Hi Ralph and John, And thank you for this discussion on mandatory or invitation. I think invitation is the ideal. It is how I conduct my life--I wouldn't want someone showing up in it under duress. And it is how I think we respectfully conduct organizational life. It is good role modeling---about where the energy is, where it is not, and how to work from there. I would rather a situation where over a period of time, more and more individuals accepted the invitation.
I agree that an Open Space works even if mandatory attendance. I know my goal is always using the Open Space to move toward the Open Space Organization, an open learning organization. Sometimes I am only in the organization for one event. So maybe this shouldn't matter to me, but it always does. And because I wear this lens, the idea of mandatory doesn't fit. Any more comments? Birgitt -----Original Message----- From: ralphsc [SMTP:[email protected]] Sent: September 7, 1998 9:07 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: Help for David Hi, I have conducted many open space events where attendance was mandatory. In my experience, they all worked just fine. Personally I only have a problem with "mandatory"unless the system is in some kind of conflict or turmoil. Employees get called to meetings all the time and attend with no more than a usual amount of behaviorus interruptus. If the very act of calling the meeting is widely and clearly perceived as advancing or exacerbating the conflict, then it's worth a good close look. Academics do seem to be somewhat more contrary about these things than most, but I wouldn't let that stop me before I start. Ralph Copleman
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