Artur, thank you for your comments and your kindness in reading all of those words. I too think the story that some people will learn something from. At this stage, it is a story that is sharing my travel log. During the travel, I developed a bit of a map that might be useful so that others have some wayshowing. It is wordy, not yet a paper, and with my best attempts to tell it from the heart and as I remember it. In parts 3 and 4 of this travel log, I will go through my thinking about this from 1995 to the present and why I am in the current perspective that I have. (I hear Brian Bainbridge in Australia groaning--he is one of my precious mentors and keeps encouraging a slightly different shorter writing style).
Once I share this in this way, the next steps for this material is that it will need to be condensed, edited and so on. If there is a chance to publish it once it is edited, it would be good. So--any suggestions for editing and improvements would be most welcome. Whether there is publishing of this or not, I intend to include this material as part of a multi-media training package that is to be complete by the autumn. I will not address your specific questions here but hope my view of some answers appears to you in the next parts of the story. Kindest regards, Birgitt Birgitt Williams of Dalar International Consultancy Mentoring for Organizational Effectiveness ********************************************************* For ongoing professional development, join us for training in the Genuine Contact Program for exceptional results in organizational effectiveness. The Genuine Contact Program, for leaders, consultants, and facilitators is made up of four components, each of which can be taken independently of the others as a "stand alone" workshop. Those completing all four components of the Genuine Contact Program meet the requirements to attend the "train the trainer" session of four days, resulting in authorization to use the Genuine Contact Program for "in-house" training of teams. Detailed information is available on our website at www.openspacetechnology.com Training dates for 2001: Session One: Working with Open Space Technology ($600US): Vancouver, British Columbia,Canada Jan 29-Feb 1; Niagara,Ontario, Canada April 2-5; Calgary, Canada May 15-18; Holland June 8-11; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA Oct 1-4 Session Two: Working with whole brain Process Facilitation ($195US):Seattle, Washington, USA Mar20-21; Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Mar 26-27; Niagara, Ontario, Canada April 23-24; Sweden May 29-30; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA: Sept 17-18 Session Three: Working with Cross Cultural Conflict Resolution($195US):Seattle, Washington, USA Mar 22-23;Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Mar 28-29; Niagara, Ontario, Canada April 19-20; Sweden May 31-June 1; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA Sept 19-20 Session Four: the Advanced Program in Open Space Technology focusing on the Open Space Organization($800US):Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Feb 2-4; San Francisco, California, USA April 28-May 1; Niagara, Ontario, Canada May 3-6; Berlin, Germany June 13-15; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA Nov 1-4 Train the Trainer ($1500US): Raleigh,North Carolina, USA Sept 21,22,23,24 We invite you to the first conference of the International Alliance for Mentoring, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA Sept. 25-26 Fee $100 US. "It is time to lead organizations as though God matters and people are precious. And in doing so, to be effective in fulfilling the mission of the organization." Birgitt and Ward Williams - we create opportunities for Genuine Contact for higher consciousness -----Original Message----- From: OSLIST [mailto:osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu]On Behalf Of Artur F. Silva Sent: Saturday, January 20, 2001 9:38 PM To: osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu Subject: Re: My story of the Open Space Organization Part 2 of 4 Dear Birgitt: I want to thank you for your superb story on OSO. I look forward to see the next 2 parts. But this one gives enough matter for dialog and clarification. First let me tell you that yours is the first DETAILED story of repeated OST's in the same organisation I know, intended to develop an OS Org (OSO, from now). Because of this it can be very important to all our community, especially if it gets published.. I will comment/ask here things I think can be of general interest. I will also discuss some suggestions of editing that I think have general interest, especially if you plan to publish the story. But I will not discuss some detailed suggestions on editing that I also have made and will send you privately, shall you be interested in them. Please note: I am using a lot of my time to do that; please don't see "criticism" where there are only friendly suggestion for improvement. My comments will respect the order of your text. I will sometimes refer to pages of my printing, even if pics can be different (my text has 22 pages). - The OSO story and your story are too much interwoned. They are perhaps difficult to separate; but I think your readers are not interested in your decisions when you were 9 year old; no CEO will consider this to be relevant, even if he/she made the some votes by that age, and especially if he/she didn't. I would begin yout story at the University. When you first refereed to the three centres an immediately carification of the objectives of each would be good (you only give it many pages below). You make a very good case for the use of many OSTs to promote cultural change and co-operation (but not "every one you can" - only relevant ones). First OST with "broader possible theme" - very good idea; The CEO being the OST facilitator of first OST (I had never thought about that - but it worked); what were the immediate comments of other participants? and a long term evaluation (Vs using an external facilitator?) The CEO being the facilitator for all following meetings (if I understood well); why not rely on other facilitators, from the organisation? why not train all staff to become facilitators? Hierarchy Vs OS - many doubts. Don't skip the opening - good suggestion... Achievements from 1992-95 The achievements are related with story. Why not separate them: story before and a list of achievements as a conclusion? There is an implicit idea that OST made the merging of cultures; but the effect of seven years of merging (even if not very good merging) in not clear. Should OST be used 7 years before, would the same good effects of OST on merger appeared? A lot of people made the cultural change; so why was it so easy for the new Treasurer to reverse the situation? Ingredients of the Open Space From point 5 to the end, those are specific to OST/OS. Previous ones are "good general management practices" not directly related to OS. My suggestion: suppress them or refer them earlier as preconditions. I think the story of last years should be rewritten - or suppressed in the document and reserved for questions - if this was a paper presented to a Conference. Brigit, your paper in wonderful, especially as it is the first of a kind. Thank you fore it. please, see my observations as the comments I would make to a close friend or expect to receive from one. Looking forward to see the two last parts Friendly Artur * * ========================================================== osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu Visit: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html =========================================================== osl...@egroups.com To subscribe, 1. Visit: http://www.egroups.com/group/oslist 2. Sign up -- provide an email address, and choose a login ID and password 3. Click on "Subscribe" and follow the instructions To unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of osl...@egroups.com: 1. Visit: http://www.egroups.com/group/oslist 2. Sign in and Proceed * * ========================================================== osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu Visit: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html =========================================================== osl...@egroups.com To subscribe, 1. Visit: http://www.egroups.com/group/oslist 2. Sign up -- provide an email address, and choose a login ID and password 3. Click on "Subscribe" and follow the instructions To unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of osl...@egroups.com: 1. Visit: http://www.egroups.com/group/oslist 2. Sign in and Proceed