Wow! How good to see how 'alive' this open space community is. Thank you all for all your valuable thoughts on signing up. I will try to find my way based on your suggestions and I will share my experiences with you afterwards.
Best regards, Rob Van: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] Namens Barry Owen Verzonden: maandag 7 november 2011 17:40 Aan: World wide Open Space Technology email list Onderwerp: Re: [OSList] Signing up for sessions Hi Birgitt, I love your comments . . . You've definitely "outed me" as the control freak I am :-) But then I'm certain there aren't any other control freaks on the list. While I love the simplicity, I also sometimes hold tight . . . when letting go (more) might be best. b On Mon, Nov 7, 2011 at 9:43 AM, Birgitt Williams <[email protected]> wrote: Dear friends and colleagues, I smile at dear friends Harrison and Barry, both of whom are advocates for doing less, speaking so convincingly about the importance of signing up on the topic sheets in the marketplace. Really.do you really think that it is in anyway possible that the buzz can be prevented from happening, or that somehow in an OST meeting, there is any chance of achieving 'less buzz' if the space is 'open'? I am smiling at the thought. So, rest assured, with no requirement to sign up on the sheets, people flock to the marketplace, the marketplace is open, the shopping and horse trading begin, and the buzz is the great getting ready buzz of 'all set, get ready, and go'. The one additional advantage of no sign ups is that people do get on into their first group faster. Yes, there is a great buzz and it seems of shorter duration as people charge towards the first session. And it is great as they experience their productivity in the sessions so quickly. For some many years, I have taught Working With Open Space Technology. In this workshop, after examining a list of all possible ingredients of an OST meeting, the participants are asked 'what could you do away with and it would still be an OST meeting in your perspective? The ingredients are examined. There are some similarities in answers such as 'the circle'. There are a lot of differences too, as different viewpoints/perspectives/cultural and other life experiences come into play. And thus, some people would answer that signing up at the marketplace is essential for them. Others would say that it is not. And all is well. Blessings, Birgitt Fout! Bestandsnaam niet opgegeven.Birgitt Williams Author Genuine Contact Way Co-owner of the Genuine Contact program President and Senior Consultant, Dalar International Consultancy, Inc. www.dalarinternational.com Note: picture of the bells that have journeyed to numerous countries with me for twenty-two years as an international consultant. During the closing circle of every meeting, everyone in the meeting has held these bells. They have now been held by thousands of people, all doing their part to create life nurturing conditions for humanity. The bells have also been held in blessing and in prayer by countless people, who bless all who ever hold them, with the journey of the bells uniting all of their energies to make a difference for humanity, one person at a time, one organization at a time, one business at a time, one community at a time. From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Barry Owen Sent: Sunday, November 06, 2011 6:22 AM To: World wide Open Space Technology email list Subject: Re: [OSList] Signing up for sessions To those who opt not to do the "Sign ups" Is there not, then, a "Marketplace?" as I think Harrison is referencing. So , , , Does the "One thing less" mean that the OST flow goes from Opening to posting sessions then to sessions without marketplace. I know it always works . . . and I know it would still work most probably even with as "silent Opening" . . . but I'm also wondering about the "BUZZ" My way is that I do the sign-ups as in during my comments after the topics are on the wall include an invitation to sign up for the sessions for which folks have passion . . . and I know secretly inside that many folks won't - or they'll sign up for things they never show up for . . . That's life :-) I DO believe it adds something to the overall experience - That BUZZ of the Marketplace which "for me" always seems akin to "Horse-trading" and giving the participants the opportunity to "make deals" by combining sessions etc. This thing about "following people" is going to happen regardless . . . Of course doing the sign-ups facilitates that, and there are 2 sides of that coin . . . Sign ups are a handy way for a person to be in sessions with people they really wish to be with . . . The flip side is that they might be excluding self from meeting other interesting people (and ideas) . . . Again, each person can choose her own level of participation in the sign-up process. All of this to say that I do it and see real value in doing it . . . and honoring the practice of others who don't with tremendous success. Good thing we have our differences . . . otherwise life would be dull and learning would be shallow. :-) >From a Blissfully crisp Nashville morning b On Sat, Nov 5, 2011 at 9:42 AM, Birgitt Williams <[email protected]> wrote: Warm greetings, This is a subject I will chime in on. I don't have anyone sign up onto the session of their choosing. In thinking of one thing less to do, there was very little point to do so. In the end, people end up going where they feel inspired to go, and the signing up process didn't add value. I always keep the space in the plenary area free of small group sessions.and simply invite the groups, if they discover they are too big, to come back and use space in the plenary area. I remember a meeting that Harrison and I did some years back, and a large group of about 40 people stayed in the plenary session for the full four session times of the day.the session was 'the conflict' and was able facilitated all day long by three amazing women. The same 40 people didn't stay but it was always about 40 in the room. One additional reason I stopped doing sign ups for the sessions is about the marking pens. I had a terrible incident in a community OST meeting commissioned by a government, in which as people dropped the marking pens onto the floor after signing up, they became a safety hazard as some seniors slipped on them and tumbled to the floor.never again for me. The marking pens at the start are kept in the center until the topics go up, and then are available later on a table.but not along that congested agenda wall. Good luck with your event, Birgitt From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Harrison Owen Sent: Saturday, November 05, 2011 9:07 AM To: 'World wide Open Space Technology email list' Subject: Re: [OSList] Signing up for sessions I always invite the participants to take a writing implement and sign their name on the session(s) of their choosing - always making clear that this is not a "firm contract" - but an indication of intention and interest. At the end of the day, it remains true - that whoever comes are the right people. But the signatures do give some useful information as to whether the "right people" will be a lot or a few. In smaller groups with lots of free space, that information really doesn't make a lot of difference. But when you have a large number of participants, it can be helpful, especially when the break out space are confined. When you see a session paper covered with signatures that can suggest that a change of venue to a larger space may be in order. This is not something you need to worry about as facilitator. The folks will take care of the business. For yourself just count it as one more thing NOT to do. Harrison Harrison Owen 7808 River Falls Dr. Potomac, MD 20854 USA 189 Beaucaire Ave. (summer) Camden, Maine 20854 Phone 301-365-2093 (summer) 207-763-3261 www.openspaceworld.com www.ho-image.com (Personal Website) To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of OSLIST Go to:http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Rob van der Eyden Sent: Saturday, November 05, 2011 3:10 AM To: [email protected] Subject: [OSList] Signing up for sessions Hi all, I am preparing an Open space later this week. My first one. So was going through the book yesterday. Sounds all good and exciting. On - probably stupid - question though: after the issues have been raised, agenda made and marketplace opened, how do participants sign up for sessions? Is that really by subscribing on paper or just by showing up at the time and place that was planned for the session? Thanks & best regards, Rob De Veranderarchitect B.V. Rob A.I. van der Eyden "Change is disturbing when it is done to us, exhilerating when it is done by us" (K. Moss Kanter) Parkietstraat 30, 1171 HV Badhoevedorp M: +31 (0)6 512 72 127 <tel:%2B31%20%280%296%20512%2072%20127> <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected] www.veranderarchitect.nl <http://www.veranderarchitect.nl/> Fout! Bestandsnaam niet opgegeven. Make a Small Loan, Make a Big Difference - Check out <http://kiva.org/invitedby/rob5568> Kiva.org to Learn How! _______________________________________________ OSList mailing list To post send emails to [email protected] To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] To subscribe or manage your subscription click below: http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org _______________________________________________ OSList mailing list To post send emails to [email protected] To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] To subscribe or manage your subscription click below: http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org
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