Hi Martin,
The concern you describe is precisely why when the support of management is determinant in follow-ups, it's important not only to get participants to identify priorities. After the survey or vote on priorities, I also have the management team meet for 10 minutes so they can give immediate feedback to the group as to whether these recommended priorities are a GO or not, given the resources, context or other factors. When after this, participants invest time and energy in action planning, they are assured it is not wasted and we avoid cultivating cynicism with a process that as you described could be deceiving. Management teams usually feel more comfortable agreeing to do an OS event knowing they have that opportunity during the process to adjust outcome to reality. Participants are also reassured knowing it won't be just a dream exercise but that it will be anchored with leadership support. Diane From: OSLIST [mailto:osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu] On Behalf Of Martin Boroson Sent: 14 mars 2008 09:08 To: osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu Subject: Re: Convergence or Group Consensus Thank you Harrison, Michael and Michael for your simple, elegant suggestions. I am wondering how you (or anyone else) would handle this situation: The client is happy to open the space for issues and ideas, and happy to see some initial steps taken on those ideas, but doesn't want to give too much away in the convergence process (or the 'invitation to action phase'). The client just isn't willing to give a green light, in advance, to whatever project emerges, and doesn't want to mislead the people assembled. Would the re-opening of the space on the third day, with the question "What next?" imply that the setting of priorities is the group's decision? Or that the participants can proceed with whatever they want afterward? I imagine that many people leave Open Space events with this kind of expectation, only to face a different reality at work the next day. How would you handle this with the client? How would you communicate this to the group? Any other thoughts? Many thanks, Marty * * ========================================================== 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
