Hi Birgitt, I love your comments . . . You've definitely "outed me" as the control freak I am :-)
But then I'm certain there aren't any other control freaks on the list. While I love the simplicity, I also sometimes hold tight . . . when letting go (more) might be best. b On Mon, Nov 7, 2011 at 9:43 AM, Birgitt Williams < birg...@dalarinternational.com> wrote: > Dear friends and colleagues,**** > > I smile at dear friends Harrison and Barry, both of whom are advocates for > doing less, speaking so convincingly about the importance of signing up on > the topic sheets in the marketplace. **** > > ** ** > > Really…do you really think that it is in anyway possible that the buzz can > be prevented from happening, or that somehow in an OST meeting, there is > any chance of achieving ‘less buzz’ if the space is ‘open’? I am smiling at > the thought. So, rest assured, with no requirement to sign up on the > sheets, people flock to the marketplace, the marketplace is open, the > shopping and horse trading begin, and the buzz is the great getting ready > buzz of ‘all set, get ready, and go’. The one additional advantage of no > sign ups is that people do get on into their first group faster. Yes, there > is a great buzz and it seems of shorter duration as people charge towards > the first session. And it is great as they experience their productivity in > the sessions so quickly.**** > > ** ** > > For some many years, I have taught Working With Open Space Technology. In > this workshop, after examining a list of all possible ingredients of an OST > meeting, the participants are asked ‘what could you do away with and it > would still be an OST meeting in your perspective? The ingredients are > examined. There are some similarities in answers such as ‘the circle’. > There are a lot of differences too, as different > viewpoints/perspectives/cultural and other life experiences come into play. > And thus, some people would answer that signing up at the marketplace is > essential for them. Others would say that it is not. And all is well.**** > > ** ** > > Blessings,**** > > Birgitt**** > > ** ** > > ** ** > > [image: tingsha]Birgitt Williams**** > > Author Genuine Contact Way**** > > Co-owner of the Genuine Contact program**** > > President and Senior Consultant, **** > > Dalar International Consultancy, Inc.**** > > www.dalarinternational.com**** > > ** ** > > Note: picture of the bells that have journeyed to numerous countries with > me for twenty-two years as an international consultant. During the closing > circle of every meeting, everyone in the meeting has held these bells. They > have now been held by thousands of people, all doing their part to create > life nurturing conditions for humanity. The bells have also been held in > blessing and in prayer by countless people, who bless all who ever hold > them, with the journey of the bells uniting all of their energies to make a > difference for humanity, one person at a time, one organization at a time, > one business at a time, one community at a time.**** > > ** ** > > ** ** > > ** ** > > *From:* oslist-boun...@lists.openspacetech.org [mailto: > oslist-boun...@lists.openspacetech.org] *On Behalf Of *Barry Owen > *Sent:* Sunday, November 06, 2011 6:22 AM > > *To:* World wide Open Space Technology email list > *Subject:* Re: [OSList] Signing up for sessions**** > > ** ** > > To those who opt not to do the "Sign ups"**** > > ** ** > > Is there not, then, a "Marketplace?" as I think Harrison is referencing.** > ** > > ** ** > > So , , , Does the "One thing less" mean that the OST flow goes from > Opening to posting sessions then to sessions without marketplace.**** > > ** ** > > I know it always works . . . and I know it would still work most probably > even with as "silent Opening" . . . but I'm also wondering about the "BUZZ" > **** > > ** ** > > My way is that I do the sign-ups as in during my comments after the topics > are on the wall include an invitation to sign up for the sessions for which > folks have passion . . . and I know secretly inside that many folks won't - > or they'll sign up for things they never show up for . . . That's life :-) > **** > > ** ** > > I DO believe it adds something to the overall experience - That BUZZ of > the Marketplace which "for me" always seems akin to "Horse-trading" and > giving the participants the opportunity to "make deals" by combining > sessions etc.**** > > ** ** > > This thing about "following people" is going to happen regardless . . . Of > course doing the sign-ups facilitates that, and there are 2 sides of that > coin . . . Sign ups are a handy way for a person to be in sessions with > people they really wish to be with . . . The flip side is that they might > be excluding self from meeting other interesting people (and ideas) . . . > **** > > ** ** > > Again, each person can choose her own level of participation in the > sign-up process.**** > > ** ** > > All of this to say that I do it and see real value in doing it . . . and > honoring the practice of others who don't with tremendous success.**** > > ** ** > > Good thing we have our differences . . . otherwise life would be dull and > learning would be shallow.**** > > ** ** > > :-)**** > > ** ** > > From a Blissfully crisp Nashville morning**** > > ** ** > > b**** > > On Sat, Nov 5, 2011 at 9:42 AM, Birgitt Williams < > birg...@dalarinternational.com> wrote:**** > > Warm greetings,**** > > This is a subject I will chime in on. I don’t have anyone sign up onto the > session of their choosing. In thinking of one thing less to do, there was > very little point to do so. In the end, people end up going where they feel > inspired to go, and the signing up process didn’t add value. I always keep > the space in the plenary area free of small group sessions…and simply > invite the groups, if they discover they are too big, to come back and use > space in the plenary area. I remember a meeting that Harrison and I did > some years back, and a large group of about 40 people stayed in the plenary > session for the full four session times of the day…the session was ‘the > conflict’ and was able facilitated all day long by three amazing women. The > same 40 people didn’t stay but it was always about 40 in the room.**** > > **** > > One additional reason I stopped doing sign ups for the sessions is about > the marking pens. I had a terrible incident in a community OST meeting > commissioned by a government, in which as people dropped the marking pens > onto the floor after signing up, they became a safety hazard as some > seniors slipped on them and tumbled to the floor…never again for me. The > marking pens at the start are kept in the center until the topics go up, > and then are available later on a table…but not along that congested agenda > wall.**** > > **** > > Good luck with your event,**** > > Birgitt**** > > **** > > *From:* oslist-boun...@lists.openspacetech.org [mailto: > oslist-boun...@lists.openspacetech.org] *On Behalf Of *Harrison Owen > *Sent:* Saturday, November 05, 2011 9:07 AM > *To:* 'World wide Open Space Technology email list' > *Subject:* Re: [OSList] Signing up for sessions**** > > **** > > I always invite the participants to take a writing implement and sign > their name on the session(s) of their choosing – always making clear that > this is not a “firm contract” – but an indication of intention and > interest. At the end of the day, it remains true – that whoever comes are > the right people. But the signatures do give some useful information as to > whether the “right people” will be a lot or a few. In smaller groups with > lots of free space, that information really doesn’t make a lot of > difference. But when you have a large number of participants, it can be > helpful, especially when the break out space are confined. When you see a > session paper covered with signatures that can suggest that a change of > venue to a larger space may be in order. This is not something you need to > worry about as facilitator. The folks will take care of the business. For > yourself just count it as one more thing NOT to do.**** > > **** > > Harrison**** > > **** > > Harrison Owen**** > > 7808 River Falls Dr.**** > > Potomac, MD 20854**** > > USA**** > > **** > > 189 Beaucaire Ave. (summer)**** > > Camden, Maine 20854**** > > **** > > Phone 301-365-2093**** > > (summer) 207-763-3261**** > > **** > > www.openspaceworld.com**** > > www.ho-image.com (Personal Website)**** > > To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of > OSLIST Go to: > http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org**** > > **** > > *From:* oslist-boun...@lists.openspacetech.org [mailto: > oslist-boun...@lists.openspacetech.org] *On Behalf Of *Rob van der Eyden > *Sent:* Saturday, November 05, 2011 3:10 AM > *To:* oslist@lists.openspacetech.org > *Subject:* [OSList] Signing up for sessions**** > > **** > > Hi all,**** > > **** > > I am preparing an Open space later this week. My first one… So was going > through the book yesterday. Sounds all good and exciting.**** > > **** > > On – probably stupid – question though: after the issues have been raised, > agenda made and marketplace opened, how do participants sign up for > sessions? Is that really by subscribing on paper or just by showing up at > the time and place that was planned for the session?**** > > **** > > Thanks & best regards, Rob**** > > **** > > De Veranderarchitect B.V.**** > > **** > > Rob A.I. van der Eyden**** > > **** > > *"Change is disturbing when it is done to us, exhilerating when it is > done by us" (K. Moss Kanter)***** > > **** > > Parkietstraat 30, 1171 HV Badhoevedorp**** > > *M*: +31 (0)6 512 72 127**** > > robvanderey...@veranderarchitect.nl**** > > www.veranderarchitect.nl**** > > **** > > [image: kiva.png] Make a Small Loan, Make a Big Difference - Check out > Kiva.org <http://kiva.org/invitedby/rob5568> to Learn How!**** > > **** > > > _______________________________________________ > 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**** > > ** ** > > _______________________________________________ > 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 > >
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