At 12:22 PM 6/23/2003 +0400 Raffi Aftandelian wrote:
The facilitators didn't do many of the things that I associate with OS's form and yet the event had many of the qualities of OS, though admittedly not all of them. This led me to wondering just how absolutely essential these pieces of the form are.
The important thing to remember (for me) is that Open Space is all about enabling the natural powers of self-organization. As a natural power, Self-Organization is already there, working, but maybe not as well as it could. Under circumstances where self-organization is just clicking right along -- no need for Open Space. You are already "there." On the other hand, if a little (lot of) help is needed, that is where Open Space fits in -- never doing more than you have do, and always remembering to do one less thing -- just to see how much is really necessary.
What wasn't done: 1. no walking in a circle (the two co-facilitators sat at the head of the room)
Walking the circle focuses and centers the group. If the group is already focused, and knows where it is, save the effort and sit down.
2. no attention to breath, request to look about the room
Breathing is always nice, and when folks are so pre-occupied that they forget, it is useful to remind them. But if they already have the situation in hand (breathing in and out) why bother? As for "looking around the room", I guess I do this (say this) more often than not. I find people putting most of their attention on me (the facilitator) and they "should be" focused on the true resources for the day -- which is all around the room.
3. the theme was framed very generally and almost accidentally. We all knew why we were gathered. We usually leave the last day of the conference for planning the year ahead. No desired result was framed either.
If everybody knows why they are present -- why bother with more words? In such situations I have often gone with the No-Theme Open Space. The folks already know it better than I could say it.
4. clear explanation of the need to draw on one's passion and to take responsibility for the session topic offered
Always a useful suggestion.
What was done: 1. request to walk to center, write topic, write name, and post. (this was done once, not three times as I understand is better) 2. report forms given out 3. Also facilitators took it upon themselves to tell us where we should post the topics.
Sounds reasonable --
But the energy of the sessions felt very much like OS. I wouldn't call it full OS.
If you think that Open Space is the way we are (which I do) -- but sometimes we forget -- then we are always in Open Space. Albeit forgetfully. So the facilitator doesn't create or do a thing -- Just reminds folks of what they already are. Some times this reminder requires the Whole Enchilada -- and sometimes just a whisper will do. In the best of times -- NO words are required. Harrison
Harrison Owen
7808 River Falls Drive Potomac, MD 20854 USA phone 301-365-2093 Open Space Training www.openspaceworld.com Open Space Institute www.openspaceworld.org Personal website http://mywebpages.comcast.net/hhowen/index.htm [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
