Thanks for sharing your very interesting story, Gerard. I find many managers hesitating about this opportunity. About a month ago I facilitated an OST where 6 public organizations got together to work out new areas of cooperation. Although not that kind of competitors, one of the areas they want to cooperate in is staff development/training and also possibilities to have a broader spectra for professional careers through having the opportunity to work in other public workplaces. Greetings Thomas Herrmann
> -----Ursprungligt meddelande----- > Från: OSLIST [mailto:[email protected]]För Gerard Muller > Skickat: den 11 mars 2003 23:48 > Till: [email protected] > Ämne: Inviting the Competition ? > > > Dear All, > > I had an interesting Open Space last week that I would like to share > with you. > It really started almost a year ago, when an association of small > companies (a cooperative) asked me to facilitate a seminar to discuss > their strategy for the next five years. > > They made the previous one three years ago, and were ready > implementing > it ahead of time. > Participants would be all Board members and all employees, some 20 in > all. > > I discussed their situation and wishes with the director, and > he agreed > to an OS. > So I had a preparation meeting with him and 4 Board members > to prepare. > Good people, and a very constructive team > > After having made a draft of the invitation, I asked them who > else would > have important knowledge relevant to their meeting. And we made an > analysis of the network around the central theme. > > They agreed to invite all the key persons - except of course the > competition: two main competitors in Denmark, and one in Sweden. But > somehow I felt it would be more beneficial than dangerous, > and we ended > with a model where all guests were invited during the day, and the > original 20 would continue. > That way - was the reasoning - they would get the input but limit the > :risk. > > All three competitors sent their directors as well as the chairman of > their Boards. > > During the Open Space it was not visible to me these people were > competitors. > And one of the main conclusions of the first day was > something like The > main issue is not how to grow a little in Denmark, but how to > enter the > German market with our superior product - none of us alone would have > the resources to go in succesfully, but together we could. > > The Open Space last week was for one of the competitors. And they > invited their competitors - who all came. > > Any other stories about inviting the competition (or working for the > competition) ? > > Greetings from > > > > > Gerard > Open Space Institute Denmark > > * > * > ========================================================== > [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
