Suzanne --
So you had fun! Great!! And as I read along I had this strange sense of déjà view all over again, to quote the great Yogi. This is where we started with improvements!! OST was born out of the recognition that the really juicy part of a large conference happened in the coffee breaks, to which I would add the bar, long walks, and just hanging out. Sure there were formal presentations and elaborate processes to include people, expand people, transform people. But for the most part the formal sessions provided stuff we had heard before or could have read in a book, and all the elaborate processes seemed great at the start, but simply couldnt hold a candle compared to a good conversation at the bar or wherever. My learning from your experience for which I thank you is that the good old informal, self organizing system is alive and well, and it will function regardless of all efforts to structure and control. And if you offer a little support (your anywhere, anytime sessions) it only gets better. Doug is right the whole thing becomes rather subversive. You might call it Stealth OST. My real learning is that we havent invented a thing. It (self organizing systems) always was. We may acknowledge its presence, support its process, but at the end of the day it will do just fine all by itself. Of course it would feel better if folks stopped trying to organize a self organizing system. Harrison Harrison Owen 189 Beaucaire Ave Camden, ME 04843 207-763-3261 (Summer) 301-365-2093 (Winter) Website www.openspaceworld.com Personal Website www.ho-image.com OSLIST To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options <http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html> http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html _____ From: OSLIST [mailto:osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu] On Behalf Of Suzanne Daigle Sent: Thursday, September 03, 2009 6:00 PM To: osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu Subject: Not ideal but worth the effort Back from Boston after facilitating A Taste of Open Space at the NAMAC (National Alliance for Media, Arts and Culture) Conference. This was my first large event (300+ participants); did not have that much lead time to prepare; and the circumstances were less than ideal: blended with workshops, no opportunity to sit in a circle and for a while, I worried about wall space and ability to use masking tape on the walls of this ornate room in a historical hotel. We used blue painters tape. Looking back, I would not have traded a minute of this experience. Yes, it could have been so much better but ultimately it was worth it based on the number of conversations (20 25 more?) over the 3 days of the conference. I had 90 minutes on the first morning with the plenary group to OPEN SPACE: announce the OS question tied to their theme (Lisa Heft was so helpful in offering some ideas with lots of other invaluable tips too), to explain the principles and the Law, to build an agenda, and to open a marketplace. Within an hour, no less than 15 groups were talking. I called it the Speed Dating of OPEN SPACE clearly indicating that this was just a TASTE of Open Space. I said it would be an opportunity for them to find each other quickly by connecting with others who shared their passion on common topics. I thought I would be a basket case but somehow having meditated twice daily for the 10 days preceding this event, rehearsing on my outside patio over and over, scouring Diane Gibeaults training materials, reading everything I could get my hands on and seeking help from some OS trusted friends who were so very generous, I felt calm, clear and grounded. It wasnt about me; it was about the participants! The night before, working with a few volunteers, I took the time to quietly walk the room and did so again the next morning. And I thought of this audience and my passion for their cause free press, documentary film producers, youth, arts, media, culture, democracy, etc. The hardest part was not having the circle and people writing and posting the topics at the back of the room. Clearly all the OS practitioners are right that you NEED a circle to keep the energy focused in the middle in spite of the fact that I had them visualize a giant circle as part of my intro. Not the same at all! As people were writing and announcing their topics, many started conversations around their tables and I had to bring them back to attention a few times. I feel we could have had 60 to 75 topics in those first 15 minutes instead of the 30 we got. Others topics were added later and some folks posted Summary Reports from their discussions. Over the 3 days, there were six 90 minute OS timeslots on the program not including the Closing (no circle there either). What I invited people to do was to live the 4 Principles of OS and the Law of 2 Feet (Butterfly and Bumble Bee) throughout the conference and even beyond. We had blank post-it notes so they could schedule their sessions anytime, anywhere and they did: in the coffee shop, in the bar (15 people form 10 pm until past midnight), early morning and lunchtime as well as in the assigned locations in our plenary room which became the OPEN SPACE hub. What they said they appreciated most was the gift of choice and freedom. As I watched the conversations happening from afar, I felt such gratitude to have had the courage to do this. People came by to share quietly as I cleaned up coffee cups, trash, etc. The feedback was extremely positive and while I know it could have been better, my commitment to be opening space for people wherever and however I can from the heart is what drives me now. Yes I will always push for optimal conditions as I feel I must. But if I cant get there, I will just try to do my best and not shut the door. If anyone wants to know more, Ill gladly share all that I lived and felt during those three days. I owe so much to this community. Thank you everyone. Link to some of the NAMAC OS photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/namac/page5/ Suzanne -- Suzanne Daigle NuFocus Strategic Group 7159 Victoria Circle University Park, FL 34201 FL 941-359-8877; CT 203-722-2009 www.nufocusgroup.com s.dai...@nufocusgroup.com * * ========================================================== 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 * * ========================================================== 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
