Michael, Thanks for the reframing. It reminds me of a question that informed the stewards of Spirited Work, an Open Space learning community that met in OS 4 times a year for 7 years: What does it mean to live one’s life in Open Space? Living in that question has been and continues to be a journey!
I’ve never counted the number of times I’ve walked the circle, formally opening space. My first experience with OST was in 1994 and since then, I’ve worked with groups as small as 5 and as large as 2,100 from all different sectors — business, government, nonprofit, community and on 5 continents. I know there’s no way I would have had to courage to run an OS with 1,800 street kids and 300 teachers in Bogota, Colombia in a language I don’t speak if it hadn’t been for the deep learning that came from years of being on this list!! Daniel’s question had me reflecting on the path I’ve traveled as part of this community. Your gift of openspaceworld.org <http://openspaceworld.org/> gave us an early presence on the web. That was and is huge. Some of my activities, done, as you noted, because I felt inspired to do them: 1995 Produced U S WEST Open Space Video. At Harrison’s suggestion, produced a video about a 250-ish person OS at U S WEST Communications in Arizona. It’s now on Vimeo: http://vimeo.com/25251316 <http://vimeo.com/25251316>. When we made it, 16 minutes was considered short! 1996 Co-founded Open Space Institute-US. I was one of seven at a gathering with Harrison in Seattle. It was part of a larger vision of OSIs around the world. Brian Bainbridge took the lead in Australia and Larry Peterson, Birgitt Williams, and Diane Gibeault (I think) did the same in Canada. 1996 Involved with starting the OS listserv. Part of the original dozen or so folks who joined this list that Murli Nagasandurum set up for us, a spontaneous act of generosity prompted by a message we sent out to everyone on Harrison’s emailing list when we were getting OSI-US going. 1998 Co-hosted the 6th annual OSonOS in Monterrey, California. Right after the first not done by Harrison held in Toronto hosted by Birgitt Williams and Larry Peterson and right before Chicago, hosted by Michael Hermann, which was the last before it left North America for Berlin, hosted by Michael M Pannwitz. 1999 Produced Understanding Open Space. I put a mike on Harrison during an OST workshop we co-hosted in Seattle and produced a 5-CD audio set called Understanding Open Space. Harold Shinsato has turned it into a series of podcasts. He’ll have to provide the details on how to access it. Those who have heard it say it’s a treat! (My personal favorite line is the very last thing he says on the last track. How’s that for a teaser?) I look at those dates and wonder where did the time go? It all was so long ago! Yet people who are nearest and dearest to me are people I have met through the years in this community. As quiet as I’ve been in the last few years, I still consider this community a home base. I’m better because of OSlist. And because of the people I’ve come to love along the way. Peggy _________________________________ 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> > On Dec 14, 2014, at 8:26 AM, Michael Herman via OSList > <oslist@lists.openspacetech.org> wrote: > > i woke up this morning thinking about this game, thinking in a direction > similar to paul levy. > > i am the nominal leader of a community garden now for four years. my > management is deeply informed by my learning in and about open space. does > it count as 1 or 4? > > i once had a client who flew me in to facilitate a meeting. we also built a > weblog and they contacted me a number of times, over several years, with > minor technical questions. do the meeting and the blog count as one > together, or two separate? > > i taught my grandma to say "ah," as she began the active process of dying. > she then repeated that seed syllable, a one-syllable mantra for peace, on > every breath of her last week of life. she never opened her eyes but over > that week completely relaxed her whole body. was that open space? what > about up all night rocking a tiny, sick, neice? > > i saw some new neighbors moving in the other day. our neighborhood has a lot > of old houses and everybody moves in and starts updating everything. i > offered my tools and experience. if they never take me up on that > offer/invitation, does it count? what if they just look for me at my desk in > our front window, and wave when they see me, while out walking their dog? > that could happen a lot. must count as only once? or maybe it doesn't count > at all? > > what about three opening briefings, on three consecutive days of open space > trainings i've done? and what about all the things that happen after an > event, does the original opener get partial credit for things his/her > participants open later on? > > to paul's point, i can ask questions like this about almost every situation > where i facilitated a meeting in an open space way, and about many other > situations where i was not "facilitating" anything, apparently. this is one > of the ways i understand that we live in open space. > > my approach to training folks in and about open space is significantly > focused on the crafting of invitations, in the belief that if we make enough > invitations, over time, people, groups and good work are going to show up. > > i also focus on discovering all the different ways that whomever i'm > "training" has already been opening space in their own lives. i don't think > anyone could come to this work without having already done it before. it > would be completely un-understandable to them without prior experience. i > think people ask for training so they can do what they already know/do > better. so i try to build on and from whatever understanding they bring. > > so this question of seven or more is not so easy for me. not sure it's even > helpful. i'm more interested in questions like: > > 1. when did you first hear about os or ost? > 2. what was the hook? how did you notice it might have value? > 3. when did you notice that you'd started letting it inform how you live? > 4. what has happened since then? what difference does it seem to make? > > and so on. a new game? the next round? maybe. or maybe it's just the game > Murli called OSLIST back in 1996? > > michael > > > > > > > > > -- > > Michael Herman > Michael Herman Associates > 312-280-7838 (mobile) > > http://MichaelHerman.com <http://michaelherman.com/> > http://OpenSpaceWorld.org <http://openspaceworld.org/> > > > On Sun, Dec 14, 2014 at 8:47 AM, Eva P Svensson via OSList > <oslist@lists.openspacetech.org <mailto:oslist@lists.openspacetech.org>> > wrote: > I have also stopped counting :-) > But love doing it whenever it’s possible. > :o) > Eva > Sweden > > Bästa hälsningar > > Eva P Svensson > > EPS Human Invest AB > Co owner Genuine Contact Group Inc > Medlem i Beyond Performance Group > > "Verksamhetsutveckling genom människor skapar långsiktigt välmående företag > och organisationer" > > Anåsbergsvägen 22, 439 34 ONSALA > Besöksadress; Norra Allégatan 8, Göteborg > Tfn: 0300-615 05, Mobil; 0706- 89 85 50 > www.epshumaninvest.se <http://www.epshumaninvest.se/> > Skype: eva.p.svensson > Facebook sida: EPS Human Invest AB > twitter:@EvaPSvensson > > "Jag kan inte lära dig något. Allt jag kan göra är att ställa frågor till > dig, och låta dig själv finna svaren." Sokrates > > > > > > > > >> 13 dec 2014 kl. 18:05 skrev Gray via OSList <oslist@lists.openspacetech.org >> <mailto:oslist@lists.openspacetech.org>>: >> >> Um...I've facilitated, at this point, a little over 60. Smallest was 8 >> people on Maui. Largest was about 375, in Chicago. Been doing it since 2007. >> >> And I say "um..." Because I am still learning, still figuring it out, and >> still hear Lisa Heft in my head saying "be more invisible, Gray..." >> >> >> >> — >> Sent from Mailbox <https://www.dropbox.com/mailbox> >> >> On Sat, Dec 13, 2014 at 10:34 AM, Daniel Mezick via OSList >> <oslist@lists.openspacetech.org <mailto:oslist@lists.openspacetech.org>> >> wrote: >> >> Hmmm, the the Lurker Game proved interesting. >> >> ...lots of seldom-heard-from voices! Quite a deep level of experience being >> reported! >> >> So interesting ... so much depth. Seems like something to ... explore.... >> >> So: if you want, you are cordially invited to play ... let's call it the >> OST-7 Game: >> >> >> ======================================== >> The OST-7 Game >> ======================================== >> >> The Goal: >> Get a collective idea of how many people here have actually Facilitated 7 or >> more OST events in their lifetime. Put another way: what is the depth of >> practical OST facilitation experience across the entire membership? >> >> The Rules: >> If you have Facilitated at least 7 OST events, consider replying with "hey" >> ... or optionally, with absolutely anything else you might like to say, for >> example: where you are located, last time you did one, your hair color, etc >> >> Tracking Progress: >> Watch the thread to track progress, by: # of replies, # of countries, # of >> OST events, replies per unit of time, # of people with red hair, or >> absolutely any other measures you like >> >> Play: >> 100% optional. Play if you like. If you've done more 7 or more and prefer to >> just watch the game, that's OK too. >> >> ======================================== >> >> >> >> Notes: >> >> For this game, "OST" means something like this: >> http://www.openspaceworld.com/users_guide.htm >> <http://www.openspaceworld.com/users_guide.htm> >> This is for Facilitating only; consider replying if you've Facilitated at >> least 7 of these events in your lifetime. >> Please reply by clicking [Reply All] Or [Reply List], so the thread stays >> together, under the same subject >> >> Steps to Play: >> Click [Reply All] Or [Reply List] >> Reply with "hey" or with absolutely anything else you might like to say >> >> You are invited. What might happen next? Let's see... >> >> Daniel >> >> -- >> Daniel Mezick, President >> >> New Technology Solutions Inc. >> >> (203) 915 7248 <tel:%28203%29%20915%207248> (cell) >> >> Bio <http://newtechusa.net/dan-mezick/>. Blog <http://newtechusa.net/blog/>. >> Twitter <http://twitter.com/#%21/danmezick/>. >> Examine my new book: The Culture Game >> <http://newtechusa.net/about/the-culture-game-book/>: Tools for the Agile >> Manager. >> Explore Agile Team Training >> <http://newtechusa.net/services/agile-scrum-training/> and Coaching. >> <http://newtechusa.net/services/agile-scrum-coaching/> >> Explore the Agile Boston <http://newtechusa.net//user-groups/ma/>Community. >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> OSList mailing list >> To post send emails to OSList@lists.openspacetech.org >> <mailto:OSList@lists.openspacetech.org> >> To unsubscribe send an email to oslist-le...@lists.openspacetech.org >> <mailto:oslist-le...@lists.openspacetech.org> >> To subscribe or manage your subscription click below: >> http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org >> <http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org> > > _______________________________________________ > OSList mailing list > To post send emails to OSList@lists.openspacetech.org > <mailto:OSList@lists.openspacetech.org> > To unsubscribe send an email to oslist-le...@lists.openspacetech.org > <mailto:oslist-le...@lists.openspacetech.org> > To subscribe or manage your subscription click below: > http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org > <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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