Hi Michael,
For two reasons, I modified day-1 training as you describe it. I now invite the
group (an already existing group) to propose in advance topics for a theme,
either at a meeting or by group emails. With the sponsor and a couple of
volunteers (as would an organizing committee) the preferred subject is
formulated in the form of a theme: short, broad in scope and inspiring. In the
debrief later during the training we look at the experience and tips for theme
formulation.
The first most important reason the theme is formulated in advance is that it
allows participants to arrive on day-1, straight into a real Open Space. They
got a clear picture in their mind and their body memory was better at retaining
it for their own facilitation.
I found throughout the years that starting in a training mode before
experiencing the OS confused people. Many afterwards thought that OS begins
with everyone introducing themselves or with a check-in with a circle. They
would report later on about their own experience of facilitating an OS: how
these kind of intros slowed down the opening - especially with groups over 20
people - lowered the energy in the room and for a number of participants,
increased the anxiety of this unknown OS thing to come.
The second reason for this approach is that it creates more time-space to
experience an OS, one that is not rushed thus allowing to "feel" the effect of
time with the magical law of two feet, butterflies and all. This avoids
replicating a fast pace OS which can then feel like many control types of
facilitation methods if not speed-dating.
For public workshops where people are from various organizations, I reverted to
choosing a theme that is broad enough to capture the interest of the kind of
participants that are joining and of interest to other people in the community
who are invited to join for that one-day experience of OS. This diversity makes
the OS day feel even more real to participants.
Problems I encountered starting the first day with brainstorming on a theme
with training participants of public workshops included:
-The first contact participants have with the trainer begins with him or her
modelling traditional facilitation and consensus building methods instead of
modelling OS hands-off self-organization facilitation.
- arduous process at times especially for groups of over 20 people,
- often consuming too much time thus frustrating people,
- preferences were polarized at times, some did not accept the compromise
theme, felt rejected and ganged-up to not participate and even be obstructive
in the training days that followed. We had created a group-think situation.
No mistake when starting the day with OS. Everyone is on an equal footing. We
are modelling what we are proposing. The following days people know what
they're talking about, their questions are more relevant than if we started
with describing the method - they don't have to take my word for it, they
experienced it.
Diane
Diane Gibeault
Co-author / Co-auteure : Livre blanc sur le Forum Ouvert / OPEN SPACE
OT training - Formation Forum Ouvert : Montreal 8-10 avril 2014
www.dianegibeault.com 2013 : Paris 19-21 nov., Marseille 3-5 dec.
Diane Gibeault & Associe.es-Associates Tel 613-744-2638,
[email protected]
________________________________
From: Michael Wood <[email protected]>
To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, November 26, 2013 8:55:19 PM
Subject: [OSList] waveriding in Oz
Hello Hege,
The design for the program that Brendan does here in Perth is different to the
one I have been doing with church leaders in Brisbane. For my part, I've made
quite a long reply to you, Hege, about what I've been doing in Brisbane. The
group is comprised of both clergy and laity, which I think is always a good
combination (i.e. trusting that whoever comes are the right people).
I'd be interested in hearing more about your question on Open Space and story
telling. If you mean, could you use Open Space to enable people to share
stories, then why not? I think the same principles would apply. If it's you who
are interested in hearing the stories, then you are the 'sponsor'. Develop an
invitation outlining the theme of the story telling sessions and invite whoever
wants to come to be there - to either tell stories or listen to them. Sounds
like fun.
Here's the outline of the Brisbane program with Anglican Church folks:
On Day one, start with a 'check in' talking circle. Brainstorm some ideas about
'crucial questions I'd like to sponsor conversations about in my church'. Get
people to red-dot-vote on questions that most engage them. Come up with an
overarching 'question' for an real-play OST meeting. Ask one of the group to be
in the role of Sponsor. We then run a short OST meeting (3 x 30 min
conversations and a short action planning sessin). All of this takes us through
to mid afternoon on Day 1.
After they have experienced a 'real' OST meeting, I invite them to get into
groups of 3-4 for about 20 min to reflect on two questions ('what did you
notice about the process' and 'what questions are emerging'). I ask them to
write one question per piece of A4 paper with marker pens. Then we come back
into the main circle and throw the questions on the floor. As a group we
constellate the questions into themes. Generally the themes tend to naturally
fall into about three main areas (i) preparation work with the sponsor (ii) set
up and facilitation on the day (iii) convergence and post open space. The
constellated themes then form the 'agenda' for the next full day day. I also
keep a little 'check list' up my sleeve to ensure we cover most important
things for a faciliator to know, and I encourage them to buy Harrison's book,
'OST - a user's guide'. Interestingly we just about always end up covering all
the areas on my check-list from the question which
people put on the floor
at the end of Day 1.
On Day 2 we work through all the practical questions mentioned above.
On the third day we take a look at the underlying themes of self organising
systems rather than just the 'mechanics' of OST process. Some of the diagrams
from Peggy Holman's book 'Engaging Emergence' are very helpful , along with the
eight principles from Harrison's book 'Waverider'. Day three includes some self
organised conversations on how to be a Waverider in every day parish life i.e.
how would people use Wavering principles in pastoral care, governance,
education, worship, mission, outreach ete etc.
Because this is a Chrsitian group we also spend a couple of hours, on the third
day, reflecting on the question, 'Was Jesus a Waverider?' This has been a
really important and deepening part of the learning process. I have an article
on this theme on my web site which I am happy to develop and add to and receive
feedback on. In fact Chris Corrigan just shared another great thought on the
story of Jesus walking on water (symbolic in Jewish thought of 'chaos'. So
what does it mean for us to walk, in faith, through chaos?)
On the last afternoon it's back into a short OST on the question, 'Waveriding
in the Sunshine State - where to from here'. This is to provide space for
people to think about what they are actually going to do back in their parishes
or agencies to apply OST and Waveriding principles.
We finish with a closing circle, send poeple on their way, and then meet again
after three months. At that follow up day we have a look at one case study in
depth (something that someone in the group has tried) and then the rest of the
day in OST on the question, 'what have we been learning and where to from
here'. So this is basically giving the group a pattern for an ongoing community
of practice. I think this follow up day has been really crucial in keeping
monentum going - without which people simply get absorbed back into the
'business as usual' culture of command and control.
Lisa Heft has a very good 'Open Space Ideas Book' which I understand she is
happy for people to use with appropriate acknowledgement to Lisa (I make an
honorarium donation to Lisa when I use this resource).
Michael Wood
www.michaeljohnwood.com
A warm sunny day in Perth, Western Australia
Ph. 0435 065326
Date: Sat, 23 Nov 2013 17:05:46 +0100
From: Hege Steinsland <[email protected]>
To: World wide Open Space Technology email list
<[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [OSList] Wave Riding in OZ
Message-ID: <[email protected]>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="windows-1252"
Wow. I just love this story. And I?m so glad every time I hear about open space
and self organization used in the church. I?m trying to make this possibility
known in the church of Norway as an approach that can make people less stressed
out, more happy and more concerned with the really important things in church
and life :-) I love this Dean, that have made the wisdom in the principles and
the law a way to live and work.
I`m looking for more shared experience with story-telling. How to invite, who
to invite, do you still need an sponsor and how do you frame it? I wold love to
learn from others experience here.
I would also love her more about Michael and Brendans program. Is it an
training program in Open space for clergy?
All the best fro
a cold and windy night in Norway.
Hege
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