Dear Brendan Thank you so much for this. I am off this afternoon to a first planning meeting for a medical gathering of 200-300 using Open Space for one morning to set the agenda for better health care across a region. This will be my third one with them and I remember so well the initial questions about setting the agenda, making sure the outcomes were right, and dealing with protests. Today I am sure I will have some challenging questions from new organisers, but we have proved that if we get out of the way, Open Space and "life" weave their magic.
Cheers Chris [email protected] Chris Grady FRSA Chris Grady.Org Gothic House, High Road, Great Finborough, Suffolk IP14 3AQ Tel: +44 1449 771007, Mob: +44 7713 643971 [email protected] www.chrisgrady.org Associates: Kath Burlinson <http://www.kathburlinson.co.uk/>, Tom Atkins<http://www.tomatkins.co.uk/> , Rajni Shah <http://www.rajnishah.com/>, Keum Rolling, Drew Davies and Kate Reed (New York) *CGO - Making Connections* *Current Projects/Contracts*: Lecturer - MA Arts Management Anglia Ruskin University Advisor - Kolomna Pastila (Russia), DxL Creations (Japan), Dama Arts (Kuala Lumpa) Associate - Wonderbird Ltd / Consultancy In development - StoryMusic2020 <http://www.chrisgrady.org/storymusic2020> and StoryMusic London 2014 "*If a nation loses its storytellers, it loses its childhood.*" --Peter Handke Book in development - "Coffee or Peppermint Tea" stimulating or soothing creative career journeys *Dates for your consideration:* *CGO Surgery* one-on-one for creative artists: *Feb **8th* & *Mar 6th * London, *Mar 22nd* Manchester *The Art of Being Heard* for business personal development: *Jan 28th, Feb 11th* Ipswich For more information future dates and conference/meeting facilitation using *Open Space Technology* go to www.chri <http://www.chrisgrady.org/> sgrady.org <http://www.chrisgrady.org/> CGO Surgeries are kindly supported by Arts Council England through Grant for the Arts On Thu, Jan 30, 2014 at 9:14 AM, Suzanne Daigle <[email protected]> wrote: > Dear Brendan, > > What a gift this is! The questions, your answers...what a great gift, > that's all I can say! > > Suzanne > > > On Thu, Jan 30, 2014 at 12:32 AM, Brendan McKeague < > [email protected]> wrote: > >> Hi folks >> >> I've recently completed a one-day OST meeting with around 150 >> participants. It went very well and the sponsor was delighted (and much >> relieved) as he had 'put his neck out' with his 'higher-uppers' all along >> the way in order to have the event in the first place. One of the hoops he >> had to jump through beforehand was to to present a business case and >> justification for using OST in this context....I've recorded some of the >> email conversation that we've had as we progressed the discernment towards >> decision - over about three months. I thought some co-learners might be >> interested in parts of the to-ing and fro-ing dialogue - and would love to >> hear your comments around the questions this first-time user of OST is >> asking....or rather, being compelled to ask. >> >> Cheers >> Brendan >> >> >> Q: Does OST work with bigger numbers - the work shop will be large with >> an estimated 150+ diverse state and local government, industry, NGO and >> possibly some citizens attending. >> R: Open Space Technology (OST) is applicable regardless of numbers and >> diversity - indeed, we often find that the more stakeholder complexity, the >> better it works. I have worked with up to 350 participants and colleagues >> elsewhere with over 2000. >> >> The workshop is part of the finalisation of the Draft Strategic Plan and >> is being held to respond to the various propositions and issues raised in >> the public comment phase early this year. I have very briefly outlined the >> draft objectives and role of the selected facilitator below: >> >> *Objective:* >> The Strategic Plan is a new format for xxxxxx planning that challenges >> the current status quo of planning. Further consultation is required to >> provide a greater level of understanding of the 'systems' concept, and seek >> input on content and implementation issues. Main objectives include: >> >> · To build a collaborative environment ; >> R: OST certainly creates the opportunity for this - with the benefit of >> no predetermined agenda, all participants are invited to collaborate in >> co-creating the agenda around what's really important to them. >> >> · provide a greater understanding of the legislation impetus; >> R: OST allows participants to diverge and engage with others who have >> similar questions/issues in order to clarify understandings and pursue >> ideas that matter to them >> >> · genuine input and actions to assist in the finalisation of the >> Strategic Plan >> R: OST invites those who wish to contribute according to interest >> (passion) and responsibility - and then to offer to be part of ongoing >> actions beyond the event itself >> >> *Main role for Facilitator:* >> >> · Organisation of 150 stakeholders - some groups will be >> considered high risk. >> R: In OST, the participants self-organise and self-manage around what >> they care about - its a marvellous, fluid way to enable genuine/transparent >> collaboration, participation, inclusivity and emergence - thereby >> diminishing the likelihood of distraction by the disgruntled or a >> hi-jacking by the heavies >> >> · Creating a strategic, dynamic and collaborative process in and >> out of the workshop >> R: OST is a world-leading technology for this type of process >> >> . memorable, positive, inspiring - has to have the same takeaway as *previous >> (Deliberative Democracy) forum* i.e. participation was worthy of time, >> feel inspired, have made a difference - >> R: no process (or facilitator) in the world can guarantee these outcomes >> - unfortunately for me! OST can create the space where they are most >> likely to show up, provided that the sponsors have done their preparation >> properly - i.e. asked the right question, issued the right invitation, >> created the right space....then, the folks who care to show up in response >> do the rest by themselves. The power of a great OST mtg comes from the >> release of passionate energy when people are given the freedom to do what >> they really care about >> >> · Participants must go home with a greater more positive >> understanding (including impetus for use) of the SPS and systems thinking >> R: its very difficult to enforce the 'must go home with' aspiration when >> working with a group of mature (and diverse) adults. I can however say, >> from my experience of facilitating over 250 OST mtgs around the country in >> the last 15 years, that OST does provide everyone with the opportunity to >> participate at the level they chose, to ask the questions they bring with >> them, to engage with others who care about similar issues, to record their >> conversations, to contribute to action outcomes and to learn more about the >> topic about which they're meeting. And in all of that, they usually have >> a lot of fun too! >> >> · Defining clear objectives and parameter of discussion >> R: Once again, this is the work of the sponsors beforehand - we call >> these 'the givens' that form part of the invitation in OST - the container >> in which 'the space is open' - then let the people get to work around what >> they came to do >> >> · Day round up >> R: OST usually finishes with a Closing Circle for comments from >> participants and sponsors >> >> >> Dear Brendan, >> >> In an attempt to manage stakeholders expectations and ensure effective >> facilitation of diverse ~150 stakeholders within the broad scope (theme: >> Making the Planning Strategy a Success) , could you please kindly advise >> based on the desired outcomes (below) as to whether any other >> facilitation method would achieve the same outcomes as Open Space >> Technology (OST). >> >> · Time and labour efficient >> R: I know of no other process that will get 150 people working on what >> they want to work on together as quickly as OST; with the opening >> explanation and agenda creation taking about 45-50mins, the whole 150 >> participants can get down to work quickly on issues that are important to >> them. >> >> · Memorable and inspiring >> R: This is a product of participation on the day. The participants will >> create their own agenda around what's important to them and so they are >> invited to take responsibility for what they offer and engage with i.e. if >> it is not memorable and inspiring, then it may be that they have not >> responded fully to the invitation and they are in the wrong place - they >> can use the Law of Mobility to move elsewhere - or even leave if what's on >> offer is not why they came. Hence the importance of creating a clear, >> transparent and irresistible invitation for those who wish to make this >> Strategy a success. It is extremely important for the Sponsors to be >> familiar with, and endorse, the guarantees of an OST meeting - see attached >> explanation. >> >> · collaborative >> R: There are many levels of collaboration. Mature collaboration is about >> engaging with others - who may have very similar or very different views- >> and taking time to listen well, to speak truthfully about issues that are >> important and to be open to what emerges. Lesser forms/models of >> collaboration adopt coercion, compliance and competition as a container for >> obtaining predetermined desired outcomes. OST provides a container for >> self-organising around what is identified as important by those who wish to >> (or even, 'have to') do something about implementing this strategy. The OST >> process models the intention of seeking more mature collaboration around >> complex issues involving multiple stakeholders. >> >> · Enables strategic thinking >> R: The Planning Strategy has been developed - i.e. the diagnostics have >> been completed - based on various previous consultations. Now is the time >> for moving into implementation and operationalising the outcomes. This >> requires a dialogical process - where those responsible for implementation >> have opportunities to interpret, clarify, be creative, innovative and >> consider how they are going to do this within their own circles of >> influence. As I understand it, it's exploratory and open - there is not one >> uniform way of making this work successfully - it there is, then OST is not >> needed - people are told what to do and resourced to do it. OST provides >> space for creativity, diverse views and novel ideas to be named and >> explored. This cannot be legislated in advance - it needs to emerge from >> the confluence of energy, knowledge, skills, experiences and potentially >> contentious views of those who show up. OST is the most transparent process >> for this, with inbuilt principles of self-determination that enable high >> levels of passionate energy, high levels of learning and high levels of >> 'fun' to show up on the day. >> >> · Rapid consensus >> R: This is another question entirely. In a one-day meeting of 150 >> diverse stakeholders, what are you seeking 'rapid consensus' on? >> I would need to hear more from you about your purpose and intentions >> here. In my experience, when consensus is an expectation in such a short >> time-frame with so many people, there are too often 'winners and losers' >> and people can easily get bogged down in detail around language >> interpretation, aggressive defensiveness and even destructive competition >> to try to force a neat outcome. There are other, often more appropriate, >> ways of creating and sustaining alignment with the Strategy into the future >> (e.g. by creating and supporting 'communities of practice' around key >> themes emerging from the OST meeting) >> >> >> R: Thanks for asking these key clarifying questions. I realise how >> important this conference is in terms of creating a platform for >> implementation of the Planning Strategy. I agree that the process on the >> day needs to be the best match for your purpose. >> >> I have inserted a few comments and attached a brief 2 page explanation of >> OST and its 'guarantees'. >> >> In a nutshell, OST is not driven by 'predetermined outcomes' (my words) - >> it is about creating space for engagement and emergence with those who will >> be doing the work of implementation. It is a self-organising dialogical >> process that, in my opinion, is most suitable for this stage of your >> Planning Strategy. >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> OSList mailing list >> To post send emails to [email protected] >> To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] >> To subscribe or manage your subscription click below: >> http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org >> >> > > > -- > Suzanne Daigle > Open Space Facilitator > NuFocus Strategic Group > > FL 941-359-8877 > Cell: 203-722-2009 > www.nufocusgroup.com > [email protected] > twitter @suzannedaigle > > _______________________________________________ > OSList mailing list > To post send emails to [email protected] > To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] > To subscribe or manage your subscription click below: > http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org > >
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