Thanks for your wise comments, Michael. ________________________________ From: Michael M Pannwitz <mmpa...@boscop.org> To: osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu Sent: Mon, November 15, 2010 9:55:58 AM Subject: Re: [OSLIST] OST following a creative enhacing training
Dear Lisa, dear Artur... basically, Lisas notes reflect my experience with about 200 os events over the last 14 years. In the early days of my practice I spoke quite a bit about "Open Space" (how it came about, the originator, etc.). For some time now, I might mention "Open Space" once (if you look at the introduction which is part of the book "Meine open space Praxis" I pick up on "Open Space" in response to something the sponsor/my client said in his remarks...in this case he mentioned that Open Space is also fun). There always are a few sentences in the invitation to the event about OST, however. Also, I say practically nothing about the "Theme" but encourage the sponsor/my client to do a bit of that in his "Welcome" (where he actually opens the space with traditional welcoming words, saying something about the Theme and, most importantly, talks a bit about his own passion...no more than 5 minutes for all of that). And I also "explain" or rather illustrate each principle, the law, the bumble bees, the butterfly in my words... All this is done to reduce the time before the participants start to act themselves...and I discovered over the years that the simpler, shorter, more matter-of-fact... the introduction became, the easier it seemed for the participants to get "into the spirit" , forget about the facilitator, do their thing...and in my observation expanded the possibilities for the forces of selforganisation to do its thing (which, I find, is not the same as the apparent self-organizing mode the participants get into). I agree with everything and thank you for sharing your vast experience. On first reading, I was comfortable about what you said about "training" and that Open Space meetings are not trainings. And then I remember how I used to do "trainings" twenty years ago and how I facilitate trainings for Open Space Technology these days... and that is certainly vastly different from the "traditional" trainigs I used to do. Perhaps this is a different topic but briefly, in OST trainings I am involved in there is absolutely no "explaining" on my part (participants explain it to themselves and to each other, I suppose)... I tell participants before the training that there is no way to learn or teach OST but, at best, it can be "remembered"... and that takes about 5 days. I must confess that I am a bit uncomfortable with training on OST. On one hand I agree with you that the best way is to do it in the OST way. But that takes time (5 days in your case) and quite often people don't have that time to spend. So I now do a two parts training of one and an (almost) half day each (Friday evening and Saturday all day), separated by two to four weeks, and I recommend participants to open some space in the meantime. Warn regards from a sunny day in Lisbon Artur -------------- Greetings from Berlin mmp Lisa Heft wrote: > Hi, Artur - > > Regarding the outdoor experiences the day before an Open Space: many things > can >happen the day before an Open Space. But as Open Space delivers intimate >passionate discussion, relationship-building, a sense of community or team, >energetic interchange and even laughter - I not only see no reason to design >in >preliminary activities *but* have actually seen an Open Space suffer after >these. And I have seen the same as Harrison noted - participants have often >said 'why didn't you give us more time for our work / play / discussion in >Open >Space - we could have used it'. > This includes introduction / warm-up / 'icebreaker' activities. Even going >around in a circle hearing what everyone's name and title is seems to be >taking >up valuable time for participants - they always say how they came to know and >remember each other much more deeply because of their shared interests and >spirited discussions in the Open Space and that a traditional introduction >both >is hard to remember plus can often set up assumptions about who is supposedly >who. > > Regarding the introduction / explanation of Open Space - I feel strongly that >one should explain the principles and law BEFORE opening up the floor for >topics >/ agenda co-creation. > Because you are explaining / inviting a different way of being. You are >explaining when you explain principles and law that everything is possible, >including visiting multiple discussions during a single session. > You are letting people know to follow the energy of the conversations rather >than their pre-conceived agendas. > And you are also letting people know that even if one person comes that is >exactly the amazing perfect thing - they can write in silence and contribute >even if they have a completely different way of thinking. > The explanation of principles and laws (not just the reading of the text on > the >posters) is one of the essential invitations in Open Space, I believe. > > Also: your client said that they do that certain way (explaining only each >thing as needed) for ***trainings****. > That is a very good way to do a training. > Open Space meetings are not trainings. > A very important difference for design, explanation, dynamics, information > the >participants need for their self-organized work, objectives, outcomes and >more. >Right? > > Lisa > > > * > / > Lisa Heft > / > * > Consultant, Facilitator, Educator > *Opening Space* > lisah...@openingspace.net <mailto:lisah...@openingspace.net> > On Nov 13, 2010, at 1:19 PM, Artur Silva wrote: > >> Thanks for your answer(s), Harrison. >> And have you (ou others) any comments on my point 2 (the possible two-step >>opening)? >> Rgds >> Artur > > * * ========================================================== >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 -- Michael M Pannwitz, boscop eg Draisweg 1, 12209 Berlin, Germany ++49-30-772 8000 mmpa...@boscop.org www.boscop.org Check out the Open Space World Map presently showing 412 resident Open Space Workers in 71 countries working in a total of 141 countries worldwide Have a look: www.openspaceworldmap.org * * ========================================================== 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
