When you do an Open Space there are always several participants who are so
delighted that they want to apply it themselves. Sometimes they tell you,
sometimes they just do it. You don't have a clue how good they are at holding
the space or whatever they are going to do.
I often tell the participants in the closing circle, that this is something
they can do themselves, but that they have to know what they are doing and I
suggest they read Harrisons book.
After having worked with several large organizations where they want to use
Open Space ongoing, I have arrived at a possible solution. I offer them a
course, that rather is coaching them through a real Open Space.
I have now a group of 8 persons in an organisation with 5000 employes. Six of
them had participated in one or two Open Space Conferences that I had already
conducted with people from the organization. Before the first seminar day they
had to read Harrisons book (and also my own about dialogue and large group
methods in Swedish).
The first day was about Open Space in general (with the US West film) about
what to do and not (pitfalls etc). In the afternoon we started planning the
event that they already had decided on. Looking at the venues, invitation
letter etc. Everyone is involved in these tasks.
The next day will be the day before the conference that is in the end of feb.
We will go through the whole process, rehearse etc. The conference day I will
only be in the background. They shall run the whole thing themselves. After the
conference we will have a feedback session. After this I think there is a good
possibility that they will work with Open Space in a good way in their
organization.
Ingrid Olausson
This is a late contribution to this discussion, because I had trouble with my
e-mail. Sorry
