Dear Doug, Thank you. I'm there in spirit...!
For now, quietly savoring my experiential discovery of Open Space in 2009 including a wonderful community with so many generous souls like Lisa, my Taiwan mate, and many other wonderful friends this year who I've met in person or feel I know already via this list. Wishing us all, a 24X7 Open Space year in 2010 and beyond! Suzanne Dear Doug, Thank you. I'm there in spirit...! For now, quietly savoring my experiential discovery of Open Space in 2009 including a wonderful community with so many generous souls like Lisa, my Taiwan mate, and many other wonderful friends this year who I've met in person or feel I know already via this list. Wishing us all, a 24X7 Open Space year in 2010 and beyond! Suzanne On Tue, Dec 22, 2009 at 9:44 PM, doug <o...@footprintsinthewind.com> wrote: > Suzanne-- > > And now you sound like Lisa Heft, with her "found poems." You certainly > found a great one! > > Wanna join our poets laureate circle? > > :- Doug. > > > > > On Sun, 2009-12-20 at 07:31 -0500, Suzanne Daigle wrote: > > From Harrison's posting and the replies, I see pieces of a puzzle, so > > like the picture in my mind which ebbs and flows between clarity and > > confusion, theory and action, thinking and doing in this journey of my > > life. > > > > > > * Open Space 24 X 7...oh the dream of it! > > * Invitation is where it all begins > > * Letting go to let be > > * One less thing to do > > * May not be perfect > > * Magic happens (perhaps because we suddenly realize this > > important fact that none of us and nothing is perfect and this > > more than anything releases us to be and do) > > * Oh what fun > > * The party has been going on for 25 years > > * Reaching back to bring forward > > * Helping people notice (others)...or experience what can be? > > * From the core...the "coeur" i.e. the heart > > * Invitation is where it all begins > > * But does it really begin there or in the conversations we have > > every day, opportunities to nourish and seize > > * How can we exponentially grow what we do as a collective > > because we all feel and know that the timing now feels > > different somehow > > > > And then finally, is Open Space about speaking less (not pressing the > > send button) and listening more...or speaking now because there is so > > much work to do and we have this opportunity to nudge but never force > > an awareness of consciousness that happens when we open space. > > > > So I decide again to press send with gratitude for others who do > > too. > > Suzanne > > > > > > > > On Wed, Dec 16, 2009 at 2:14 PM, Michael Herman > > <mich...@michaelherman.com> wrote: > > > > yes, exactly, about 'fails'. guess that should have been in > > quotes. it's same as we always say about posting an issue and > > nobody comes. it can't fail. there's always information in > > it. and several choices about what could do next. > > > > reminds me too, that i've often described the process of open > > space as a cascade of invitation. part of the power, i think, > > is that a leader or leadership groups somehow launches the > > "invitation" to a meeting, then he or she take the first three > > minutes of the meeting to share what i always suggest to them > > is "the story of how we got here." > > > > sometimes it's the short form of the history of the whole org, > > other times it's a quip about how we all made it here in the > > middle of this snow storm. then, the invitation is for each > > person to do what the leader has already done... make an > > invitation, name and issue, pick a place and a time, and then > > kick off the conversation with three minutes (i always bow to > > michael pannwitz for '8:00am to 8:03' sponsors introduction) > > about why the issue they posted is important to them... how > > they got to here, to caring about this issue. > > > > so the first bit in the cascading is that the leader invites, > > and then invites everyone else to invite. great power, i > > think, in asking folks to do what they themselves have already > > done. (for this same reason, this is why i always hand-write > > my posters, cuz i'm about to ask participants to scribble > > their own issues, so i figure that mine should be scribbled > > too.) > > > > next part of cascade is that particpants capture and process > > their notes, which i often refer to as 'an invitation to > > action, or at least an invitation to others who weren't part > > of the conversation to get involved.' and many times some of > > the actions will be 'have another meeting.' and so i point > > out that the invitation to those next meetings don't need to > > be hardly anything more than the scribbles that made the > > breakout meetings possible. > > > > so the coherence and integrity that come from a leader > > modeling what he/she is asking others to do, and then > > supporting the relative ease of convening a breakout or > > followup meeting, are two important dimensions of 'being > > inviting' as a leader. implicit in these the first is some > > stablility or confidence in the value of their own example, > > their own presence, and a comfort with who they are and what > > they can and can't do or control personally. and the wisdom > > to support in the simplest ways possible, like tape, markers, > > circle, for everyone else to pick up and do their own part. > > self-organizing. this comfort, clarity, integrity, > > confidence, i thikn, lets the caring come through, and > > suddenly they are "being inviting", not just "doing it". > > > > practice implies doing it again and again until we can 'be' > > it without the props of the doing. and over time controlling > > leaders become inviting leaders. i was saying just the other > > night at my neighborhood association, talking about > > invitation, and pointing out that if we bring more and more > > invitations to the fore, if this is how we do neighborhood, > > then what we get over time is a more and more inviting > > neighborhood. > > > > so this gets to my last point about invitation (at least for > > the moment!) ...if we live in open space and open space is > > inviting... then we must live in the midst of invitations, a > > whole bunch of things just trying or waiting to happen. at > > the neighborhood group, it's common to bemoan the lack of > > volunteers to do things... but that's really a lack of > > volunteers to do what a few board people think should be done. > > meanwhile, people are convening all kinds of little things > > that could benefit greatly by being supported with a community > > bulletin board. on bowen island that bulletin board is what > > chris corrigan calls "invititation corner", a vacant little > > piece of land just off the ferry, where posters of all sorts > > go up and invite gathering. > > > > and i always go back to your very first words to me, ever, > > harrison... when i asked in the kickoff of my first open space > > breakout session about how to, in a word, organize > > people/work/organization... you said "i don't. i go in and > > ask what's working and then ask how to grow more of that." > > what's working is inherently inviting. "working" and > > "inviting" are not separate. and i've always found this to be > > true... when i look for what's working, that's where i always > > find the bits of language, story, structure, action that are > > the fodder for inviting more of what works. > > > > so the only failure possible might be a failure to notice > > what's really working and why? > > > > m > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > > > Michael Herman > > Michael Herman Associates > > > > http://www.michaelherman.com > > http://www.ronanparktrail.com > > http://www.chicagoconservationcorps.org > > http://www.openspaceworld.org > > > > 312-280-7838 (mobile) > > > > > > > > > > On Wed, Dec 16, 2009 at 9:48 AM, Steve Cochran > > <scochran...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > > Thanks for opening this dialogue, Harrison. > > > > I'm wondering how any invitation can be regarded as > > failing if we enbrace the 'whoever comes...' > > principle? > > > > Best to All - Steve > > > > > > > > On Wed, Dec 16, 2009 at 10:15 AM, Harrison Owen > > <hho...@verizon.net> wrote: > > > > Good Stuff Michael and Denise -- And I wonder > > about "failed" invitations. If failure means > > that we didn't get precisely the folks we > > wanted to come -- there could be a number of > > reasons for that, not all of them bad. For > > example it could be that the issue we were so > > excited about really didn't have all that much > > going for it. And all those folks who failed > > to respond positively were just brighter than > > we were. Our "failed" invitation simply saved > > a lot of time and energy which might better be > > applied to something else. And just suppose > > all those folks did come out of some sense of > > "should" or "ought" -- and the whole affair > > turned out to be just as flat as they thought > > it might. Now -- how happy are the folks? And > > what do you think would be the likely response > > the next time you offered an invite? > > > > > > > > Harrison > > > > > > > > Harrison Owen > > > > 7808 River Falls Dr. > > > > Potomac, MD 20854 > > > > USA > > > > Phone 301-365-2093 > > > > www.openspaceworld.com > > > > www.ho-image.com (Personal Website) > > > > > > > > From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV. > > > > BOISESTATE.EDU <http://boisestate.edu/>] On > Behalf Of Michael Herman > > > > Sent: Wednesday, December 16, 2009 12:09 AM > > To: osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu > > Subject: Re: Opening space 24X7 --Wave Riders > > Unite! > > > > > > oh this is fun. > > > > > > for me, this business of inviting has long > > been the center of the ongoing practice of > > opening. what i noticed some time ago is that > > "inviting" is something that we can *do* as a > > business practice, somethign we can try and > > repeat and refine. but it's also something > > that we can, as individuals, *aspire* to *be*. > > the practical inviting is essential for > > performance. but the latter, the aspiring, is > > where spirit shows up. if we are a space for > > that. > > > > as for the accepting or not. being trained in > > economics and finance, straight through a > > rather serious mba program, i have always > > understood invitation in terms of markets and > > prices. any invitation is just like a bid or > > offer in any market. the text of an > > invitation is like a price. it's got to be > > stated, announced. but it also might need to > > be adjusted. i like what denise says about > > getting to "core" because core is from french > > coeur, heart. when an invitation fails, it's > > usually because i've started from something > > other than heart. > > > > the way i think of markets, despite the > > financial training, i mostly think in terms of > > farmers markets. the guy who brings tomatoes > > or blueberries or whatever has poured some > > chunk of his life energy into tending and > > harvesting that crop. it's him. it's his > > care. his responsibility in those baskets. > > it's what he has to offer. so invitation is > > the same. it just has to be offered. the > > danger is not that an invitation might be > > declined. the danger is in caring, in being > > full of somethign, and not sharing it, letting > > it go to waste. > > > > so the invitation to a meeting or simply into > > relationship in a passing smile on the street, > > is about being a space that doesn't know what > > will happen next, but shows up anyway. alive. > > ready. enough. and inquiring. > > > > anyway, these are some first thoughts that > > didn't want to rot. > > > > m > > > > > > > > > > -- > > > > Michael Herman > > Michael Herman Associates > > > > http://www.michaelherman.com > > http://www.ronanparktrail.com > > http://www.chicagoconservationcorps.org > > http://www.openspaceworld.org > > > > 312-280-7838 (mobile) > > > > > > On Tue, Dec 15, 2009 at 9:59 PM, Denise Tennen > > <deniseten...@comcast.net> wrote: > > > > Harrison > > > > > > > > > > For me, when an invitation I extend is > > refused, I take another look at the invitation > > (especially when I think the person and > > project would be a good fit). In some ways it > > feels like my whole life is about learning to > > extend vibrant, inspiring invitations (this > > often helps me get to the core of what I'm > > trying to accomplish), as well as receiving > > the response with acceptance and love. > > > > > > > > > > I also notice that it is useful to reconnect > > with my own sense of inspiration about the > > project - that seems to make a difference in > > the whole interaction around the invitation - > > whether or not the invitation is accepted. My > > being centered and inspired helps retain the > > relationship regardless of the response. I am > > always thankful for a clear no... > > > > > > > > On Dec 15, 2009, at 3:32 PM, Harrison Owen > > wrote: > > > > > > > > > > Denise -- > > > > > > > > > > > > So this is all great! And my question is how > > can you do the same thing every day with every > > project, organization start-up, whatever… > > > > > > > > > > > > I think you are hinting at the problem of > > making a REAL invitation… Not the sort that we > > all have received knowing full well that we > > will be shot at dawn if the invitation is not > > accepted. Or at the very least -- FIRED! > > > > > > > > > > > > So what would happen if all our invitations > > were real? Which means they could be refused. > > And then what? > > > > > > > > > > > > Harrison > > > > > > > > > > > > Harrison Owen > > > > > > 7808 River Falls Dr. > > > > > > Potomac, MD 20854 > > > > > > USA > > > > > > Phone 301-365-2093 > > > > > > www.openspaceworld.com > > > > > > www.ho-image.com (Personal Website) > > > > > > > > > > > > From: OSLIST > > [mailto:osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu] On > > Behalf Of Denise Tennen > > > > Sent: Tuesday, December 15, 2009 2:17 PM > > To: osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu > > Subject: Re: Opening space 24X7 --Wave Riders > > Unite! > > > > > > > > Harrison > > > > > > > > > > > > Thanks for these thought-provoking words. > > > > > > > > > > > > As far as invitiation - in my work as an > > artist supporting large groups to come > > together to create collaborative works of > > "permanently" installed art for their (the > > participants') communities - Invitation is the > > only thing that works. > > > > > > > > > > > > My underlying belief is that engagement in > > artistic endeavors is a useful piece in the > > puzzle of creating a peaceful world. I've > > found that eople creating art together > > generally aren't engaged in fighting > > > > > > > > > > > > here are the ingredients of invitation, for > > me, that I believe contribute to good flow: > > > > > > > > > > > > 1) getting the word out is critical, > > > > > > 2) the "stickiness" (see Malcolm Gladwell and > > more particularly, the brothers Heath in their > > book Making It Stick) of the invitation and > > project description heavily affects the > > outcome in terms of participation and > > engaged-ness of participants. > > > > > > 3) having the setting ready before the > > participants arrive so I'm not distracted by > > DOING and can keep my attention on BEING > > PRESENT with the participants > > > > > > 4) having a structure in mind and at the same > > time being willing to let it go at any moment > > > > > > 5) keeping participation voluntary (a bit > > tricky when I am operating in a classroom > > setting where the children are basically in > > the position of being "sitting ducks") > > > > > > > > > > > > As far as the invitation, my on-the-ground > > work is lots of word-of mouth, who knows who. > > Increasingly via internet - helps spread the > > word quickly, although in the end, nothing > > beats the realm of the personal, one by one > > invitation. > > > > > > > > > > > > Different age groups respond to different > > methods (snail mail/flyer vs internet etc) > > > > > > > > > > > > my beginning thoughts on this for now... > > > > > > > > > > > > Denise > > > > > > On Dec 15, 2009, at 7:26 AM, Harrison Owen > > wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > Several days ago I sent a note to what I > > thought was going to be a small group of > > friends, inviting thinking about opening space > > every day, what that might mean, and how to > > accomplish all that in specifics. In effect, I > > was taking off from my book "Wave Rider" which > > is my best shot on the subject to date -- with > > the expectation that there is much more "out > > there" in terms of ideas and actions. Along > > the way I did suggest that OST (as the meeting > > approach) might be getting in the way of the > > larger discussion. Even worse, I facetiously > > (jokingly) invited everybody to join "The > > Imperial Society of Wave Riders!" Well you can > > imagine the uproar this caused. Here I am > > suggesting that we eliminate OST and become > > imperialists! Not a good day -- but I do think > > the proposed discussion has merit. In fact > > from where I sit it may just be the most > > important discussion we could have. > > > > > > > > > > > > Given the state of the world (no need for > > detailed analysis) superior human performance > > achieved in a peaceful fashion seems like a > > very good idea. Or put another way how do we > > find the intelligence and energy to deal with > > the massive issues we face without killing > > each other? I believe that the 25 year Open > > Space experiment has clearly shown that > > superior performance in a peaceful manner can > > be achieved any time we open space. It may not > > be perfect, but it works better than just > > about anything else, and for sure it is a lot > > less work. The reason for all this is that we > > are not really doing anything. Rather, we are > > inviting the system (business, family, > > organization) to do what it can do all by > > itself. Self organize. We are just helping > > people to notice that -- and when they do > > magic seems to happen. Peace and high > > performance show up. If we are honest about > > it, I think we might realize that OST is in > > some real ways a fraud and a joke, at least it > > becomes all that if we take credit for the > > power and effect of the process, and the > > special way that we might "do" it. Rather like > > taking credit for the power and effect of > > gravity -- which will continue no matter what > > we do! > > > > > > > > > > > > Anyhow, I believe the community that gathers > > here online (and anybody else who cares to > > join us) is uniquely positioned to engage in > > this discussion not just at a theoretical > > level but at a very solid practical level. We > > have the shared experience of hundreds of > > thousands of Open Spaces. And we have > > something else -- the shared experience of > > life in our community. As the world might see > > it the "Open Space Community" is a pretty > > strange thing. It has no boundaries, no formal > > organization, leadership, or corporate status. > > Membership is pretty much whoever shows up -- > > and the party has been going on for 25 years. > > Odd but very effective. Indeed there are > > multiple formal organizations in the world who > > with might greater effort have accomplished > > substantially less. Think about it! Multiple > > Global and regional meetings. A world wide > > reach. More training programs than you can > > name. And absolutely nobody is in charge. > > There has never been a Business Plan, and if a > > budget exists it has never been found. Is it > > all just a gossamer dream, a fanciful > > delusion, or something much deeper and more > > important? I vote for the latter. I think this > > is a conversation that needs to happen, not to > > the exclusion of all others, but this is where > > my passion is. > > > > > > > > > > > > Anyhow I invite you to share and think about > > our common experience -- and let our > > experience be our guide. As a starting point > > we might just begin with invitation. What > > would happen if all our projects began with > > invitation as opposed to assignment? > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Harrison > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > * * > > > ========================================================== > 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 > > > > > > * * > > > ========================================================== > 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 > > > > > > * * > > > ========================================================== > 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 > > > > > > > > -- > > Steve Cochran > > > > Sustainability Strategies LLC > > National Center for Sustainability > > US Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development > > > > * * ========================================================== > > 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 > > > > > > -- > > 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 > -- 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
