Thanks Brian! To both Brian and Birgitt - this may be a minor point, but do you hand out the microphone and let it be passed around the room from person to person or do you hold the microphone and move to those who raise their hand to say something?
Steve Fr Brian S Bainbridge <bria...@mira.net> on 06/21/99 12:53:13 AM Please respond to OSLIST <osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu> To: osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu cc: (bcc: Steve Brigham/Kaludis Consulting Group) Subject: Steve Brigham espevcially re Closing circles Dear Steve, I have nothing to add to Birgitt's comments about Evening and Morning News. That's how I use those times, and it has always worked just fine. For the closing circle, I have always allowed about an hour for under- 100 and about 90 minutes for over-100 groups. I've never focused on time spcifically, but I have always indicated the "go-home time" at the very intro of the Open Space as I outline the schedule and time frames, mentioning that we will use the closing circle exercise in the time frame shown. So far, no group (even 400) has gone over, for some reason. Everyone has a chance to speak and holds the talking stick, but as the time runs on, they just pass it on with a "it's already been said" or "same again" or "nothing new to add" indication. I don't know why it works, but it just does, and very nicely, and never with any sense of hurry or haste. And I have lots of stories of what happened during those circles - often extremely moving and emotional events and times, to say the least. And always hugely positive and developmental and happy for some marvellous reason. And I always cheat a couple of mionutes to allow for the gathering of the Report and the simple "When It's Over, It's Over" exercise in whatever format seems right. Cheers and blessings, BRIAN.
