Dave, I too am Certified Federal Workforce Mediator (trained by the Atlanta Justice Center). Have you ever thought about Open Space being a form of mediation. I believe a good mediator in essence Opens Space and then holds it for the party's to reach their own mutual agreements. Possibilities?
Rich Norris At 01:39 PM 4/28/00 EDT, you wrote: >To All, > >What highlights the OS experience is to be in an event that is not. I just >returned from a three day conference sponsored by the FMCS (Federal Mediation >and Conciliation Service) in Chicago. This is a bi-annual event and draws >more than 2,000 people from mostly the USA. (FMCS is a department of the >federal government and is responsible for mediation in contract disputes >between labor unions and management). > >All the sessions have been planned for months and months. In fact, people >have to submit proposals in order to be invited to present. During the two >full days of the conference, there are three scheduled break out periods, >with 10 to 12 different sessions on various subjects. The presenters >usually present for about an hour, and then a few minutes are left in each >session for Q & A. > >Since this is part of my job, I am expected to attend. After three days, I >can honestly say that I did have a meaningful conversation with anyone, other >than the folks I already knew, which happened at lunch or dinner. Here we >had 2,000 very talented and experienced participants, all with stories to >tell, and no way to get those stories out (unless you happened to be a >presenter). What a waste of time and talent. > >In my pre-OS enlightenment days, I probably would have come back home and >said, "Oh yeah, it was a good conference." Today all I can feel is >disappointment. Even worse, I feel that a wonderful opportunity was missed. >Thank goodness for all of you to give me hope. > >Thanks, >Dave Koehler > > Rich Norris Satellite Beach, Florida (407)779-0531 <[email protected]>
