Wow! What a response! Thanks all of you - forgive me that I'm not going to respond to everyone individually but I'll try to respond to all the different thoughts and suggestions amid further explanation.
SItuation: A local bank sponsors a monthly brown bag networking event for women business people. Given this is Brattleboro Vermont, most of those who come are solo entrepreneurs or small business owners. (We have a hemp bag maker, lawyers, body workers, accountants, web marketing , graphics, tree service, nutritionists, etc.) Generally between 20-35 women are at a given meeting. This group over the last four years has been central to my making connections in town and many others feel the same way. The woman currently coordinating the meeting generally has a speaker on some topic and we are held captive for 45 minutes. This week after listening to a presentation on "Generating Leads" I participated in a whispered conversation that was "that was the same ole... " . On my way home I was reflecting that the previous month a similarly stronger reaction was had among some of us to that month's presentation. I was thinking about how many smart and interesting woman gathered and how what they really want is to talk to each other. (Sound familiar?) That's when I was like - oh, we need OS! But can we do it in 90 minutes? I came home and wrote the original posting.... So I'm NOT really talking about a "demo" - except that I know some of the folks are curious about what an OS meeting is like. I spoke yesterday to the coordinator - she loves it and is already thinking it should be 2 hours. Good for her. I didn't disabuse her of that idea. I don't know if we could stretch to 3 - I fear some might not come - but then again - they might. Hmm.. I'm thinking with my fingers. Obviously the theme/question needs to be crafted. I have good folks to help us think about that. I've got some ideas.. I'm heartened that some of you have been able to open space for short periods of time. I hear that I need to tell folks about how OS can function in a multi-day event. "Sleep twice...". As for documentation, I was thinking we could have a wiki set up that people could contribute to after the session is over. Good idea/bad idea? We also have an underutilized LinkedIn group? Each report could be a discussion. I don't know if that would feel too public for folks? I supposed the other "demo" part is that once I do this I'll be identified with the format locally. Who knows where that will lead? It could be that this group evolves to an OS format each month. We'll see. I'd love to come to Berlin and meet many of you. Simply can't afford it right now. Have I responded to everyone? I think so. Thank you, thank you. P.S. It DID feel weird to have the list go silent. Better now. :) Peace, Annamarie Pluhar Pluhar Consulting Results through effective group process http://www.pluharconsulting.com 802.451.1941 802.579.5975 (cell) On Apr 15, 2010, at 9:15 PM, Alex Iglecia wrote: > Hi Annamarie, > > I just led an open space in 60 minutes, and > it worked fantastically well. > > The group was 20 government-contractor engineers, systems thinkers and change > agents and was one of the kickoff talks for a semi-private forum in LA. > > My wife and I gave a 3-hour event called Mastering the Art of Alignment into > Action, which was designed as a bodymind experience for learning to observe > thoughts, observe the body as context for thoughts, observe the body's > contribution to choice, and then an hour of OS to move bodymindfully into > action. The theme was, "How can we use inner alignment to inspire our actions > as community?" Of course, the bodymind work was not necessary for a > successful OS, though for our design it worked well for a full inner to outer > spectrumed event. > > In any case, by the time we moved to our hour of OS, it looked like this: > 10 minutes to explain the marketplace process, guidelines and law of two > feet. > 10 minutes to create the marketplace and self-organize into groups. > One 30 minute conversation utilizing two feet. > 10 minute closing. > > For our purposes, it worked really well. The level of engagement, passion, > and ownership/responsibility was high. Only two people had participated in OS > before. > > So...a 90 minute demo is possible! Go for it! > > Warmly, > Alex > > > Alex Iglecia > 650-479-LIFE (5433) > 650-714-2267 (ATT Moblile) > > web. http://www.alexiglecia.com > follow. http://twitter.com/AlexIglecia > linkedin. http://www.linkedin.com/in/alexiglecia > > > > On Thu, Apr 15, 2010 at 7:41 AM, Annamarie Pluhar > <annama...@pluharconsulting.com> wrote: > Hoping this gets through... I tried to send a few days ago... > > > Hi all, > > I'm wondering if anyone has opened space for a 90-minute session? And if so, > how'd it go? I'm thinking it would take 20-30 minutes before groups started > talking, so there may be time for one session? Closing circle of 15 minutes? > It seems too short to me. I'm asking because I'm considering proposing OS for > a group that meets once a month of between 20-40 people. > > Harrison will say go for it. I'm wondering whether anyone has. > > Thanks! > > > Annamarie Pluhar > > Pluhar Consulting > Results through effective group process > http://www.pluharconsulting.com > 802.451.1941 > 802.579.5975 (cell) > > > > > > > > * * ========================================================== > osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu ------------------------------ To subscribe, > unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of > osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu: > http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html To learn about > OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist > > * * ========================================================== > osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu ------------------------------ To subscribe, > unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of > osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu: > http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html To learn about > OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist * * ========================================================== osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist
