Harrison, I am going to print these paragraphs of yours and think about the "ZERO confidence," "about what is going on." That's good material for me to think about as I approach future group work. I am touched by your Kathie story. Kathie's respect for you came out in a conversation and made me want to learn Open Space, and so she really steered me towards learning with you and Lisa up in Maine. I do remember you leaving to take a nap and me scratching my head - how - in the middle, can you let go? I guess until now I dance between the freedom of Open Space and joint design team sharing that anchors me to do as much as I can to support the group and deliver a quick start. I want the organizational team to discover and I also want to have them have those first few steps of how to get going on their own. I think of it as pushing a kid on a 2 wheel bicycle, also "out of control," aiming to get them to keep pedaling and stay up.
Here's my honesty to you, Sharon Joy. Scott On Wed, Jul 10, 2013 at 6:06 PM, Harrison Owen <[email protected]> wrote: > Scott said – “Not all of us have your (that’s me – HO) confidence, clarity > or competence in all situations to trust ourselves, in an organization we > may live/work in and/or the process in a room potentially filled with > bureaucrats, whose shadow can slow down the speed of large group movement.” > **** > > ** ** > > Nice words, Scott – but once again I have a different take. Truth is I > have ZERO confidence, to say nothing of clarity, in my “competence in all > situations to trust (my)ourselves, in an organization we may live/work in > and/or the process in a room potentially filled with bureaucrats, whose > shadow can slow down the speed of large group movement.” Quite to the > contrary, I know totally and completely that I will NEVER have a real clue > about what is going on. Too complex, inter-related, fast moving, opaque... > BUT the people do. My only responsibility (possibility) is to invite them > to do what only they know how to do – and then, as quickly as possible, get > out of the way. Usually to take a napJ**** > > ** ** > > And Kathie Dannemiller was a special person and a friend. I respect her > greatly. And... somebody once asked her why, given what she did, she didn’t > use Open Space. Her reply, as I heard it, was – “I’d be terrified ... it > could get out of control.” The big secret, of course, was that she (as we > all are) was always out of control – so there was nothing to lose.**** > > **** > > Harrison**** > > ** ** > > ** ** > > ** ** > > Harrison Owen**** > > 7808 River Falls Dr.**** > > Potomac, MD 20854**** > > USA**** > > ** ** > > 189 Beaucaire Ave. (summer)**** > > Camden, Maine 04843**** > > ** ** > > Phone 301-365-2093**** > > (summer) 207-763-3261**** > > ** ** > > www.openspaceworld.com <http://www.openspaceworld.com%20> **** > > www.ho-image.com <http://www.ho-image.com%20> (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:* [email protected] [mailto: > [email protected]] *On Behalf Of *Scott Gassman > *Sent:* Wednesday, July 10, 2013 5:01 PM > > *To:* World wide Open Space Technology email list > *Subject:* Re: [OSList] 1,000 participants in 4 hours**** > > ** ** > > Hi Harrison,**** > > ** ** > > Glad you responded, Sharon gets to think deeper about how to proceed and > be hopefully clearer about her design decisions.**** > > I clearly hear "get out of the way quickly," and the authenticity of how > you have lived/practiced OpenSpace. I love it when I do it.**** > > Not all of us have your confidence, clarity or competence in all > situations to trust ourselves, in an organization we may live/work in > and/or the process in a room potentially filled with bureaucrats, whose > shadow can slow down the speed of large group movement. **** > > Whether my approach is a cop out to the OS process, my Kathie Dannemiller > lessons about Design Teams has helped me to usually make the process > consciously the participants' process.**** > > ** ** > > Scott**** > > ** ** > > On Wed, Jul 10, 2013 at 1:30 PM, Harrison Owen <[email protected]> wrote: > **** > > Scott – I guess I really have a different take. I have never seen any > reason to “plant” topics, or emplace “spark plugs.” In every situation with > large groups in my experience (my largest was 2108 J) – the people do it > all by themselves, just like usual. If anything the action is faster, and > more furious with a large group. Once it rolls, it really rolls. You just > got to get out of the way quickly – which is why I would make sure the > opening was fast and sweet. Once person (facilitator) only – and on with > the show! Of course the “necessary conditions” must be in place (real > business issue, complexity, diversity, passion, conflict, urgency) – and > from there on out the only thing you need to do is sit in a circle, create > bulletin board, open market place – and go to work. Nothing else needed.** > ** > > **** > > Harrison**** > > **** > > Harrison Owen**** > > 7808 River Falls Dr.**** > > Potomac, MD 20854**** > > USA**** > > **** > > 189 Beaucaire Ave. (summer)**** > > Camden, Maine 04843**** > > **** > > Phone 301-365-2093**** > > (summer) 207-763-3261**** > > **** > > www.openspaceworld.com <http://www.openspaceworld.com%20> **** > > www.ho-image.com <http://www.ho-image.com%20> (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:* [email protected] [mailto: > [email protected]] *On Behalf Of *Scott Gassman > *Sent:* Wednesday, July 10, 2013 10:13 AM > *To:* World wide Open Space Technology email list > *Subject:* Re: [OSList] 1,000 participants in 4 hours**** > > **** > > Hi Sharon Joy,**** > > **** > > Thanks for sharing your opportunity and provoking our experience and > imagination.**** > > Lisa has given you great tips, great food for thought. For me the joy of a > laid back **** > > OS alters when I must manage tighter time frames, larger numbers and > logistics. I **** > > want people to see what they can get done when they are focused and led > through **** > > well planned OS tasks. **** > > I think about the outcome/purpose the client/group wants to walk away > with. I try to **** > > get clear on their goal(s)/desired outcomes. I am fond of design teams > preceding **** > > any large group initiative. I would bring together 5 to 10 vertically > positioned **** > > influencers as soon as possible and preceding the get together and confirm > sought **** > > desired outcomes, I would then ask them to brainstorm a list of important > topics**** > > for this conversation and to rework the list into a vital few examples. I > would also **** > > encourage this group to recognize the significance of their role and to > serve as **** > > spark plugs to get the large group moving forward.**** > > However the session is opened, I would include a design team member or two > to share their **** > > hopes and aspirations for this meeting, and to briefly share the list of > topics as examples **** > > for the 1,000 others to raise what matters most to them per the "high > performance **** > > system"sought.**** > > **** > > This is a great opportunity for your government to work together.**** > > I also look forward to learning about your experience and next steps.**** > > **** > > Scott Gassman**** > > **** > > **** > > **** > > On Tue, Jul 9, 2013 at 8:38 PM, Sharon Joy Chao < > [email protected]> wrote:**** > > Need to figure a way of convening a thousand government people to go > through an exploratory discussion on high performance system, all under 4 > hours. > > This happens next week down south in the city of Cebu. The focus is on the > Philippine government service, its performance management system and how it > can be truly essential, responsive and life-giving. > > Gail West, my OS mentor friend, has provided me with some incredible > suggestions on how to proceed and she also advised me to post on OSList. > > Any thoughts on how best to proceed with a cast of thousand in 4 hours > time? > > Maraming Salamat. > > ======================================== > Sharon Joy Berlin Chao > SEAMEO INNOTECH > Commonwealth Avenue, U.P. Diliman, Quezon City > Metro Manila 1101 Philippines > Phone (632) 924-7681, 9267900 > Fax (632) 928-7692 > > > _______________________________________________ > OSList mailing list > To post send emails to [email protected] > To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] > To subscribe or manage your subscription click below: > http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org**** > > > > **** > > **** > > -- > Scott Gassman > IdeaJuice > (917) 951 - 0258 > [email protected] > www.ideajuices.com > > America Speaks on Scott: > http://americaspeaks.org/facilitator-spotlight/spotlight-on-scott-gassman/ > > **** > > > _______________________________________________ > OSList mailing list > To post send emails to [email protected] > To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] > To subscribe or manage your subscription click below: > http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org**** > > > > **** > > ** ** > > -- > Scott Gassman > IdeaJuice > (917) 951 - 0258 > [email protected] > www.ideajuices.com > > America Speaks on Scott: > http://americaspeaks.org/facilitator-spotlight/spotlight-on-scott-gassman/ > > > **** > > _______________________________________________ > OSList mailing list > To post send emails to [email protected] > To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] > To subscribe or manage your subscription click below: > http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org > > -- Scott Gassman IdeaJuice (917) 951 - 0258 [email protected] www.ideajuices.com America Speaks on Scott: http://americaspeaks.org/facilitator-spotlight/spotlight-on-scott-gassman/
_______________________________________________ OSList mailing list To post send emails to [email protected] To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] To subscribe or manage your subscription click below: http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org
