Elwin, I need to give a short answer in the interest of my available time right now. I primarily work in intact organizations that are owned by shareholders, Boards, executive staff. Usually there is a single executive staff called President, CEO, executive director who has primary accountability for the performance of the organization. The decision to have an OST meeting is for a variety of different purposes, depending on the organization. Often, I have the opportunity to facilitate more than one OST meeting in an organization following another, each for different purposes.
The organization has ongoing HR, OD, Finance, Risk Management, Marketing, Sales protocols. Some carved in stone. Some open for change. We do OST meetings in organizations that have existing protocols. Further, the complexity of cause and effect relationships between departments, work processes and so on is intricately woven. Not necessarily the best, but it is there. The sponsor opens the space for the OST meeting to take place in his/her organization for which he/she is accountable. The 'givens', as I noted in an earlier post, have multiple benefits in identifying what the space in the organization truly is for input, creativity, inspiration and so on. Sometimes the space is almost limitless, sometimes it is more closed. Another way to look at givens is to be authentic and explicit in the organization about where the space is not open so that no one need waste energy there. Once the sponsor identifies the 'givens' and announces them, hence announcing what space is actually open and doing so with authenticity, the givens form the contracted terms within which people believe they can make a difference. We have recognized in intact organizations that when space is opened that is not authentic, because the terms were never sorted out for what is open in the ongoing organizational life, that the sponsors would close down the results from the space after the fact saying things like 'well, we can't do that action because it is outside of our funding contract' or 'we can't do that action because it is not in the budget.'. The sponsor gets frustrated, as do those who had participated in the OST event. On the other hand, I have witnessed the aftermath of an OST event where there was no use of givens, where the sponsor (VP of HR) dismissed all outputs from the meeting (the outputs were stellar), he also fired people who had been outspoken. I hope this helps. Birgitt -----Original Message----- From: OSLIST [mailto:osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu] On Behalf Of Elwin and Joan Sent: Monday, April 03, 2006 1:01 PM To: osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu Subject: Re: Evaluations - "Why and Why Not" Birgitt, I am intrigued. What have you found in your study? I have used OST to bring together groups with a "common interest" for the purpose of discussing and documenting “next steps" toward formation of Trade or Civic Associations. All have led to formation and action sustained over the course of several years now. The same is true when I revisit with OST to extend their vision and planning. What’s your experience and with whom? Elwin Guild Future Development International Baltimore --- Birgitt Williams <birg...@dalarinternational.com> wrote: > There are probably as many organizations who would never have an OST > meeting again as their are those who will. I have found it > interesting to study those who will not and why. > > Blessings, > Birgitt * * ========================================================== osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist -- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.385 / Virus Database: 268.3.4/299 - Release Date: 3/31/2006 -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.385 / Virus Database: 268.3.4/299 - Release Date: 3/31/2006 * * ========================================================== osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist
