Hello, Ms. Christy! I am on the road so unsure when this message I am sending will get into the conversation stream, but. Christy wrote: <What, if anything, do you say/do/think when someone says to you, "oh, I've been to an Open Space Technology meeting before, and I didn't like it, and wouldn't want to do it again," .and upon gentle inquiry you discover that what they were told was "Open Space" was not really so very open? And/or that something was missing (for example, session summaries weren't posted or shared or compiled in a timely way, or at all)? .And especially when the spaces in question were held by really wonderful people (definitely possessing "good heads and good hearts") whom you like very much?>
Ahhh, Ms. Christy. Indeed I have had that experience. All I can say is that it's an opportunity to share how choice of appropriate method/tool/technology, design of time, and attention and respect to pre-work, detail and follow-up are the cornerstones of good facilitation, no matter the method. Maybe even to share your own 'survivors of bad Open Space' stories if you have them, if appropriate. And to invite that person to another event in future. There are a few facilitators I know (no matter the methods they use) that I dearly love and to whom I would never refer a prospective client, alas. Because I trust the process, but I have seen or experienced a situation that person has facilitated that I would not like to see repeated. And even so, I can still love that colleague for who they are, for their intention, their passion, their dedication. Your question raises an interesting point. So not to take you off Christy's question, but to add another one -- what do you (all of you) do when you hear that a great client has selected a facilitator you have seen do lousy work, or about whom you have heard others complain? Very tricky. I had this situation and I had a hard time wrestling with my own feelings and concerns. Do I tell the client, with the fear that it makes me sound competitive or unprofessional? Do I let them have their own experience, hoping it will be good? I have done the latter. What have you others done / felt / experienced? As with so many things, my other answer is: I call situations like this - a breathing lesson. Lisa ___________________________ L i s a H e f t Consultant, Facilitator, Educator O p e n i n g S p a c e 2325 Oregon Berkeley, California 94705-1106 USA +01 510 548-8449 <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected] <http://www.openingspace.net> www.openingspace.net -----Original Message----- From: OSLIST [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Christy Lee-Engel Sent: Friday, January 27, 2006 8:30 PM To: [email protected] Subject: How do you respond to unsatisfying experiences of "open" space? Hello dear open space friends, What, if anything, do you say/do/think when someone says to you, "oh, I've been to an Open Space Technology meeting before, and I didn't like it, and wouldn't want to do it again," and upon gentle inquiry you discover that what they were told was "Open Space" was not really so very open? And/or that something was missing (for example, session summaries weren't posted or shared or compiled in a timely way, or at all)? And especially when the spaces in question were held by really wonderful people (definitely possessing "good heads and good hearts") whom you like very much? thank you, Christy Lee-Engel Seattle -- weblog: http://lifecultivatinglife.blogspot.com * * ========================================================== [email protected] ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of [email protected]: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist * * ========================================================== [email protected] ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of [email protected]: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist
