Thanks for your open letter Marai. I'm always excited and willing to
receive feedback.
As you'll remember over a year ago I opened up the content of this
article for comments and input from this list in the form of a Google Doc.
Such was the passion exhibited in the original thread I was eager and
excited to receive your inputs. Unfortunately only two people replied
though. I'm very grateful to both you and Keith Blundell for taking the
time.
I must admit life took over and in my wait for more input other
priorities took over. I'm happy to revisit it now though as I can feel
the energy is back and I'd like to the right thing in the eyes of this
excellent community.
Here's the link -
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ufIsy0BQvIqlRUbW0FAyXHGV0IKw3VdDT8L91RIJJU8/edit?usp=sharing
Please add your thoughts, comments and feedback and amend the article as
best I can.
photo
Nick Martin
Founder & CEO, WorkshopBank
M +45 42 47 00 74 <tel:+45 42 47 00 74> E [email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]> W workshopbank.com <http://workshopbank.com>
<http://facebook.com/workshopbank>
<http://dk.linkedin.com/in/nickmartn> <http://twitter.com/workshopbank>
On 05/06/2019 01:53, Marai Kiele wrote:
Hello Nick Martin,
I find myself tense in my belly after reading your newsletter today:
I just wanted to share with you a popular WorkshopBank tool
<https://t.dripemail2.com/c/eyJhY2NvdW50X2lkIjoiMjM3MTU2MiIsImRlbGl2ZXJ5X2lkIjoiNjc1OTQzNzE4MiIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd29ya3Nob3BiYW5rLmNvbS9vcGVuLXNwYWNlLXRlY2hub2xvZ3k_dXRtX3NvdXJjZT1kcmlwXHUwMDI2dXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbFx1MDAyNnV0bV9jYW1wYWlnbj1uZXctdG9vbC1vcGVuLXNwYWNlXHUwMDI2X19zPXFtZXdvcGZiZnpzMnBvY3ltZTRnIn0> you
can start using with your clients right away. Let me know what you think.
You suggest that the reader lets you know what they think. I choose to
do that.
I also choose to do that in the form of an open letter, as several
months back you asked on the os-list for input to your description of
the OST process for the Workshopbank.
You introduced your version of „OST with a twist“, and there was a
somewhat heated discussion on this list about it.
I participated in both, revising and giving you feedback on your
description (as requested) and discussing about „is something with
such a twist still OST?“
Your twist was about giving the leaders control about the topics.
Back then I used the analogy that you are mixing red wine with coca
cola (which some people actually do and drink — I tried it out as a
teenager).
And that calling such a beverage „red wine with a twist“ is an
inaccurate representation of a) red wine and b) the taste that a
consumer will experience.
(side note: usually, this mix is done with red wine of poor quality)
In my analogy, OST is the red wine and controlling the process is the
coke.
In your description, you early on distinguish between OST and OST with
a twist. I first appreciated you for making that distinction so upfront.
Then I read what you wrote under:
*If you’re following the traditional Open Space Process...*
*
1
Gather your participants together and briefly explain how Open
Space events work using Harrison Owen’s 1 Law and the Guiding
Principles as appropriate. Traditionally you should do this with
everyone in a circle around youbut you don’t necessarily have to.
*
2
Ask participants to spend 10 minutes thinking through if they have
any issues they’d like to raise.
*
3
If there is a general agreement that the issue has enough support
and passion behind it invite the issue owner to add the issue to
the schedule.
*
4
Once all issues have been added invite the participants to sign-up
for the sessions they’re planning on attending (they are free to
change their mind later if they want to).
*
5
Your sessions start.
There is much more on this page that, as I see it, is NOT "the
traditional Open Space Process“. I am giving just some further examples:
https://workshopbank.com/open-space-technology
Process for a Session
*
1
Each session should be a round group of chairs (no table in the
middle) with preferably one facilitator to lead the discussion and
a scribe on the flip-chart.
*
2
A session starts with the issue owner welcoming and thanking the
group for coming and then giving a description of the issue as
they see it.
*
3
The facilitator then leads the discussion inviting people to give
their input at their request.
*
4
The scribe records the discussion on flip chart paper making sure
to mark Issues, Ideas, Questions (that can’t be answered today) &
Actions. When a flip is finished they should tear it off and put
it in the center of the circle or on a nearby wall for people in
the group to see.
*
5
Allow people to leave and arrive as they see fit though don’t
allow them to interrupt or slow-down your progress. It is a new
arrival’s responsibility to catch-up with the discussion using the
flip chart outputs no matter how high up or important they are.
*
6
When the issue looks like it has been covered and there are no
more inputs coming from your group thank them for their time and
invite them to join other groups if the session time is not over.
To me, calling this description "the traditional Open Space Process“ I
wonder if
- I am totally rigid and should just loosen up to the variations of OST
- You have never experienced a traditional Open Space Process
- You just don’t care about the originality and instead rather cater
to business needs of controlled processes that limit self-organisation
- I misremember all my trainings with Harrison Owen, Michael M
Pannwitz, Michael Pannwitz jr, Joe Töpfer, and last but not least
Birgitt Williams.
- or… ?
I totally don’t get it.
I don’t like what you are doing.
I also dislike that you market this description of „the traditional
Open Space Process“ as „a popular WorkshopBank Tool“.
I feel sad when I imagine people following your description and
spreading the word that „this is the traditional way of doing OST“.
Using my former analogy:
I imagine what you are doing is like a beverage shop introducing
someone who has never tasted a good red wine to that beverage.
Because this person usually drink coke, they are being given red wine
mixed with coke (to match their taste buds).
And then they are being told, „this is a traditional Cabernet Sauvignon“.
I want you to revise your description and move your adaptions away
from "the original version" to „OST with a twist“.
Are you willing to do that?
Probably even better: Call it „…………….. - a process partly inspired by
Open Space Technology“
I look forward to your response,
Marai
https://www.linkedin.com/in/marai-kiele/
https://about.me/maraikiele
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