OPEN SPACE INSTITUTE NON-MEETING MINUTES
May 23, 1997
This is both a status update on current activities and several questions
for us to ponder. This is also an experiment in conducting a meeting of
the OSI membership (and beyond) via e-mail. The status part is easy
that's just one-way information. I believe the questions that follow
deserve dialogue. This is tough to do via e-mail. Given the size of the
e-mail list, the mailing will go out in 3 parts: to OSI members, the OSI
listserv and to others who have expressed interest in OSI but are not yet
members. OSI members not on e-mail will get a paper copy; they can respond
to me and I will put their responses on-line.
Would someone be interested in setting up an on-line conference for us to
discuss these questions? Short of that, we are planning to hold the OSI
annual meeting within the Open Space on Open Space (OSonOS) meeting in
October. Some of these questions could be dealt with there.
So, having made my plea for someone more technically competent than me to
set up a conference, here are some questions that I've been pondering:
QUESTION 1: Who gets to participate? This message is going to everyone
who expressed interest in OSI. Should it continue to go to the broader
audience of interested parties who are playing but not yet paying? Below
are a sample of responses when I put this question out as part of the
discussion on trading service for membership:
who do you want to be responsible for the culture and climate of the
community? Whoever, that is, is the right one to address the question. (In
open space terms, whoever wants to participate in the dialogue.) (Allan
Paulson)
I do think it's a responsibility that's not just for "interested parties."
Membership is (to me) taking responsibility for the organization (not just
"interest"). (Jan Gray)
Those who have passion (interest; self-interest) around any topic, such as
policy issues should take responsibility for opening up the space for
others with passion/interest/self-interest to decide (for themselves and
the rest of us). Should your/their decision raise my or other levels of
interest to where I or others need to covene an open space to counter or
modify that decision, then I or others should take responsibility to do so.
Decision making, like planning, needs to be real-time, and open to
modification as we get smarter, or gain insight into various issues.. (Dick
Gilkeson)
This question came up years ago in the Focusing Institute, the organization
associated with Gene Gendlin's work. What happened in the Focusing
Institute is that the same people tended to show up to talk about policy
issues, curriculum, etc. Sometimes new people would enter the discussion.
I suspect that if you put out a call, as you have, for comments, that the
people who care about this issue will show up. (Kay Vogt)
A learning that I would add is I believe for non-members, receiving these
kinds of notes and being able to participate in the discussion has been a
deciding factor for people to join OSI. I'm guessing that is the case
because membership checks start arriving each time a note like this goes
out. So consider this the plug for membership. That's $70 or what you can
afford, payable to:
Open Space Institute
15347 SE 49th Place
Bellevue, WA 98006
QUESTION 2: We have 2 inactive OSI board members. How do we want to do
selection? This question may best handled during the OSI (US) Annual
Meeting at OSonOS. We may want to spend some e-mail time discussing the
role of the board and how selection occurs. (Whoever comes?) By the way,
currently I'd propose that the role of the board is to hold the space for
OSI.
QUESTION 3: Currently, OSI (US) activities are either through e-mail or in
Seattle. How do we give OSI an active presence elsewhere in the country?
I have been pondering the idea of affiliates or chapters in many cities
where people meet periodically to share stories, questions and learnings
with each other. That would provide a place for new people and seasoned
practitioners to share their questions and experiences with each other.
What are your reactions to this form?
QUESTION 4: When I put the policy question on OSI membership in return for
service out, the responses were profound and varied. Simplistically, of
the 13 responses, there were approximately 3 who said yes, fair trade makes
sense and 8 who said no. I say approximately because the nature of the
answers are far from black and white. Here are some samples:
in many volunteer organizations which define themselves as communities of
common interest or belief, service is an expectation of membership, and not
a trade for membership. I think offering membership as a quid pro quo for
service will tend to devalue the meaning of membership. Those who offer
service ideally do so because they want to, without other expectations.
(Allan Paulson)
Don't think service for membership is appropriate. The organization will
not be sustained without funds. (Tony Granillo)
I think we should look at what we need (services? cash?) and what they
offer and get the best value. (Jan Gray)
If OSI would have paid for services from someone to accomplish work, then a
trade option seems viable. I am thinking as OSI as a living organism like
the person asking to trade. (Marlene Daniel)
OSI needs MONEY right now! Although trading for services sounds more
democratic, I suspect it will have a fair amount of appeal. I'm against
trading, although I'm not against taking fees and then paying those
offering services for their services if we can't find a way to get them for
free or cheaper elsewhere. ("You pay me your $70, and I'll pay you back $90
for your technical help.") Money, after all, is what our society has
adopted to get around the problem of always having to figure out what
everything is worth in trade. I suggest we go with this convention, despite
my wishes that we had a society that had people and not money at its core.
(Dick Gilkeson)
>From my experience in other non-profit orgs., the "in-kind" services in
lieu for membership payment, while a noble idea, tends to raise all other
questions about valuing people's time and contributions. How equitable will
it be? Who governs the 'payments' into the services bank to level things??
Very difficult to administer... (Fidelma McGinn)
if someone wants to be part of OSI (USA) and can't afford the fees, then
"work for service" seems to me a great idea. (Connie Chapman)
Based upon these responses, I propose that membership is membership paid
for with money a donation of whatever a person can afford, even if that's
less that $70.00. What do you think?
QUESTION 5: I am beginning to realize that as a person whose name is given
out when people want help in doing OS, that I am in a position to make
referrals that could affect people's pocket books. What kind of stand do
we want to take on requests for facilitation support made to OSI? This has
not happened much yet, but I want us to anticipate a clean way to handle it
with the hope that we have such a wonderful problem!
Now, for the easy stuff: STATUS
OSONOS
The fifth annual Open Space on Open Space will be held from Saturday,
October 25, 7:00 pm to Monday, October 27, 5:00, pm. The location is
Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The OSI (US) annual meeting will be held during
the OS. Plus, Harrison will be signing his new books from 6-8 pm on
October 27. To register, send your check (sliding scale from $50 to $200)
to:
Open Space Institute of Canada
c/o Joan Denew
870 Main St. East, Hamilton
Ontario L8M 1L9
CANADA
RSVP by September 20. You can reach Joan at: de...@netaccess.on.ca
Also, there will be a post conference session on OS training on October 28
from 9 am to 5 pm, fee $40.
For hotel accommodations, call 416-599-1000 or fax 416-599-7394 and tell
them you are with the Open Space Institute Holiday Inn on King in Toronto,
Ontario.
MASS MAILING
We've finally done it. The mailing to Harrison's list will be going out
next week. It contains information on joining OSI, attending OSonOS and
ordering the Open Space At Work issue. It cost us just around $2,000 to
send to about 3,000 people.
MEMBER LIST
In case you're wondering who else has donated money to the cause, here are
our members:
Aitken Jeff je...@tmn.com 415
221-7479
Baker Sherry
605 795-5543
Blank Jerry bla...@wdni.com
Breisch Roger rebrei...@aol.com
Donaldson Jack watrs...@pacifier.com 503 244-2301
Drake Dell 71643.1...@compuserve.com 206 723-3548
Erickson Sheryl seerick...@aol.com 508 278-6603
Everett Joelle
360 426-8517
Furia Karen kfu...@dol.gov 206
553-1534
Gilkeson Dick men...@transport.com 503 621-3612
Gleiberman Paul paulgl...@aol.com 206
827-6782
Gray Jan jang...@msn.com 206
789-4143
Halprin Sara sarahalp...@igc.apc.org
Hartwell Lee lhart...@fhcrc.org 206
526-5494
Hawley Doug mdhaw...@ix.netcom.com 510 284-5597
Henry Rich rhe...@pierce.ctc.edu 206
964-6434
Herman Michael michael...@aol.com 312 280-7838
Holman Neil nfhol...@aol.com 206
643-6357
Holman Peggy holm...@wdni.com 206 643-6357
Hopkins Giles gphopk...@aol.com 301 365-8992
Hower Mark maho...@ix.netcom.com 206 781-5150
Jones Mark mark.r.jo...@boeing.com 206 957-5800
Kaipa Prasad pka...@aol.com 408
866-8511
Kinsman Carolyn ckinsm...@aol.com 242-9207
Kirkpatrick David dk...@igc.apc.org 510
548-4087
Koenig William bkoe...@ix.netcom.com 206 633-3000
Lahl Jeff
Larson Scott larsg...@ipc.apc.org 206
997-2137
Lindfield Michael michael.j.lindfi...@boeing.com 206 865-2255
Magill Sam mag...@halcyon.com 206
743-0384
McGinn Fidelma fide...@911media.org 206 682-6552
Naujak Theresa
206 526-5494
Owen Barry r...@eve.telalink.net(RSI) 615 327-4800
Owen Harrison o...@tmn.com 301 469-9269
Peters David davidl...@aol.com 317
299-4333
Pollard Charlotte
Potter Wendy
206 621-4469
Sieden Clarice clarice.sie...@boeing.com 206 621-3540
Silha Stephen
206 567-4363
Stadler Anne annes...@sprynet.com 206 364-3317
Stuart Brent brent.h.stu...@boeing.com 206 969-9707
Vogt Kay cave...@aol.com 708
790-1122
Weissflog Uwe uwe.weissf...@sdrc.com 513 576-2468
Zetty Metta g...@onr.com 210
561-6945
MONEY
Prior to paying for the mass mailing, OSI has $2,460 to its name.
BOOKS
Harrison has 2 books from Berrett-Koehler that will be published this fall.
He is beginning to make book tour (a series of OS's around the country)
arrangements. If you have an idea for a stop, let him know. He's at
o...@tmn.com
WEB SITE
When the mailing goes out next week, the new-and-improved web site will go
up. It's taken longer than we'd like, but when you're talking labour of
love without monetary recompense, sometimes its hard to find the time.
Several of you have provided content on yourselves to post. I'm sorry it
is not up yet. Our intent is to get the new and easier to read version of
the site up and the member information will follow.
TRAINING
I notice that the most asked question that comes through the OSI web site
is where/when can I get training? We've been holding a conversation in
Seattle on re-thinking training. At this stage, We gathered a group of
people who have been through Harrison's training (and some who haven't) to
talk about what we want to create. There was a strong feeling that lecture
is NOT the way to help people become equipped to facilitate OS. What is
evolving is the concept that facilitation is best learned through
experience. What we're picturing is something like:
1. Attend an OS (we could do one for "trainees" or they can attend one on
their own)
2. Read Harrison's book on OST
3. Participate in periodic gatherings where oldies and newbies talk about
OS (we're beginning to meet monthly to swap stories). The idea is this is
a place where newcomers can get their questions answered in their own time.
It would be like a mini OS on OS each month.
4. Work with a mentor to facilitate an OS yourself (or reach some form of
completion if facilitation is not in the mentee's near future.) From a
practical stand point, this is an area that needs the most thought: what's
the role of the mentor? What aspects of the theory of OS is it incumbent
on the mentor to make sure they share (e.g., the elements of circle,
breath, the bulletin board and the marketplace; preparing yourself; what it
means to hold space). What is the time commitment of the mentor? What is
compensation for the mentor?
That's the concept as we know it so far. What's your reaction? One other
important outstanding question: What do we charge for training given this
kind of format?
U S WEST OPEN SPACE VIDEO
I have been talking to U S WEST about donating the OST video to OSI. While
they didn't go for this, they are willing to sell copies to OSI at a
reduced rate if we buy in quantity. For those of you who haven't seen the
video, it does a wonderful job of giving people a feel for what OS looks
like. I am working on negotiating a price that will let us sell them for
$75 each. U S WEST is currently charging $100. If would be interested in
buying a copy, please let me know.
That's it for now. Look forward to hearing from you and seeing you at
OSonOS!
