Hmmm. I <br>also add that nobody from the organization should make any promises in <br>regard to the potential actions that people will engage in after the <br>event. Them then also leading will know what kind of support they need <br>and how to get it.<br>Before leaveing I tell them to sleep over all this and give me a ring.<br>If they call me and if I have a hunch that it will all work out, the <br>third step is the :<br><br>3. Planning Meeting (preparatory meeting):<br>A group of 8 to 35 people (thats the range I have experienced in my <br>career of working with OST) that the "leaders" selected, mirroring <br>approximately the expected participants, meet for exactly 3.5 hours to<br>- exchange their expectations re the outcome (Thinking of the first <br>working day after the event, what has changed?)<br>- develope the overall theme (in four steps: everyone for himself <br>followed by random small groups to come to one theme, followed by a <br>quick round of weighing the various themes, a round of three or four <br>that want to come to a final suggestion (in fishbowl with the rest of <br>the group watching, one empty chair for folks watching to come in and <br>make a suggestion and immeditately leaving the chair again) and fourth <br>an exchange of all to see whether the theme is it<br>- a brainstorming on who all needs to be invited to the event to <br>actually work successfully on action that would carry the expectations <br>forward under the chosen overall theme... usually a long list pops up <br>which is reduced by a quick check on whether concrete people are behind <br>the suggestions. For instance if someone says "The press" it will not <br>count unless someone comes up with a particular organ or best a <br>particular person...). The list is then checked on once more by <br>identifying who is essential. If it turns out that someone mentioned as <br>"essential" will definitely not come (for whatever reason) I suggest <br>that then expectations have to be reduced or the overall Theme changed. <br>That can lead to more clarifications and strenghens the common ground.<br>- produce a list of stuff that needs to be worked on and who will be in <br>charge of that for each item, such as producting an invitation, <br>designing different invitation procedures for different target groups <br>(some will need an letter, others a letter and a phone call, some you <br>have to go and see, etc.)<br><br>Shortly before the end of the Planning Meeting I ask folks to sit in a <br>closing circle and briefly state what they experienced in the last 3.5 <br>hours. Amazing stuff will surface such as: I came doubting this would <br>make any sense, now I am on fire and have taken charge of finding a <br>venue... I have been working as an executive for 20 years and never had <br>a more productive and fun gathering... we have developed into a real <br>group even though several of you I never met before...<br>(in other words this group together with the "leader" is now leading and <br>spreading the word about the event in their system.)<br><br>This kind of approach has always worked also because the formal <br>"leaders" were present and even though it was not done in "OST" nothing <br>happened in the 3.5 hours that was not what those present worked and <br>decided on.<br><br>There was, however, one event that I was asked to faciliate a year after <br>a massacre in a school in a town south of Berlin, where the folks of the <br> government (state government, secretary of education), protested <br>against the overall theme. I told the sponsoring group that this <br>intervention could be taken into consideration in a second round of the <br>Planning session. The Planning Group did rise to a stance that would <br>have threatened the event, the secretary gave in.<br><br>I think this process works, because it prevents being misled and <br>deceived by "leaders" although, that was not my primary motive for <br>insiting on this process (in fact, I did not accept a job unless this <br>procedure was followed). My primary purpose was to have more space for <br>broad leadership in which formal "leaders" were included, of course.<br><br>I am writing this after returning from my Saturday visit at the local <br>farmers market. As always I met folks I know, neighbors, friends, old <br>colleagues. But today a small child (about 3) ran by me waving his arms <br>like a bird wanting to fly. I shouted, watch ought your will fly off in <br>a minute. The father looked at me and said, hi, I am Johannes, I know <br>you from the Open Space event in our highschool (10 years ago, the day <br>after 9/11) and his mother minding her grandson called out a name of a <br>colleague that also worked on the event. Of course, we chatted and they <br>kept repeating what a basic impact that made on them and how the Student <br>Body respresentatives used open space in their weekly sessions (Anna <br>Caroline Turk was part of that at the age of 18 or so)...<br>Reflecting on the event on my way home in the bus I remembered an <br>exchange I had with the Director of the school after the first of at <br>least three "Next Meetings" (checking on the Action Steps and the next <br>steps in a group of everyone that was partaking in the Actions that had <br>been planned at the end of the ost event):<br><br>"Hey, Michael, something strange is happening!"<br>Yes, tell me more.<br>"I have much more time now then I used to have!"<br>How is that for you?<br>"Perfect, great, something I always had hoped for. People just dont come <br>to me anymore for the myriad of details and questions that they used to <br>have. Now, I finally have the time to spend time on issues that are <br>vital for the school."<br><br>Greetings from Berlin where I am now returning to picking blackberries <br>in our garden<br>mmp <br clear=all><o:p></o:p></p><div><div><div><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal>________________<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>When the mind is quiet, the sun of your heart will shine once again, and you will be free of problems.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> - <a href="http://www.robert-adams.info/" target="_blank">Robert Adams</a><o:p></o:p></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>