Hi Ralph,
Its pretty inspiring to see you letting go of one more thing as you are writing about doing less. I want to say more about doing less and experimenting before sharing later another personal example of letting go that is fresh from this week. The basics of Open Space are solid and simple and its those qualities that make it so very powerful. I do believe that the less its tinkered with, the better the results are. Is this being too rigid? Last week when sharing a story about my letting go of an add-on practice in OS, I picked up the term OpenSpacism from a previous List conversation around evolution on the understanding of the OS basics and their application. In my mind, at that time too late at night for my own good the ism word was not a criticism but a challenge, an invitation to allow people to experiment a bit so they can get to a place of deeper learning about the basic guiding principles and practices of OS. In that spirit, I pressed Send but the next day, I realized that I would have preferred a title like Experimenting to understand OS rather than Open spacism that could be taken as a criticism of those who believe in preserving the strength of the OS basics by generally keeping them clear of modifications. We all need to experiment and thats a good learning practice. When we discover for ourselves (Ralph you describe that as working ourselves out of chaos), we integrate better, we understand in a deeper way the subtleties of the applications and we are more effective in communicating possibilities. Its important nevertheless to maintain critical thinking around modifications or additions made to the OS method. Add-ons activities usually come from client demands. I work very hard in those situations at verifying whose needs are met by this, at understanding why that need exists, at searching with the client for alternatives to meet their needs without reducing the space, and at explaining how Open Space can bring the organization to best meet its goal and usually surpass expectations if given the appropriate space. Add-ons, process types, may come from facilitators wanting to have a more active role, the way it used to be or from facilitators who like to play and create new designs. Experiencing more than once, the basic Open Space as a participant truly interested in a theme may help facilitators better understand the strength of the OST process and reduce the temptation to add-on to it. Examples where a different type of intervention surrounding OS is important do exist but in my view, they are more in the category of exceptions. One that comes to mind is a story told by Harrison or someone else during my OST training. It was about holding separate interviews with natural leaders of strongly opposing clans to help them name what they and their group needed to feel safe for an open space with both factions. Another more recent approach that could be offered in such a context is the pair-interviews before opening space (the 1st step of Appreciative Inquiry an approach that is based on values similar to those underlying Open Space). Flexibility in linking OS to other activities and processes can allow the opening of some amount of space. I do ask myself the hard question: by accepting to open a smaller space, am I preventing people, the client and the organization from going deeper at another opportunity? On the other hand, sometimes a little space may give a taste for more, we hope. I still try to keep add-ons and adjustments as a solution of last resort or as separate activities at different times. Why adjustments are a solution of last resort for me? My first responsibility as an OST facilitator in my view is protecting the maximum time-space for participants to self-organize and reflect about what matters most to them. Time and free choice is what they generally say they liked and benefitted the most from in OS events and when OS is tinkered with, the loss of their time is usually what they criticize most strongly. The greater the space, the deeper is the experience and the stronger the learning and consequently, the results. For over 25 years I experienced many approaches including OST which I have used over and over again in the last 13 years. My observation throughout those years is that by itself, with no add-ons, generally OS gives people the highest level of satisfaction and allows them to experience a really different and usually better way of being, of doing and of reaching their objectives. The true empowerment and the quality of relationships that emerge with self-organization the basis of Open Space seem like very potent seeds for ongoing transformation at some level if not at all levels of an organization as well as on the personal level. No wonder that opening space has become a way of being and doing, of choice for me. Thank you again Harrison for that beautiful gift that keeps on giving. Diane From: OSLIST [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Ralph Copleman Sent: 8 décembre 2009 08:38 To: [email protected] Subject: [OSLIST] Less A long time ago, I learned from reading an article by Malcolm Knowles that adults learn best when they have the opportunity to work themselves out of chaos. Then the work they do and the lesson they learn feel more "owned" to them. This makes sense to me, so I never use a grid. I divide the wall by days and also by morning and afternoon. Perhaps in the name of doing one less thing I shall drop the latter. My instinct to think up ways to be helpful is waning. I no longer consider it impolite, unwelcoming, unloving, or hard-edged of me to do less for people in OS events. One of my favorite occurrences in OS is watching what happens when someone arrives late. They rarely come to me to ask what to do because they were not present to see me do the opening and thus have no idea who I am. So they go to someone they know. Ever see this happen? Watch. The conversation is always very brief, then the newcomer nods, and everybody goes about their business. I keep imagining that some day I'll be able to do the whole opening with no words and just a few hand signals. Ralph Copleman * * ========================================================== [email protected] ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of [email protected]: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist * * ========================================================== [email protected] ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of [email protected]: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist
