I think I have come to learn that all the work of an Open Space meeting happens in the invitation, and the more personal and intentional the better. Recently I had a client work for two months to get 20 very powerful people in a room to talk about a major issue in the education system, and the Open Space was only six hours, and my work was really only 20 minutes of active facilitation. That to me is a mark of great participation and a high chance for sustainability of the results. Hoping one day I can coach a client in invitation so well that they don;t even need a big face to face meeting, or at the very least, they don't need me there. At that point I will call it "Achieving a Harrison" and award myself a badge. And then go and take a nap.
Chris On Fri, Nov 19, 2021 at 12:15 AM Thomas Herrmann via OSList < [email protected]> wrote: > I love this way of clarifying how you can look for inviting the whole > system, Peggy! Thanks for sharing! I will make sure I incorporate it in my > practice as I think it helps the thinking about how to spread “the > irresistible invitation”. And I also agree its great to involve as many of > these stakeholders early in the process, especially as there is often a low > level of trust between them. > > Usually I invite my sponsors quite clearly to not jump up and raise their > topics but wait and see what happens, I assure them that I will be very > clear to give space for everyone and not closing the agenda creation > without very clear last opportunities – so they can rest assured that all > of their important topics can be posted. So if they miss anything at the > end, they can add. I agree with others, they are mostly surprised by the > richness of the agenda created by participants. > > > > One piece I have included in my designs the last years is to have a > “sync-meeting” some time the last week before the OST, to give them an > opportunity to share their hopes and fears for the upcoming OST and clarify > any practicalities they may be wondering about. This is much appreciated > and givs them more of a feeling of safety and it increases their curiosity, > openness and peace 😊. > > > > With appreciation for all of the wisdom in this circle > > Thomas Herrmann > > > > *Från:* OSList <[email protected]> *För *Peggy > Holman via OSList > *Skickat:* den 18 november 2021 23:08 > *Till:* Open Space Listserv <[email protected]> > *Kopia:* Peggy Holman <[email protected]> > *Ämne:* Re: [OSList] Where angels fear to tread > > > > Like Michael, I have had the experience of leaders making a list behind > the scenes and being surprised that participants not only posted everything > on their list but also things that they hadn’t thought of that turned out > to matter to them. And, of course, the experience of witnessing the > passion, interest, and creativity of people often surprises everyone who is > in an Open Space meeting for the first time. > > > > Jeff, to your question about requisite variety of topics in an Open Space, > I see that as a matter of being mindful about invitation. The biggest > investment of preparation time for the Open Spaces I’m involved with are > inviting, as Harrison would say, “the people who care.” Whomever I’m > working with, I encourage them to do the work of thinking through, given > their purpose, who makes up the system — who are the people who care? In > many cases, that may include involving a microcosm in shaping the > organizing question and invitation so that it resonates with the people of > the system. > > > > I take my cue on how to think about who makes up the system from Marv > Weisbord and Sandra Janoff’s rubric of inviting the people who “ARE IN” — > with *A*uthority, *R*esources, *E*xpertise, *I*nformation, and * N*eed. I > also suggest an overlay for considering demographic diversity. For thinking > about that, I draw from the Maynard Institute’s “Fault lines” - race, > class, gender, geography, and generation and two “fissures” - politics and > religion. Not all dimensions apply to every situation but bringing them up > enables the people planning the Open Space to make a conscious choice about > whom they invite and how. > > > > This is a long-winded way of saying that my experience is that by doing > the work to invite a requisite variety of people, a requisite variety of > topics will show up. And then, to the principle of whoever comes is the > right people, I let go of worrying about it. > > > > Birgitt — to words and embodied experience, yes you are saying what I > meant: *it is not the words used that are most likely to help, rather the > embodied experience*. For example, describing the experience of Open > Space and what it produces can be enough for some. For most of us, hearing > a description or even seeing a video doesn’t come close to being there. It > is a multi-dimensional experience that involves, head, heart, body, spirit. > Rarely does this come across in a description. A story might communicate > more of it. But I’m guessing most people discover some aspect they hadn’t > expected from just reading, hearing, or watching a video about it. > > > > Appreciatively, > > Peggy > > > > > > > > ________________________________ > > Peggy Holman > Co-founder > Journalism That Matters > 15347 SE 49th Place > Bellevue, WA 98006 > 206-948-0432 > www.journalismthatmatters.org > www.peggyholman.com > Twitter: @peggyholman > JTM Twitter: @JTMStream > > Enjoy the award winning Engaging Emergence: Turning Upheaval into > Opportunity <http://www.engagingemergence.com> > > > > > > On Nov 17, 2021, at 1:52 PM, Michael M Pannwitz via OSList < > [email protected]> wrote: > > > > Dear Birgitt, > > your two sentences: > > "My perspective: following the principles of OST, spirit shows up in the > moment, inspiring people to post exactly the topics that need to be posted > at that moment in time. This dynamic is altered when relying on anyone to > pre-post topics, or to set meta-topics, catering to limitation rather than > abundance of possibilities." > > had some memories come up. > > In at least three of the ost events I was involved in it turned out that > the sponsors prepared a set of "issuse" they felt should be part of the > event before the event... in case nobody would post them. > To the surprises of the sponsors all their issues were posted by the > participants. > In addition, they themselves experienced that other issues entered their > mind during the process that they then posted. > In many other ost events sponors were very surprised about the broad > passion, interest, creativity, etc. and most of all selforganisation that > manifested... > > For what actually happens when ost is part of the everyday life of an > organisation over a number of years with a special focus on the vast system > of that enterprise have a look here > > > https://www.westkreuz-verlag.de/de/Practicing-Open-Space-Our-First-Ten-Years-E-Book > > > in English, French, Polish, Spanish and Chinese ... translated from the > German Original by ost-colleagues all of you know > > Cheers from Berlin > mmp > > > > > Am 17.11.2021 um 21:32 schrieb Birgitt Williams via OSList: > > Jeff...thanks for sharing the article and for the discussion that emanated > from the question you posed to the OS list. I have enjoyed the responses > and look forward to more conversation showing up. You have added more great > questions. > You asked:Do we assume that the passion and responsibility of a gathered > group will create the requisite variety of topics/contexts to generate > excellent Warm Data from a theme question, and foster these unseen > transcontextual sources of systems changing creativity? > Or does the sponsor need to think up and post the outlying topics/contexts > to invite that fruitful variety? > What are the upsides and downsides of having a passionate advocate post > and host each topic of conversation? What topics don't get posted, and does > that limit the potential and health of the system? > My perspective: following the principles of OST, spirit shows up in the > moment, inspiring people to post exactly the topics that need to be posted > at that moment in time. This dynamic is altered when relying on anyone to > pre-post topics, or to set meta-topics, catering to limitation rather than > abundance of possibilities. > Peggy...I am intrigued by your sentences "Sometimes more and different > words can help. More often, it takes an embodied experience." I would like > to understand more. My current understanding is that it is not the words > used that are most likely to help, rather the embodied experience. Is this > what you mean? > in genuine contact, > Birgitt > Picture* > * > *Birgitt Williams* > *Senior consultant-author-mentor to leaders and consultants * > *Specialist in organizational and systemic transformation, leadership > development, and the power of nourishing a culture of leadership.* > www.dalarinternational.com <http://www.dalarinternational.com> > >> Learn More & Register < > http://www.dalarinternational.com/upcoming-workshops/> for any of our > upcoming workshops here. > PO Box 19373, Raleigh, NC, USA 27613 > Phone: 01-919-522-7750 > Like us on Facebook < > https://dalarinternational.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=35ed818c946a88ba7344da05f&id=6677c35b38&e=e7zyhHfiqG > > > Connect on LinkedIn < > https://dalarinternational.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=35ed818c946a88ba7344da05f&id=c26173f86b&e=e7zyhHfiqG > > > On Wed, Nov 17, 2021 at 7:31 AM Jeff Aitken via OSList < > [email protected] <mailto:[email protected] > <[email protected]>>> wrote: > Now I am considering whether there is a (hopefully) funny joke > lurking here somewhere. > The facilitator asked the sponsor, "do you want a book of > proceedings created from your event?" And the sponsor said "no, I'm > going for the aphanipoesis, but thanks." > But seriously folks, do we assume that the passion and > responsibility of a gathered group will create the requisite variety > of topics/contexts to generate excellent Warm Data from a theme > question, and foster these unseen transcontextual sources of systems > changing creativity? > Or does the sponsor need to think up and post the outlying > topics/contexts to invite that fruitful variety? > What are the upsides and downsides of having a passionate advocate > post and host each topic of conversation? What topics don't get > posted, and does that limit the potential and health of the system? > What can the OST methodology teach the WDL methodology, and vice versa? > Early morning questions, > Jeff > On Tue, Nov 16, 2021, 5:45 PM Peggy Holman via OSList > <[email protected] > <mailto:[email protected] <[email protected]>>> > wrote: > From what I can glean in Bateson’s article and what I have > heard about Warm Data, what happens does sound parallel to what > occurs when people meet in Open Space. > I find her writing frustrating. But when one is attempting to > give language to new ideas, it’s rough. The effort falls into a > pattern she discusses: our tendency to want to relate to the > ideas through habitual lenses. Sometimes more and different > words can help. More often, it takes an embodied experience. > Perhaps a Warm Data Lab? > I find her insight that we need a word for life coalescing > towards vitality in unseen ways intriguing. By naming it, I hope > it will become more seen. Sounds like something we want to > notice and grow. > Thanks for sending the article Jeff. > ________________________________ > Peggy Holman > Co-founder > Journalism That Matters > Bellevue, WA 98006 > 206-948-0432 > www.journalismthatmatters.org <http://www.journalismthatmatters.org > > > www.peggyholman.com <http://www.peggyholman.com> > Twitter: @peggyholman > JTM Twitter: @JTMStream > Enjoy the award winning Engaging Emergence: Turning Upheaval > into Opportunity <http://www.engagingemergence.com> > > On Nov 16, 2021, at 2:48 PM, Chris Corrigan via OSList > <[email protected] > <mailto:[email protected] > <[email protected]>>> wrote: > > Thanks for sharing this Jeff. I have known about Nora's work > for sometime and although I don't fully understand it yet I > think what I do know of it, it's great.). > > WHy does she choose the words she chooses? I think because > this is how she has come to an understanding about the simple > truths that Warm Data works with. God know we have some pretty > funny language amongst us all to explain things like "let > people look after things they care about." But, Jeff, the > first piece you posted of hers makes a lot of sense to me and > is a concise description of Warm Data process, and is very > helpful to me having an "aha" about it. > > Chris > > On Tue, Nov 16, 2021 at 1:37 PM Jeff Aitken via OSList > <[email protected] > <mailto:[email protected] > <[email protected]>>> wrote: > > Also I note that Nora is still very early in the practice > of a methodology that she invented (I think.) > > Maybe it's like the first five-ten years of OST as folks > were figuring out what the hell this is all about... : ) > > And from the lens of an artist and family therapy > researcher whose father was Gregory Bateson. That makes > sense to me... > > Warmly > Jeff > > On Tue, Nov 16, 2021, 1:21 PM Jeff Aitken > <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected] > <[email protected]>>> > wrote: > > Hi Birgitt. My first guess is that it serves > practitioners to be simple, while it serves systems > scientists to be complicated or complex. > > They are writing about living systems at all scales > and making very subtle distinctions. > > It may serve us practitioners to have some > appreciation for the latter. "Your mileage may vary" > tho, as a friend says! > > Warmly > Jeff > > On Tue, Nov 16, 2021, 1:10 PM Birgitt Williams > <[email protected] > <mailto:[email protected] > <[email protected]>>> wrote: > > Jeff..I don't understand why it serves to be so > complicated? Why not simply refer to seen and unseen? > > Birgitt > > On Tue, Nov 16, 2021, 3:57 PM Jeff Aitken via > OSList <[email protected] > <mailto:[email protected] > <[email protected]>>> wrote: > > One more email - I was amiss to mention this > new theory by Nora, without defining the word > she is introducing, and she finds occurring in > Warm Data Lab and I think is true in OST too. > > It is "a way to describe a life giving > process, by which vitality, healing, and > creativity come into being by the coalescence > of multiple unseen factors." > > "Aphanipoiesis combines two words from ancient > Greek to describe this way in which life > coalesces toward vitality in unseen ways. > (Aphanis comes from a Greek root meaning > obscured, unseen, unnoticed; poiesis is from > one meaning to bring forth, to make.)" > > Yes it's an academic term, and is presented at > a systems science conference and in a journal > article. > > Useful for practitioners to think about and to > notice in our work? That's my question for the > oslist. > > It reminds me of Harrison's definition of > "peace" in The Practice of Peace. With an > emphasis on the unseen, internal, very subtle > shifts that take place that are NOT reflected > in proceedings and action plans. > > Warmly, Jeff. > > Reference: > > Bateson, N.,(2021). Aphanipoiesis. In Journal > of the International Society for the Systems > Sciences, Proceedings of the 64th Annual > Meeting of the ISSS, Virtual (Vol. 1, №1) — > under review. > > > > This work was presented at the Annual > Biosemiotics Conference June 2021, the Annual > Conference of the International Society of > Systems Sciences July 2021, and the Annual > conference of the Institute of General > Semantics September 2021. > > > On Mon, Nov 15, 2021, 11:16 PM Jeff Aitken > <[email protected] > <mailto:[email protected] > <[email protected]>>> wrote: > > As a refresher or quick intro to the > process, Warm Data Lab starts with a group > of folks and a theme question. But the > topics of conversation are chosen in > advance by sponsor and facilitator. Each > breakout table (or area) gets a topic > written on a sign: which names a context > from which to address the theme question. > > So if the theme is drug abuse, the chosen > wide variety of contexts might be: > education, prisons, public health, > initiation, addiction, pharmaceuticals, > parenting, ceremony, etc. People go to the > breakouts of their choice and stay or move > as they wish. The law of mobility is used. > A closing circle might end the event after > some number of hours. > > It has some qualities of OST and World > Cafe while being different. > > I've only been in one WDL so other folks > might improve my description. > > Jeff > > On Mon, Nov 15, 2021, 7:22 PM Jeff Aitken > <[email protected] > <mailto:[email protected] > <[email protected]>>> wrote: > > Where does systemic change take place? > I am reflecting on earlier posts about > the Warm Data Lab and comparing - > contrasting this work with other > hosted conversation processes like OST. > > What seems different - please correct > this if it's wrong - is the level of > attention paid to the complex ways in > which WDL might help bring about > change. Looking well beyond action > plans and carefully harvested > proceedings etc. > > This may be a fruitful area of inquiry > for OST folks. (The subject line here > is from a reference in a book by Nora > Bateson's late father Gregory.) > > Nora Bateson just shared a video and > long essay, coming out prior to her > essay being published soon in a > journal. She is introducing a new term > "aphanipoiesis" to the conversation of > systemic transformation. > > The essay is here: > > https://norabateson.medium.com/aphanipoiesis-96d8aed927bc > < > https://norabateson.medium.com/aphanipoiesis-96d8aed927bc> > > Some teaser paragraphs for us. Can > this also be said about OST, but we > just don't?? > > "Rewilding the Interior > > > In the words of the Warm Data hosting > theory, we tend the “about” so that > what is re-configured is in the > “within.” It does not really matter > what people talk “about” in a Warm > Data Lab. There is nothing to capture > at that level. What matters is the way > the participants are internally sewing > together the different conversations > and contexts. On a transcript this > information is inaccessible. > > "In the Warm Data processes, > communication in explicit form is not > held to be the communication of > interest. That level of conversation > is there as a skeleton, onto which the > stories not told reshape the person > who did not tell them, the alterations > in tone, the re-tilted perception is > given free rein to rub memories and > stories against each other. One > comment that comes up repeatedly is, > “Your story changed my story.” Through > this “side-by-side-ing,” stories told > change stories almost told, and their > bearers are able to reshape their > impressions in ways that are untamed. > By careful tending of the “about” and > “within,” the rich world of memory and > story re-wilds. > > > "The gaps are where the hope of > systemic transformation is waiting. In > the Warm Data processes, participants > are given a structure to re-stitch, to > re-wild, to begin a new abductive > process into these gaps. Again, by > placing the contexts of life > side-by-side in new configurations, > the aphanipoietic processes are given > room, without conscious purpose or > goals or defined outcomes, without > scripts or roles or trends — to allow > the tender new beginnings of another > abductive description to form mutually. > > "Through this work, I have found I > needed this term to embark on a deeper > study of the importance of > aphanipoiesis. The changes I witness > occurring in the Warm Data processes > are completely unpredictable and > profound. They suggest ever more > vividly that there is a real, if > unseen, mingling of the body, culture, > education, family — and a whole batch > of transcontextual experience that is > guiding all other actions. It is to > this change that I have devoted my > efforts toward systemic transformation." > > Warmly, > Jeff > Yelamu / San Francisco > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > OSList mailing list > To post send emails to > [email protected] > <mailto:[email protected] > <[email protected]>> > To unsubscribe send an email to > [email protected] > <mailto:[email protected] > <[email protected]>> > To subscribe or manage your subscription click > below: > > http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org > < > http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org> > Past archives can be viewed here: > > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] > < > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]> > > _______________________________________________ > OSList mailing list > To post send emails to [email protected] > <mailto:[email protected] > <[email protected]>> > To unsubscribe send an email to > [email protected] > <mailto:[email protected] > <[email protected]>> > To subscribe or manage your subscription click below: > > http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org > < > http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org> > Past archives can be viewed here: > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] > <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]> > > > > > > -- > Michael M Pannwitz > Draisweg 1, 12209 Berlin > +49 30 7728000 [email protected] > > _______________________________________________ > 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 > Past archives can be viewed here: > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] > > > _______________________________________________ > 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 > Past archives can be viewed here: > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] -- --- CHRIS CORRIGAN Facilitation - Training - Process Design - Strategy Complexity - Art of Hosting http://www.chriscorrigan.com Grateful to live on Nex̱wlélex̱wm (Bowen Island), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh territory,
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