I hosted an 'Elephants' Gathering' at a conference once upon a time. I knew there were people there I wanted to talk to, but the program was of little interest.
I didn't try to compete with the mainstream agenda, I put it in the evening. Nobody had any intent on the formalities of Open Space, but it was indeed an open space, and the right people came (far less than I thought would come, but all the ones I wanted to talk to!). Someone (Eisenstein?) wrote a post recently, I think posted here, about trying to subvert the structure of a conference and being beaten down. My interpretation of events obviously... The right people can always be found in the cracks (at the bar, the coffee station etc). Some of them might need an invitation. I don't think it's appropriate to force Open Space on the others in a gathering who have little interest. Good on anyone that makes the call that Open Space is right for everyone and goes with it. But I fear that may likely more driven by ego than care (e.g the above dramatisation). Good discussion! *John Baxter* *Cocreation Consultant & CoCreate Adelaide Facilitator* CoCreateADL.com <http://cocreateadl.com/localgov%E2%80%8B> | jsbaxter.com.au <http://www.jsbaxter.com.au/> 0405 447 829 | @jsbaxter_ <http://twitter.com/jsbaxter_> *Thank you to everyone who came, helped or spread the good word about City Grill!* *Summary and links: cocreateadl.com/localgov/grill-summary <http://cocreateadl.com/localgov/grill-summary>* On Wed, Nov 12, 2014 at 1:55 PM, Skye Hirst via OSList < oslist@lists.openspacetech.org> wrote: > yeah, indeed flash mob Open Space always a great possibility. Thanks, > Skye > > On Tue, Nov 11, 2014 at 4:09 PM, Royle, Karl via OSList < > oslist@lists.openspacetech.org> wrote: > >> Great! >> >> Sent by iPhone >> Karl Royle >> Head of Enterprise and Commercial Development >> >> Faculty of Education Health and Wellbeing >> University of Wolverhampton >> 01902323006 >> 07815416698 >> @karlroyle. On Twitter >> Karlr61 Skype >> Www.academia.edu/karlroyle >> >> On 11 Nov 2014, at 20:51, "paul levy via OSList" < >> oslist@lists.openspacetech.org> wrote: >> >> <http://rationalmadness.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/w3.jpg> >> >> I wonder if anyone reading this has experiences to share of what I am >> about to describe. Most published stories of open space tend to go by the >> book. The book is often referred to as the *user * >> <http://www.openspaceworld.com/users_guide.htm>*guide* >> <http://www.openspaceworld.com/users_guide.htm>“, and it tends towards a >> process that is largely based on an* instruction manual* >> <http://elementaleducation.com/wp-content/uploads/temp/OpenSpaceTechnology--UsersGuide.pdf>. >> Dogmatic application manual can then lead, in my humble opinion, not to one >> less thing to do, but often one more thing to do. These are “guides” not >> rules, and that is the spirit in which they were written. In many cases, >> the user guide proves remarkably resilient and applicable. Yet there is >> always the next moment, the new story, the moment that needs something >> playful. >> >> There’s a lot in the manual (and the many trainings that have come into >> being from it) about sponsors and invitations, and the things that need to >> be done before an Open Space to ensure the open spacer er… opens space. I >> have no difficulty with the manual. It’s full of good advice and is the >> foundation you might just need to open some space. But, hey, what about >> this… I’m at a company away day that is looking at product innovation. It >> is business critical, and it is floundering. Powerpoint after Powerpoint >> has resulted in a stifled audience, and when they get to breakout sessions, >> the flipcharts look empty, the energy is low, and it all looks a bit too >> quiet. There’s a feeling in the room that the event is dying on its feet. >> Several sessions are lost in badly facilitated action planning. I am on the >> team and the lead facilitator looks to me for any ideas. It must be because >> I am silent and looking knowing and wise. >> >> Actually I’m seething inside at this over-facilitated, over-designed, >> overplanned conference crash. Do you mind if I… I ask, a bit pompously and >> the lead facilitator is up for whatever help he can get. I leap up, and >> step into the mess. I have a loud voice and it can’t get any worse than >> this. An idea has just occurred to me and I decide to hurl it into the >> cluttered room. “Er, hey.” I roar. “Why don’t we open some space?” I’m >> loud. It goes silent. >> >> This is what I say: “This is crap isn’t it?” Silence. “Can everyone bring >> their chairs and let’s get into a big circle. Tuts, irritation, doubt and >> mostly relief. Two minutes later there’s a big circle. >> >> I introduce open space in about four minutes and quickly crab some flip >> chart paper and tack it to the wall, creating four corners at new breakout >> spaces. >> >> I ask people to take their chairs with them and, within about ten minutes >> we have a whole bunch of different sessions, many based around action. >> >> The bosses in the room are gobsmacked. >> >> We have a two hour open space until wrap up and there’s a huge buzz in >> the room from this pop-up open space. >> >> The invite was improvised and spontaneous. >> >> The space opened because it wanted and needed to. It popped up and out as >> if it were the most natural thing in the world. It transformed the day and >> sent the clutter fleeing for cover. It was done without fuss and chairs >> from the main circle quickly went into breakout and back again. The >> facilitator team were edgy because they felt they were supposed to be doing >> something and I dragged them away for coffee. We chatted a bit about >> “emergence” and I was looked on as if I’d done some kind of magic. I was >> young and enjoyed the attention. I was also looked as as if I was a bit >> weird. Well, I am a bit weird. I do wonder if pop-up open space could and >> should happen a lot more. >> >> A lot of open spacers I know loved improvisation and spontaneity, yet >> when it comes to open space are a bit locked in the process in the book of >> instructions – the manual that tends to overplay the “prep” for the event. >> So, I’m waving a flag for pop-up, guerilla open space. Why not open some >> space even for the process of open space? Let’s shimmy it a little and see >> what falls out. >> >> “Flash mob” open space has, I think, a big future. My intuition tells me >> a fair number of facilitators have done it, and a fair few of them haven’t >> reported it, telling instead there more “responsible” by-the-book open >> space stories. But why not? Why not open some space on the spur of the >> moment? The invite is still there -it just takes a hell of a lot shorter. >> The opportunity is always there where an over-organised event is >> disappearing up its own proverbial… >> >> It is also there in an event that has some inbuilt flexibility. Why not >> throw some open space into the flexible mix? But best of all, why not open >> space when space is there to be open? Self-organisation is often crying out >> for a chance in the midst of failing over-organisation. >> >> So, here’s to some more pop-up open space… >> On 11 Nov 2014 19:59, "Peggy Holman via OSList" < >> oslist@lists.openspacetech.org> wrote: >> >>> Hi all, >>> >>> I got the query below from my friend Tom Atlee. It seemed like a great >>> question for the list. Since Tom isn’t on it, I told him that I’d forward >>> any responses. >>> >>> appreciatively, >>> Peggy >>> >>> >>> Begin forwarded message: >>> >>> *From: *Tom Atlee <c...@igc.org> >>> *Date: *November 10, 2014 at 12:51:54 PM PST >>> *Subject: **Guerilla Open Space?* >>> *To: *Peggy Holman <pe...@peggyholman.com> >>> >>> Hi Peggy, >>> >>> Thinking about the NCDD conference, I got the idea for "guerilla Open >>> Space" to be used in conferences where you want to open the space in the >>> middle of a too-organized gathering. It would involve a central website >>> with instructions on what to do and why. It would involve passing out >>> cards with messages like "Is there something that you'd really like to talk >>> about or do here that the agenda here is preventing you from talking about >>> or doing?" "Would you like to be learning, contributing, and having more >>> fun here?" with the web address on it. Tweets might also be used. Then, >>> on the main website it would tell people about how to do a guerilla open >>> space, referring them perhaps to meetup.com to arrange places to talk. >>> >>> Or something like that. Have you heard of such thing before? Do you >>> have any thoughts/responses? >>> >>> Hugs, >>> Tom >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> _________________________________ >>> Peggy Holman >>> Executive Director >>> Journalism that Matters >>> 15347 SE 49th Place >>> Bellevue, WA 98006 >>> 425-746-6274 >>> www.journalismthatmatters.net >>> www.peggyholman.com >>> Twitter: @peggyholman >>> JTM Twitter: @JTMStream >>> >>> Enjoy the award winning Engaging Emergence: Turning Upheaval into >>> Opportunity <http://www.engagingemergence.com> >>> Check out my series on what's emerging in the news & information >>> ecosystem >>> <http://www.journalismthatmatters.net/the_emerging_news_and_information_eco_system> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> 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 >> >> >> -- >> Scanned by iCritical. >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> 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 >> >> > > > -- > *Skye Hirst, PhD* > President - The Autognomics Institute > *Conversations in Radical Self-Knowing* > www.autognomics.org > @autognomics > > New Phone Number: > 207-593-8074 > > > _______________________________________________ > 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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