Dear friends in Open Space/GC The passed days I opened space for 2 full days for a +300 group (as mentioned in an earlier record-announcement).
Before the event my sponsors were quite nervous because two of the expected participants were well known from several other occasions for disturbing and even going to personal (verbal) aggression. I calmed them down sharing that OST allows space for people to do what they need to without letting anyone taking over the space and that people usually treat each other well. Before starting one of them came up to me asking where we were going to show pictures/powerpoints and I, of course, said there would be none. During the event these two persons raised two topics (one each I think) and both were very well visited, about 20-40 participants, lively discussions, and as I heard very respectful and good ones. The first afternoon one of them spent a quite long time at the computer station writing the first report. He was not so used to writing on computers so it took quite some effort. The next day they were writing the report together, very thoroughly. In the late afternoon of the first day quite a few of the participants had left early, but they remained. After evening news they stayed on a little to help the sponsors with some minor practicalities. In the prioritization process one of their topic were on 4th place. At the closing circle on day two they shared the following: Person one: This is the first conference where I havent seen people going to sleep. Person two: At first I thought, what is this consultant (paid lots of money) going to try to do to us? But then...this was such a great way of working together.... During the Medicine Wheel reflection one of them shared thoughts regarding vision she thought that the visions where already there, but this was a great way to agree on common visions. One of the sponsors came up to me afterwards quite moved and shared some of her thoughts regarding the magic of what had happened to these persons AND to others who all of a sudden showed them respect and treated them as fellow humans... Open Space Technology works in many magic ways and I am fortunate and honored to open space to wonderful people like this. Thanks for being on this journey with me Warmly Thomas Herrmann Phone +46 (0)709-98 97 81 Open Space Consulting Pensévägen 4 434 46 Kungsbacka, Sweden Email: <mailto:tho...@openspaceconsulting.com> tho...@openspaceconsulting.com <file:///C:\Documents%20and%20Settings\Administrator\Application%20Data\Micr osoft\Signaturer\www.openspaceconsulting.com> www.openspaceconsulting.com ---------------------------------------------------- Vill du skapa en välmående och effektiv organisation och ta tillvara hela dess potential? Open Space Consulting erbjuder dig: * Lärtillfällen kring hälsa och balans i organisationer * Analyser av organisatorisk hälsa och balans * Handledning av effektiva och kreativa möten och konferenser * Utbildning av mötes- och processhandledare * Coaching för organisationer i förändring ---------------------------------------------------- Ingår i Beyond Performance Group ---------------------------------------------------- Vårt antivirusskydd scannar alla utgående mail. Infekterade mail stoppas automatiskt. * * ========================================================== 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