I once had a client tell me that Open Space was the best part of the best corporate retreat ever. And then then they never did it again. So I don't know. I believe them when they call back.
;) Chris -- CHRIS CORRIGAN Harvest Moon Consultants Facilitation, Open Space Technology and process design Check www.chriscorrigan.com for upcoming workshops, blog posts and free resources. > On Aug 25, 2014, at 2:57 PM, "Harrison Owen" <[email protected]> wrote: > > Martin ... I can't speak for anybody else, but my experience has been that > when OS is "always," The Conference of the Year, sort of thing... it gets a > little drab. Not to say old hat. I have zero problem with folks convening an > OST any time them see the need. I have even less problem with them > understanding that everything happens in open space (in the context of a > self organizing world). And both of those together are just dynamite. BUT... > Nothing of consequence ever happened on an annual/quarterly basis, I think. > Serious stuff (other than taxes and Quarterly Reports) happened when it > happened. And at that precise moment space needed to be open. In lots of > cases, the space was automatically open simply because the usual under > pinning's life were blown out of the way (new product, fiscal disaster, the > competition). Under these circumstances, choice of theme is a no-brainer. > Everybody knows! At other times, people intuit that the ground is > shifting... and so in advance, to achieve advantage, or whatever... Open > Space is a marvelous way to go. But the precise "question/issue" may be a > little opaque. But so what? Emergence is always opaque -- until it happens. > > Harrison > > Winter Address > 7808 River Falls Drive > Potomac, MD 20854 > 301-365-2093 > > Summer Address > 189 Beaucaire Ave. > Camden, ME 04843 > 207-763-3261 > > Websites > www.openspaceworld.com > www.ho-image.com > OSLIST To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of > OSLIST Go > to:http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org > > -----Original Message----- > From: OSList [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of > Martin Boroson > Sent: Sunday, August 24, 2014 1:08 PM > To: 'World wide Open Space Technology email list' > Subject: Re: [OSList] org'n works too good to use OST.? > > Thomas > > Your interesting situation and questions have provoked some deep reactions > in me. Thank you! > > First, I wonder why there is need for an Open Space to be exciting and > dramatic. Yes, as a paid facilitator, who wants his client to feel that the > event was worthwhile, I would want the event to be dramatic, powerful, > transformative. Personally, some of the most wonderful moments of my life, > as facilitator, are when I have opened the space for a group that is > troubled or stuck or anxious, and then see them break through into their > passions and their truth, or experience an OS kind of freedom for the first > time. But I wonder if we, as facilitators, can get addicted to that > experience? I mean, how many Big Bangs can one have? :) And I would be > concerned about any attempt to artificially raise the energy for the group > in advance. > > Second, it seems to me that cycles are part of life, and there are times for > dormancy, slowing down, percolation, and other times for bursting forth. So > maybe it is okay to have an Open Space in which nothing dramatic > happens--presumably that is just a reflection of where the group is at, and > that's okay. So I am wondering if it is okay to sit with boredom? As a > creativity junkie, I have had to learn that not all times are > creative--sometimes I just have to clean the house. > > (On a deeper level, these issues are really about "enlightenment"--and the > issue of whether it happens just once or many times, and also, what you do > after enlightenment. Some people do indeed have trouble coming back to an > ordinary life after an experience of enlightenment. And some people become > breakthrough junkies, always in search of a bigger bang.) > > Finally, I was a bit confused by Harrison's statement that an Open Space > only be held when needed, and not be done just because "the calendar has hit > a certain date." I certainly understand that the "ideal" conditions for an > OS are when there is a sense of urgency--high passion, tight deadline, big > problem, etc. But I have always thought it would be nice for an > organization to have an Open Space on a regular basis just to "take the > pulse." The idea of this would be that employees would know that there is a > regularly available space in which to bring up issues and work on them, and > that the managers will be present and listening in that space. Yes, > sometimes it will be boring. Other times, unexpectedly exciting. At > sometimes, it will be just a chance to take a nap. And at other times, > something so hot will emerge that an OS needs to be scheduled just on that > topic. So, I'm curious to know if anyone has experience with organizations > who have regularly-calendared Open Space events. > > Warmly, > > Marty > ______________________________________________________________________ > > Try the new One-Moment Meditation iOS App: > http://goo.gl/qSgHjd > > www.martinboroson.com > www.onemomentmeditation.com > > > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: OSList [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of > Thomas Herrmann > Sent: Saturday, August 23, 2014 4:33 PM > To: World wide Open Space Technology email list > Subject: Re: [OSList] org'n works too good to use OST.? > > THanks for your responses Eric, Elisabeth and HO I have never used any > warm-ups in an OST but it sure would be interesting to see how that would > work! A "real" theme has always worked for my groups and I like that. Your > suggestion Harrison is pretty close to the theme already chosen (From good > to best (but in Swedish)) - but I think it was not communicated clearly, > with passion. It will be interesting how things work out on Friday. And what > they/we come up with. > > One idea that struck me is to use a fish-bowl start where the leaders - and > if others care to join - clarify way ahead. > > Another thing. As I shared earlier we had a brief report out in the morning, > before starting. I had preferred to have it in a separate room but due to > difficulties with microphones we had it besides the circle. 9 groups that > started last year shared - one minute each - their achievements. And there > were some quite major achievements. Hmm maybe this set a tone that > interfered. > > It is always difficult to know what affects what and how. I very seldom have > any activities such as presentations before starting. Hmm > > Hmmm. > More comments very welcome > Hugs > Thomas > >> 23 aug 2014 kl. 16:30 skrev Harrison Owen <[email protected]>: >> >> One of the problems of doing an Open Space as an "annual affair" is >> simply that it is done because it has "always" been done -- and not >> because there is some specific, high passion issue and opportunity. In >> my experience, the predictable result is (unfortunately) what you >> experienced. And as is true with any sort of meeting... if there is no >> compelling reason to have it -- Why bother? My practice is Open Space >> when you need space opened -- and never because the calendar has hit a >> certain date. All that said... For your second event how about >> something like this..."Things are great! How do we make them greater? > Issues and Opportunities." >> >> Harrison >> >> Winter Address >> 7808 River Falls Drive >> Potomac, MD 20854 >> 301-365-2093 >> >> Summer Address >> 189 Beaucaire Ave. >> Camden, ME 04843 >> 207-763-3261 >> >> Websites >> www.openspaceworld.com >> www.ho-image.com >> OSLIST To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the >> archives of OSLIST Go >> to:http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.or >> g >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: OSList [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf >> Of Thomas Herrmann >> Sent: Saturday, August 23, 2014 8:27 AM >> To: OSLIST >> Subject: [OSList] org'n works too good to use OST.? >> >> Had a "funny" experience yesterday when I facilitated an OST with an >> organization that I mentioned about earlier, they have dived into OST >> and use the approach more and more in everyday life. Every August they >> have 1-2 days with all employees. Last year we had 2 full days (twice >> with half the staff each time) in OST resulting in a total of 23 >> action plans implemented by self managed workgroups. We have had >> follow up meetings reporting the progress from teams that now have >> dissolved or are still working. Their business (a hospital) now runs >> really smoothly, producing well over targets with energy and high spirit. >> Out of different reasons the message for the first of this years >> conferences (one full day, next Friday is the next - for the other >> half of the staff) was a bit blurry (in my opinion/how I experience >> it) so the energy was not so high (setting agenda was really slooooow, >> didn't experience anything like that in the hundreds of events I have >> facilitated!) and some thought the day was a bit boring/slow. At the >> end most who were still there were happy(some left early - long day on >> Friday is not a good choice either) - 9 action plans with concrete >> improvements! I used re-opening space, so it was all by invitation (-: >> >> Anyhow, a challenge may be to find a really hot theme when business >> runs so good. I am now in communication with the leadership about how >> we can get the steam going better next Friday. >> Any experiences to share, ideas and/or suggestions? >> Warm regards >> Thomas Herrmann >> _______________________________________________ >> 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 > > > > _______________________________________________ > 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 .
