Suzanne and Chun Li, Congratulations and great work enabling citizens of New Jersey to build a new future together. It will be exciting to watch the evolution of what you both contributed. Scott --
On Fri, Jun 17, 2011 at 12:50 AM, Suzanne Daigle <sdaig...@gmail.com> wrote: > Hi again everyone! > > The New Jersey event held on June 14th and 15th was absolutely amazing. > > For once, I don't feel I can describe what happened in New Jersey. It is > beyond words. And somehow I feel that the success, intensity and > excitement of this event belongs to all of you in this worldwide community. > I know that what happened in New Jersey happens in so many places all around > the world. I feel so grateful and connected to all of you in the process of > doing this work. > > To hear people describe how they feel when they are in open space engaged > in topics that they are passionate about defies words. I will never tire of > hearing them describe their experiences. > > The stats can only give one sliver of description of what happened at this > 2-day event: 150 diverse people in attendance, many on a wait list, 73 > topics posted; 50+ summary reports and they're still coming in; hundreds of > photos, lots of tweets, about 25 or more video interviews and a book of > proceedings of nearly 110 pages. All of this in 2 short (or long) days. > Many volunteers, a dedicated committee, the best partner ever (Chuni Li) > plus many others (most of all the participants!) created the magic. > > Rather than me describing more, I invite you to check these sample videos > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-0BWV6Vf-E > > and > > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFq6NYWb7mg&feature=related. > > If you search You Tube and type the key words *creativenewjersey*, you > will find 20 or 25 more interviews with people talking about "Revitalizing > New Jersey through Innovation and Creativity". Sprinkled here and there, you > will also hear how they felt about Open Space. > > You can also check the event website http://creativenj.org/ which gives > another flavor of what happened. > > Sleep deprived these past few days, I could not help but share my awe and > gratitude with you before catching a few winks. I will also confide that it > was tough not facilitating this event, letting the client take on this role > that I love so much. I had provided him with some behind the scenes > coaching. In the end, it felt like the right thing to do. Today he kindly > sent me a note that said: "I now understand why you were a little > regretful about not facilitating. It was great fun and a real high to see it > all happen so brilliantly. It could be very addictive." In my mind's eye, > I smile remembering the people lined up by his side to announce their topics > and later seeing him pick up coffee cups and arranging the chairs in the > circles for evening news and closing circle. I believe we may well have > another facilitator in our midst. Life will never quite be the same for him > as indeed it has never been quite the same for me and many of you. > > Thank you dear friends for being there always, wherever you are on this > planet, as I once again share with you how I feel and what I have lived > these past few days. > > Suzanne > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On Sun, Jun 12, 2011 at 5:10 PM, Suzanne Daigle <sdaig...@gmail.com>wrote: > >> Dear OS friends and colleagues: >> >> So many times during this project, I have wanted to write to you to >> share the exuberance, the challenges, the questioning, the commitment and >> the awe, pride and admiration I have felt for everyone involved in the >> two-day Creative New Jersey Open Space event scheduled to take place on June >> 14th and 15th of this week. >> >> <http://creativenj.org/> >> >> Check out the site http://creativenj.org/ and to witness what’s happening >> live this week. You can even twitter if you’d like. Just don't forget to >> include #creativenj if you do tweet. >> >> For Chuni Li and me, co-facilitators on this Open Space project with >> Creative New Jersey, our work began a little over two months ago. For the >> organizing host team, the Vision had started about 18 months ago. >> >> >> >> A compelling white paper described the burning platform of a state (like >> most across the country) facing enormous economic, social, cultural, >> educational and environmental challenges. It spoke of a proud history of >> innovation, creativity and success. Their goal was a Call to Action to >> spark a movement that recognizes, fosters and sustains creativity and >> innovation as catalysts for a vital, prosperous and sustainable New Jersey. >> >> >> >> After an Open Space simulation, introduced as part of our pre-work, the >> organizing committee agreed to go with an OS process. Then began the work >> of creating an invitation which led to the theme question: “How can >> Creativity and Innovation Revitalize New Jersey?” Excitement was building >> with the committee though not without a certain degree of anxiety wondering >> how we would attract a group of 150 diverse individuals to commit two full >> days in mid-June. A weekly meeting schedule by conference call was >> established with the Host Team taking the lead on most of the pre-work >> assignments. With each passing week, the energy and enthusiasm kept >> building. Chuni and I became resources, assisting and guiding with the >> intention of not only helping them have a successful event but also >> transferring knowledge about Open Space, the mechanics and the depth of this >> self-organizing leadership process. >> >> >> >> Mid-stream, we also decided to call upon Gerry Kirk, from the Scrum >> Community, an avid supporter of Open Space, asking him to lead us on the >> technology side. Chuni became his right arm person, avid to learn and do. A >> host website with many simple tools was quickly created. Again the mission >> was about transferring the learning to the New Jersey team of volunteers. >> Now a few days before the event, the conversations are happening on line; >> many participants have already posted their profiles and we know that the >> site will be a welcoming place for blogs, live twitters, summary reports and >> short videos to capture impressions and highlights during the event. It will >> also serve as an important vehicle to continue the conversations afterwards >> and to share ideas and engage action and to invite more people to join. >> >> >> >> Initially the intent was that I would facilitate the event but in the >> course of our preparations, a request came asking if we would agree to have >> Larry Capo, one of the leads on this project, facilitate. For a split >> second I hesitated but then quickly agreed that yes, this was the way to go. >> Now as I listen to Larry counseling others on our weekly conference calls >> saying “whatever happens, happens”, “letting go is what we need to do ” or >> quoting a passage in Harrison’s Open Space Technology book, I know without a >> shadow of a doubt that this was the right decision and that in a different >> and very invisible way, I too will be holding space with him, working at the >> newsroom. >> >> Today, a diverse group of nearly 170 people have confirmed from business >> and industry, education, arts and culture, science and technology, >> government, communities, medical and pharmaceuticals, faith based, media and >> others. >> >> As I reflect on what has happened these past few months, I can almost hear >> Harrison’s voice to us the facilitators of Open Space saying “one less thing >> to do” is one more thing the clients can do for themselves. Chuni and I >> have contributed in a different way, wrestling at times as it was not always >> easy watching our clients struggle and work as hard as they have. In the >> end, as we look forward to our upcoming event, I feel and hear the pride and >> ownership of what has been achieved to date and I can only imagine how >> wonderful and great it will be when we get to the end of the closing circle >> “when it’s over, it’s over”. Of course, we will know that it’s really just >> the beginning … of a transformative change to revitalize New Jersey. >> >> >> >> There are no words to express the joy at the emergent collaboration of >> working with this wonderful team. Wish us all luck and please hold the space >> for us and with us. Thank you Harrison for your wise counsel and support >> along the way; Lisa Heft for your expert guidance on the simulation and >> pre-work; and Diane Gibeault, my teacher and friend, for the opportunity to >> ponder deeply together and to exchange ideas in Ottawa last week and over >> the phone. >> >> >> >> Suzanne (with Chuni Li) >> >> >> -- >> Suzanne Daigle >> NuFocus Strategic Group >> 7159 Victoria Circle >> University Park, FL 34201 >> FL 941-359-8877; >> CT 203-722-2009 >> www.nufocusgroup.com >> s.dai...@nufocusgroup.com >> twitter @suzannedaigle >> >> > > > -- > Suzanne Daigle > NuFocus Strategic Group > 7159 Victoria Circle > University Park, FL 34201 > FL 941-359-8877; > CT 203-722-2009 > www.nufocusgroup.com > s.dai...@nufocusgroup.com > twitter @suzannedaigle > > > _______________________________________________ > OSList mailing list > To post send emails to OSList@lists.openspacetech.org > To unsubscribe send an email to oslist-le...@lists.openspacetech.org > To subscribe or manage your subscription click below: > http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org > > -- Scott Gassman IdeaJuice (917) 951 - 0258 scott.gass...@gmail.com www.ideajuices.com America Speaks on Scott: http://www.americaspeaks.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=page.viewPage&pageID=919&nodeID=1
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