Thomas, the situation you have here is one that is too often the situation in terms of human pain and sorrow. I think it is commendable that you are exploring ways to assist people to support each other. And it appears that you are doing so with the support of the headmaster.
I have been thinking about this situation and about what it is like to be in the early stages of grieving, particularly the stages of shock and anger and denial. And I wonder, when something is so traumatic as "becoming the survivors of downsizing" which includes survivor shock, whether it is the right moment for OST. And what the passion/responsibility would be that one would be willing to state. I can see passion for sure. But not passion/responsibility. I think this is too hard for the human spirit. On the other hand, I think that something should be offered to create the conditions for the humans involved to be supported. I think that it would be more helpful to do something with less structure such as Calling a Circle (see the book by the same name) and simply seeing what people had to say. This allows for passion to be expressed but does not immediately require responsibility. Respectfully to all the good work you are doing, Birgitt Birgitt Williams of Dalar International Consultancy Mentoring for Organizational Effectiveness ********************************************************* For ongoing professional development, join us for training in the Genuine Contact Program for exceptional results in organizational effectiveness. The remaining training dates for 2001 are noted below. Training can also be brought into an organization at other times. Those completing all four components of the Genuine Contact Program meet the requirements to attend the "train the trainer" session of four days, resulting in authorization to use the Genuine Contact Program for "in-house" training of teams. The Genuine Contact program is a program for building skill and capacity within the organization, for working with change. It is designed to keep external consultant involvement to a minimum, providing training and mentoring work only, so that working with change is led from within the organization. Leaders within an organization are taught to develop and use an operating system in which business is conducted with genuine contact at all levels on an ongoing basis. Upon completion of the sixteen days of training, the leaders are authorized to teach others within the organization, in an ongoing internal process, until the new operating system is functioning fully in a growthful and effective way. During year one, during and following the initial training, a consultant to the organization coaches and mentors this "in-house" team as the "in-house" team leads the change process for its own organization. Training components of the Genuine Contact Program are 1. Working with Open Space Technology (4 days); 2. Working with Whole Person Process Facilitation (2 days); 3. Working with Cross Cultural Conflict Resolution (2 days); 4. Advanced Work in Open Space Technology focusing on the Open Space Organization (4 days); and 5. Train the trainer in the Genuine Contact program (4 days). Detailed information is available on our website at www.openspacetechnology.com <http://www.openspacetechnology.com> Prices noted below are the usual price for a training session but prices vary dependent on costs within each location. Remaining training dates for 2001: Session One: Working with Open Space Technology ($600US): Holland June 8-11; London, England July 19,20 and 23,24; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA Oct 1-4; Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada Oct 15-18 Session Two: Working with Whole Person Process Facilitation ($300 US):Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada May 22-23; Sweden May 29-30; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA: Sept 17-18 Session Three: Working with Cross Cultural Conflict Resolution ($300US): Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada May 24-25; Sweden May 31-June 1; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA Sept 19-20 Session Four: Advanced Work in Open Space Technology focusing on the Open Space Organization ($800US): Berlin, Germany June 13-15; London, England Sept. 10-13; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA Nov 1-4 The Genuine Contact program Train the Trainer ($1500US): Raleigh,North Carolina, USA Sept 21,22,23,24 We invite you to the first conference of the International Alliance for Mentoring, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA Sept. 25-26 Fee $100 US. "Dalar International Consultancy offers you the opportunity to achieve organizational results beyond your expectations. We believe that Spirit matters and people are precious. We know that strategies based on these values have exciting, tangible results." Birgitt and Ward Williams - we create opportunities for Genuine Contact for higher consciousness -----Original Message----- From: OSLIST [mailto:[email protected]]On Behalf Of Thomas Herrmann Sent: Friday, May 11, 2001 7:50 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Major downsizing Hi list-friends. A client of mine has planned to hold a 2-day OST with all 170 staff, in june, the last days before they all go for summervacation. The theme was to concern the future of their school (working with "adult learning"). They are in the process of changing from public funding to "free market conditions". 5 public schools will be in a corporation owned by the municipality. Now it seems that they will loose a lot of the courses they have given before and face serious downsizing. The circumstances will be made clear the coming days. The headmaster believes that maybe 50 out of a total 170 persons on his school will have to leave. It is likely that there will be some reorganizations between the 5 schools serving different local areas. They probably all face lay offs. It seems pretty clear that a OST conference on the future of the school is not suitable as a lot of the people coming would not be inspired to plan for something they may not even be part of. But they do have a need to communicate and support each other though this. I think OST would still be suitable but I guess the theme should focus on the issue which is everybodys concern right now. I promised to make some research on experiences in similair situations. I would very much appreciate if you would like to share!! Greetings from sunny Sweden (summer is coming over here) Thomas Herrmann Phone +46 (0)709-98 97 81 Open Space Consulting Pensévägen 4 434 46 Kungsbacka, Sweden Email: [email protected] Medlem i BNI - nätverk för affärer (www.bni.nu) Jag kan tillhandahålla professionella affärskontakter: Revisor, Reklam, Tryckeri, Data/IT, Organisationskonsult, Resebyrå, Konferensarrangör, Marknadsföring, Försäkringsbolag, Utbildningsmäklare, Telekommunikation, Profilkläder, Fastighetsmäklare, Advokat, Naprapat, Rekrytering och personaluthyrning, Florist, Film & Videoproduktion, Bokföring, Hemservice. * * ========================================================== [email protected] ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of [email protected], Visit: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html * * ========================================================== [email protected] ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of [email protected], Visit: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
