Dear all,Thanks for all your reaction. What I learn reading your post isist: trust your self, be confident to the space. Besides it reminds me the fundamentals of OST: to open the space, to keep it open, let the energy come. I'll discuss with the sponsor and ask for 3 hours. It seems to be a good base to start with.
Thanks a lot and i'll let you know what hppens. Catherine Le 15 juin 12 à 07:43, Peggy Holman a écrit : Catherine,This rich discussion brought back memories of doing a 90 minute Open Space years ago. I found the story in the OSlist archive. In fact, I found a thread from 2010 when someone else asked a similar question. The thread is below.
I didn't mention in my response below that I got into the predicament of a 90 minute Open Space because Harrison was double booked -- a trip to Australia and a keynote at Bowling Green State University in Ohio. Needless to say, he chose Australia and referred Bowling Green State University to me. I didn't even ask what they wanted, figuring since Harrison had said yes, it was a reasonable request. What I talked to them, I discovered that I was the conference opener and that I had 90 minutes to DO an Open Space. The story follows. BTW, my timing: 20 minutes to open, 3 15 minute sessions, 15 minutes to close, leaving 10 minutes for Q&A on the process.
A coda to the story: about a year ago, I learned that the idea to do the Open Space as a keynote came from Steve Cady, one of my co-authors on The Change Handbook. He had never seen an Open Space meeting and was curious. He had no idea that OS in 90 minutes was an "impossible" request.
To the stories.... Peggy
Begin forwarded message:
From: Peggy Holman <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [OSLIST] Demo OS in 90 minutes? Date: April 15, 2010 9:08:42 AM PDT To: [email protected] Reply-To: OSLIST <[email protected]> Hi Annamarie,To add to the examples you've already heard, I did a 90 minute conference keynote years ago that was in Open Space. I found the story is in the archives from 2004. I giggled because I told my story in response to someone asking the question you just asked! So I've copied the whole thread, which includes responses to Christine Whitney Sanchez's question by Birgitt Williams, Michael Herman, and Jack Ricchiuto as well as my response.You can tell that times have changed by the different responses you're getting today!Peggy ______________________________ Peggy Holman The Open Circle Company 15347 SE 49th Place Bellevue, WA 98006 425-746-6274 www.opencirclecompany.com www.journalismthatmatters.org For the new edition of The Change Handbook, go to: www.bkconnection.com/ChangeHandbook"An angel told me that the only way to step into the fire and not get burnt, is to becomethe fire". -- Drew Dellinger On Feb 27, 2004, at 10:19 AM, Peggy Holman wrote:Christine,I have a different take on the idea of one session. I say do three. Here's why: in 90 minutes, it is impossible to do any subject justice. Given that, rather than set the expectation of even one quality conversation, use the time for another purpose: to invite people to notice who else has passion for the same topics as you. 20 minutes to open, three 15 minute sessions, 20 minutes to close about does it. In that time, people will find out the range of subjects of interest and who else cares about them. They'll be able to touch in with the folks they meet after the OS. And another benefi is that it leaves participants with a very different embodied experience ofwhat OST is.This suggestion is based on a real experience. A few years back, I did a keynote in Open Space for the Bowling Green MSOD Alumni conference. They wanted the 150 or so participants to experience Open Space. After my firstthought of "impossible", I thought, "why not?"It worked incredibly well! I was amazed at the energy of the group and that they really did move from topic to topic. It was like watching a speeded up video of an OS. For the closing circle, I invited people to reflect using a word or phrase. This actually left time in the closing for Q&A on OST.Mind you, I did this for graduates of an OD program who were as interested in the form as they were the content of the gathering. However, I think itwould work for your purpose as well. foggy in Seattle, Peggy _______________________________ Peggy Holman The Open Circle Company 15347 SE 49th Place Bellevue, WA 98006 425.746.6274 www.opencirclecompany.com ----- Original Message ----- From: "Christine Whitney Sanchez" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2004 9:41 PM Subject: Re: [OSLIST] What would you do?Michael, Birgitt and Jack,Thanks so much. You have done a wonderful job of expressing most of the concerns I've had and then offering concrete suggestions about how to work with them. It's a very good idea and not too late to narrow the topic (Birgitt - thanks for that) so that this very important larger topic canbegiven much more time and space in future events. Fortunately, it's never been billed as Open Space Technology but rather Open Space Dialogue (this was in the program description before I was even hired) so it will quite possible to set this up as intentional self-organization (thanks Michael) and only later mention what might be accomplished in 2 or 3 days of OST(thesponsor and I are having that conversation already). And Jack, thanks for the suggestion of using this time to open the conversation about how toframe the much larger conversation.I will stick with the one longer session, be clear about outcomes and yes,Birgitt, the closing circle will close the whole forum. I will let you know how it goes. Namaste, Christine -----Original Message-----From: OSLIST [mailto:[email protected]]On Behalf Of JackRicchiuto Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2004 6:31 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: What would you do?Yes to Michael's points about normalizing the expectation to days nothoursfor this scope, and weeks if the process needs to include the minds and heart of multiple diverse stakeholders and stewards of current geographiccapabilities. 90 minutes may be a good first step just to open the conversation on the givens, knowns, and unknowns of the focus. Jack ____________________________ JACK RICCHIUTO / 216.373.7475www.DesigningLife.com - you can now check my calendar availability online(updated daily) -----Original Message----- From: Michael Herman [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2004 7:53 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: What would you do? whoops. i missed the numbers part on the first pass. yep. this is trickier.i'd try to not even say OST until the end when you could say "this has been a tiny, 1.5-hour slice of what normally would be 2 or 3 days." in situations like this, i've played the opening really quick and dirty and called it "intentional self-organization" and only called it ost later on, after they have an experiential context and can really appreciatehow it could go on for a couple of days. also seems important to be really clear about what to expect asoutcomes. as in, it might take another 20 minutes or so to get any realmiracles. <grin> michaelh Birgitt Williams wrote:Christine, If it was me, I wouldn't do a 1.5 hour meeting for 120-180participants (non profit leadership and management) with a topic asbroad as "what can we DO in the next year to build the capacity of our sector in Arizona?" .I believe that 3 1/2 hours is the shortest meeting in which one reallyexperiences the open space of an Open Space Technology meeting. Anything shorter than that, in my experience, is a demonstration ofpeople self managing within a set of instructions. Having said that,the topic is a very broad one and a very important one for this sector--not to be handled lightly. It is truly too bad that they didn't give you at least one whole day, preferably 2 1/2 days to really do justice to these people and the topic.Having said that, I think one of the challenges that you will face is the unlikelihood that all of your participants will be ready for you at the start of your appointed time, so you are unlikely to have yourfull 1 1/2 hours. So...I suggest you do your planning as though you have 1 1/4 hours. You need time for opening including makingstatements about the fact that OST has the capacity to include actionplanning but there won't be a special opportunity for this at this meeting. I think you will need to make the most of your words to explain what OST is when the right time is given or else you mighthave 180 people going off and leading exactly this kind of OST meetingthroughout Arizona (often there are lots of people who imitate whatthey experience). Now, you can't prevent that--I realize it but maybe your words might help. Okay, you will have about ten minutes of your words, another ten minutes for topics to be posted, and then about 20 minutes for your closing. I think you would be best to have only onesession time. If you attempt to go with two and then even more timegets cut away by unexpected events, you might end up with big problems.Have they given you the right to use a closing circle to close their whole conference or is your closing only going to be the closing foryour OST portion.I hope this helps. I can see why you would want to take advantage of the opportunity to showcase OST. However, having spent a long time in the social service sector, I know my own reaction to such a short timeto discuss something so important would be very distressing.I wish you joy, peace, God's grace and blessings, and that you prosperin all things, Birgitt -----Original Message----- From: OSLIST [mailto:[email protected]]On Behalf Of Christine Whitney Sanchez Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2004 2:57 PM To: [email protected] Subject: What would you do? Dear Friends,In a little more than a week, Arizona State University Center forNonprofit Leadership and Management is sponsoring the 6th Annual Forum on Nonprofit Effectiveness: Building the Capacity of Arizona's Nonprofit Sector. There will be between 120 - 180 NP leaders from around the state who are well accustomed to theformat they will experience most of the day...expert panels and Q&A.As a bold move on ASU's part, I've been asked to facilitate a veryshort open space to finish the day focused on the convening question, "What can we DO in the next year to build the capacityof our sector in Arizona?" No action planning, obviously but thesponsors hope to stimulate a different level of dialogue. Sincethere is only 1.5 hours available for the open space session I am leaning toward having only one 45minute breakout session with theremainder of the time devoted to opening and closing. But I'vealso been considering 2 half hour breakout sessions with less time for brief reports and the closing. Given that this is going to bethe first OST experience for nearly everyone in this group, I am looking for a balance between longer, richer discussions in the breakouts with the fuller self-organizing experience that 2 shorter breakouts might offer. I would especially appreciate any examples of times where you've opened space for this number of people in this short time frame and what you found most effective. Thanks in advance for sharing your insights and suggestions. Christine Christine Whitney Sanchez Triune Milagro, LTD 2717 E. Mountain Sky Avenue Phoenix, AZ 85048-8990 [email protected] 480.759.0262 phone 480.759.0403 fax VISIT OUR WEBSITE: www.triunemilagro.com <http://www.triunemilagro.com/> Invoking the wisdom and capacity of the human spirit!On Apr 15, 2010, at 7:41 AM, Annamarie Pluhar wrote:Hoping this gets through... I tried to send a few days ago... Hi all,I'm wondering if anyone has opened space for a 90-minute session? And if so, how'd it go? I'm thinking it would take 20-30 minutes before groups started talking, so there may be time for one session? Closing circle of 15 minutes? It seems too short to me. I'm asking because I'm considering proposing OS for a group that meets once a month of between 20-40 people.Harrison will say go for it. I'm wondering whether anyone has. Thanks! Annamarie Pluhar Pluhar Consulting Results through effective group process http://www.pluharconsulting.com 802.451.1941 802.579.5975 (cell)
_________________________________ Peggy Holman [email protected] 15347 SE 49th Place Bellevue, WA 98006 425-746-6274 www.peggyholman.com www.journalismthatmatters.orgEnjoy the award winning Engaging Emergence: Turning Upheaval into Opportunity
"An angel told me that the only way to step into the fire and not get burnt, is to become
the fire". -- Drew Dellinger _______________________________________________ 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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