Thanks for the discussion Hege, and for the feedback Eiwor and Lisa! The comments have been very helpful to me - this is a theme that I struggle with as well as I try to find my place, but not make it about needing or wanting a place for myself or my interests.
Yet, still feeling it a valuable endeavor, for myself and for others, to "get out there" and share practices that I find wisdom in and see need for. Challenging to find a way to "spread the word", share something you find value in, etc. yet not get trapped in imposing, selling, pushing, seeking.... Tricia Chirumbole US: +1-571-232-0942 Skype: tricia.chirumbole On Wed, Dec 4, 2013 at 12:46 PM, Lisa Heft <[email protected]>wrote: > Hi, Hege - > > I agree with Eiwor -and- for any kind of facilitation process or services, > it is really important to talk to clients very specifically about their own > situations, and I will add the emphasis that what you may do best to > explore is the *what* (they need) and *why* (they need something / why a > situation is / why engaging a group in dialogue may be useful) and not the > *how*. Not the method or process, at that initial stage of conversation. > > In my observation it does not really work to sell someone on a vision and > experience you have inside you, but instead, to really listen for those > times when a prospective client has an opportunity, task or issue that you > feel may be helped by convening people in dialogue. And then asking them > more and more about their story of what they see and wish to achieve. Their > objectives and desired outcomes. Before ever talking about the *how*, the > process. Because in all this interaction, you are also gathering > information on whether the process(es) you know are the best-fit for their > situation. > > The 'deliverables' (realistically achievable outcomes) of different > processes, including engaging groups in dialogue over different amounts of > time (such as 2 hours versus 2 days) are different - so you listen for that > information as well. I have found that facilitation is not something one > sells. Listening invites the story of what an organization or community > wishes to achieve. It is about them and their energy and their needs and > less focused on the facilitator's own good wishes for that organization or > community to achieve or experience something. > > I actually did an analysis (because I am so like that) of my last 8 years > of clients, a few years ago. How did I get my last 8 years of client work. > And it was not from a brochure or a powerpoint or a CV (resume), or from > telling them that someone like them had success in something, or from > talking about this cool process. It was because they saw me facilitate, or > their trusted colleague did, or because we had a conversation about an > opportunity or situation they were interested in / excited / concerned > about, and I listened, and I asked them to tell me more. And then as the > story unfolds, sometimes you think 'oh that is something I can offer' and > sometimes you think 'oh that is not my area of interest or expertise' and > you can refer it to a lovely colleague. Even if the work is not something > that will be for me, I feel that in this conversation I am supporting the > client, the colleague, the field. > > Just some thoughts to add to the mix... > > Those leaders you are talking with are lucky to have you as part of their > skilled community, Hege... > > Lisa > > > > > > On Dec 4, 2013, at 3:02 AM, Eiwor Backelund <[email protected]> wrote: > > Hi Hege, in Sweden OST has become quite well known lately and I have often > worked with it in governmental and municipality organizations, political > parties etc. I think the most important thing to tell your assumed clients, > is not what it is but what results they can get from it. > > Let me know more about what you are after and I will see what examples I > might have. > Eiwor > > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Hege Steinsland" < > [email protected]> > To: "World wide Open Space Technology email list" < > [email protected]> > Sent: Wednesday, December 04, 2013 11:48 AM > Subject: [OSList] How to present OST? > > > Hello out there. > I´M in an " sales - period" trying to get meetings with leaders telling > them about Open Space. > I don't find it easy. > > Should I make a power point presentation showing examples? > Should I just tell about my experience so far, and the effect. > > Open space is not at all well known in my part of Norway, and I find it > challenging to tell about it in a tempting way, that do OST right. > > Any experiences? > Any examples of themes you have done Open space on i Municipalities? > > Love the opportunity to ask for the wisdom out there where you are :- > > Thanks from > > Hege > _______________________________________________ > 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 > > > > _______________________________________________ > 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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