Hi all, I'm finally back to tell you that my company enjoyed our first Open Space (my first as facilitator :) ) and it was really a great success.
I experienced on my skin what Harrison wrote on the "User Guide" about OS facilitation... it has more in common with Zen than with a straight, linear application of a cookbook technology. As facilitator you are totally in play and the more you are in tune with the energy flow around you, the more you are able to give help, even only with your passive presence. There were several tries (expecially near after the opening of the marketplace) by people who asked me a help to take things under control and it was really simple to help them let the things go the way they were going. A satisfaction aura pervaded the most of them and during the evening closing session the feedback was a pleasant confirmation of that. Every moment was a good surprise for the participants but I can say that the most shocking one was when they had in their hands the proceedings. They were shocked... some reactions were like: "Really?" - "It's not possible!" - "So soon?" but the one I liked more was "WOW!". Now the Space is Open and we have lots of work to do to continue our cultural change until the next Open Space (maybe in September). Please let me say thank you to you all again for your suggestions and encouragement, expecially to Gerardo De Luzenberger who I called the day before the OS having with him a very interesting exchange. Ciao Stefano On Wed, Mar 26, 2014 at 10:46 PM, Stefano Lucantoni < stefano.lucant...@gmail.com> wrote: > Hi Diana, > My intention is to be there and I'll be happy to meet you and all the > agilists OS practitioners who will be in Rome during those days. > > Tks a lot for your kind availability. > Let's stay in touch. > Stefano > > Il giorno 25/mar/2014, alle ore 19:18, Diana Larsen < > di...@futureworksconsulting.com> ha scritto: > > Hi Stefano, > > One more thought, I know there will be people attending the XP2014 > conference from a couple of companies I know about in Europe that use Open > Space as a regular part of their internal communication and decision making > processes. If you're in the area then, I could connect you with them. > > Diana > > ************** > Diana Larsen > http://futureworksconsulting.com > > Envisioning a world where everyone at every level of the organization can > say, "I love my work; this is the best job EVER!" > > ******************** > > > On Mar 24, 2014, at 7:16 PM, Diana Larsen <di...@futureworksconsulting.com> > wrote: > > Yes Stefano, > > As Harold suggests, the Agile Open program might be something to look > into. > > Also the XP2014 conference is in Rome this year May 26-30. The main > conference days May 27-29 will feature a parallel open space. I will be in > Rome for it and would enjoy meeting with you too. I could tell you about > the other resources and supports I'm familiar with. > > I'm sure there are other wonderful OS facilitators based in Italy who > could also help. > > Diana > > Diana Larsen > http://futureworksconsulting.com > Sent from my iPad. Please excuse typos & other fumble fingered effects. > > On Mar 24, 2014, at 15:43, Stefano Lucantoni <stefano.lucant...@gmail.com> > wrote: > > Harold, thanks for your suggestions. > I didn't know the Open Agile Program, it seems really interesting and > starting one of these conferences in Italy is an exciting option. Next > summer I know that there will be a two Open Space days for the Italian > Agile Coach Camp... Maybe they adhere to the program. > > About Daniel Mezick I know his work very well and our first Open Space > should be our first step adopting his OAA framework. Unfortunately I can't > attend his first training at the end of April. > Waiting for future training in Europe, in the mean time we'll try to do > the best with the help of his book (The Culture Game) and all the useful > stuff he published on his site. > > Thanks again for your suggestions. > Cheers > Stefano > > Il giorno 23/mar/2014, alle ore 14:51, Harold Shinsato < > har...@shinsato.com> ha scritto: > > A fellow agilist! Welcome Stefano. Glad to be reading your questions and > remembering the tension and the joys of the first time opening the circle. > > Many from within a company have facilitated an open space for that > company. I've done it myself at SAP back in 2008. But this is a lot like > the recommended division of roles between the scrum master and the product > owner. They don't mix well, because in many ways the Scrum Master is > supposed to be a facilitator, whereas the Product Owner is more like a boss. > > Also, the traditional team manager is definitely *not* a good candidate as > the scrum master. If you are the manager of the team or group, being the > facilitator is extremely challenging. If someone owns the decision making - > it is very hard to give up that decision making to the team. And even worse > if you are determining their salaries and whether or not they get fired or > promoted. But if you are seen as being on the same level as the rest of the > team or group, it's much easier for you to be considered neutral and > capable of keeping the space safe and open for new ideas and challenging > opinions. I don't see a problem with a good agile coach being a facilitator > for an open space. Though I think Daniel Mezick has an interesting view on > that. More about Daniel later. > > As an agile coach - you might be interested in two pieces of history. > Diana Larsen is on this list, and has been at the core of the Agile Open > program, http://www.agilealliance.org/programs/agile-open-program/ , > which has used open space on the agile theme starting in Portland but now > is happening in several places in the country. My annual Montana Open Space > conference just joined that program this year - our MACH One @Missoula. > Shameless plug. http://machmissoula.org. They are fantastic conferences > if you get a chance. You might even consider starting one in Italy. > > A second newer piece, Daniel Mezick is promoting a framework that makes > Open Space the center piece of an organizational adoption of agile and has > some great experience and ideas on how to make that successful. The Open > Agile Adoption framework. http://newtechusa.net/open-agile-adoption/. > He's been active on this list as well. He has said it's better for the > facilitator to be external so they are not considered as part of the team, > and I think if you were doing a formal OAA process, you're supposed to find > an external facilitator. > > Cheers, > Harold > > > On 3/22/14 12:25 PM, Stefano Lucantoni wrote: > > Well, I think there was a little misunderstanding and for sure it's my > fault. > I'm not the CEO but one of the three agile coaches of our company. > > Our work is focused on helping our company to upgrade its culture (we > started as Scrum Masters and now we work at all the company levels) and > Open Space is the most powerful tool to support us with this big challenge. > > Since the beginning I thought that as company coach and facilitator it > could be ok to facilitate this meeting too, even tough I'm a company > employee. Am I wrong? > > Anyway now I know that you Gerardo are very close to me and it would be > great to establish a direct contact during the next days. > > Please, let me all know what you think. > > Tks everybody > Stefano > > Il giorno 21/mar/2014, alle ore 21:51, Suzanne Daigle <sdaig...@gmail.com> > ha scritto: > > What a treat to have a CEO immersed in Open Space and an Agile Scrum guy > to boot! I agree with Harrison; it will lead to amazing things for your > company if you jump in the ring with everyone. So inspired. Wish we had met > in Paris. I was there then. Keep us posted! > > Suzanne > > P.S. Gerardo translated Harrison's user guide in Italian. I have my very > own copy which Gerardo signed dedicating it to my dad who read the book > from cover to cover years ago in Italian. He was a medical doctor. He loved > it! > On Mar 21, 2014 4:24 PM, "Harrison Owen" <hho...@verizon.net> wrote: > >> Stefano – If Milano can talk to Roma, good things might happen! >> >> >> I was going to add in my previous note that while it is certainly >> possible for the CEO to facilitate an Open Space as you propose, that would >> not be my first choice for several reasons. First – no matter what you say >> you will STILL be the Boss (or whatever) – which makes it harder to believe >> that it really is Open Space, and that you are not setting the agenda. As >> you probably know by now, it is virtually impossible to “control” an Open >> Space. Certainly you can shut it down, but you and everybody else will be >> out of control, simply because everybody is “in control.” You know that, >> but your people don’t, at least for their first Open Space. So I would not >> put unneeded barriers in the way, even if they will be cast aside. The >> second reason that doing it yourself is problematical is that as >> facilitator, you really need to keep your hands out of things (present and >> invisible, so to speak). But then everybody loses, assuming that you have >> some value to add. Which I am sure you do. >> >> >> So do yourself and everybody else a favor. Invite my good friend Gerardo >> (Milano) to do the honors. And if he can’t, there are many other good >> folks, all speaking Italian. If he/they can take care of the space, you can >> have the marvelous fun of playing in it with all your comrades. At least >> that is what I would do. >> >> >> 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:* oslist-boun...@lists.openspacetech.org [mailto: >> oslist-boun...@lists.openspacetech.org] *On Behalf Of *Stefano Lucantoni >> *Sent:* Friday, March 21, 2014 9:46 AM >> *To:* World wide Open Space Technology email list >> *Subject:* Re: [OSList] My first OS as a facilitator >> >> >> Hege, tks for your words. >> I'm very lucky because I'm part of a team (agile coaches team) who shared >> strong values and maybe our passion was capable to 'infect' our management. >> >> We hope OS will be a first step toward a new way to live collaboration in >> our company. >> >> We're going to do a one day Open Space. >> >> And to answer to a previous Suzanne question: we're located in Rome. >> >> Stefano >> >> >> On Fri, Mar 21, 2014 at 1:30 PM, Hege Steinsland < >> steinslandh...@gmail.com> wrote: >> >> Stefano, I wish you all the best and congratulate you with your courage >> and the trust your company shows in you and the method! A great >> opportunity! I looke forward to listen to your experience. Are you doing a >> one ore two days Open space? >> >> >> All the best from >> >> Hege >> >> Norway. >> >> 21. mars 2014 kl. 13:16 skrev Stefano Lucantoni < >> stefano.lucant...@gmail.com>: >> >> >> >> Thanks a lot Suzanne. >> I'm reading Harrison's guide again and again and I admit that the more I >> read it the more the stress drops down because it really seems to me that >> the Open Space is self sufficient or anyway needs a very small help. >> >> Thanks again for your support. >> >> Ciao >> >> Stefano >> >> >> >> On Fri, Mar 21, 2014 at 1:58 AM, Suzanne Daigle <sdaig...@gmail.com> >> wrote: >> >> Stefano...bravo! Love the theme, love that you will have 100 people and >> most especially that you have invited your organization into Open Space. >> Besides telling you to enjoy the experience, I would refer you to >> Harrison's guide. After 5 years I still go back to it to do the basic >> preparations and to also sink into my invisible role opening and holding >> the space. Where are you located? >> >> Thank you for sharing and making us part of your first experience. >> Remember you can do no wrong. It will happen with you and in spite of you. >> Keep us posted. >> Suzanne >> >> On Mar 20, 2014 6:49 PM, "Stefano Lucantoni" <stefano.lucant...@gmail.com> >> wrote: >> >> Dear all, >> I'm new to this OS world. After my first, and unique, OS experience in >> Paris during last September (The Global Scrum Gathering) I came back home >> with the idea to adopt this kind of meeting in my company too. >> On next March 31st my company's first Open Space meeting will take place >> and I'm going to be the facilitator. wow! >> We'll be around 100 people and the theme is "how could we make our >> company a better place to work?" >> If any of you have a suggestion to share with me, something that you >> would have been happy to receive before your first time as an OS >> facilitator, I think it would be really a gift for me. >> >> thanks all >> Stefano >> >> _______________________________________________ >> 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 >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> 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 >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> 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 > > > > _______________________________________________ > 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 > > > > -- > Harold Shinsato > har...@shinsato.com > http://shinsato.com > twitter: @hajush <http://twitter.com/hajush> > > _______________________________________________ > 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 > > > _______________________________________________ > 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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