Dear Lesley,
I inspired myself with your story on an already sun-drenched Sunday
morning in Berlin.
The way you got ready with the client, paid attention to details,
intervened with "Don't Just Do Something, Stand There!"....loads of
Open Space opportunities will come your way.
Greetings from Berlin
mmp
PS: you are invited to show up on
http://www.openspaceworldmap.org/
and join the 450+ colleagues that presently populate the Open Space
World Map
Lesley Symons wrote:
I have sat struggling with why I have been resistant to posting the
experience of my first facilitation of an OS event. Still not sure.... I
worked with a colleague, who's client this is, Anyway....the story
I am based in Sydney Australia and facilitated this workshop in Amsterdam,
Holland. The client was a corporate company with offices in Holland,
Australia, USA and UK. The meeting was a strategic meeting with
representatives from all offices. Approx. 40 people in total.
I suggested to my colleague that an Open Space event would be just right
for the organisation as there were:- top down control management,(based in
Holland),there were talented people throughout the organisation who were
not being heard, there was a powerful question to be resolved, the company
could not keep operating from the current management style and remain
successful, there was growing 'dissent among the ranks'.
The event was extremely successful. Both this organisation and my
colleague were enormously brave to be able to 'let go' and go with this
type of event. It has shifted their style and enabled the company to be
much more 'self-organising' and less top down in operation.
I held the space over two days. I had training just before with Brendan
McKeague here in Australia. He also was of immense help to me.
I found the event Scary, frightening, exhilarating-and very powerful. I
was nervous as I had suggested to do this type of event yet had never done
one!!
Also I was a female in a room with 38 corporate males with most wondering
nervously what was going on.........
So my musings on doing this event are-or rather-Notes to self for next time
wear comfortable, flat shoes for walking the circle(helps with grounding)
Walk very slowly-slower than you think possible
Own the space before entering (practise or walk the circle before)
Modulate voice tone if you can
News/Opening/Closing-impress that these are important times to meet
Action Planning: - Be Prepared...and then let go
Spend much time before and after with client-Before- to get the question
right- After- to help assist with the fall-out (grief work) when the
system changes
Do not under-estimate who can embrace this
Remain true to self and the PROCESS (this is your rock)
When you really feel pulled-in to engage-DON'T- this is the magic moment
A lot happens over night
You need two facilitators-one to hold the space and the other to organise
and liaise with hotel
Hotels don't get it- needs to be really briefed well, can be quite
frustrating
Be present............ Keep Meditating and go inward ..........
So that is all from me...at last. The client has been very happy with the
event. It has changed operating styles of individuals, groups and the
organisation as a whole, it has inspired them to 'slow down' and consider
more.
I have given the CEO Harrisons book on Open Space and handed him the
responsibility going forward for 'keeping the space open'.
I wish to thank my colleague who had the 'faith to trust’ and run with
this type of meeting.
Over and out
Lesley Symons
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--
Michael M Pannwitz, boscop eg
Draisweg 1, 12209 Berlin, Germany
++49-30-772 8000
mmpa...@boscop.org
www.boscop.org
Check out the Open Space World Map presently showing 444 resident Open
Space Workers in 72 countries working in a total of 141 countries worldwide
Have a look:
www.openspaceworldmap.org
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