Dear Michael! I think what you have written is FABULOUS! A mini-course in the usefulness of trusting the process AND the people.
Recently, I attended a Real Estate Training program that is all the rage here in the US http://ninjaselling.com . . . Early in the presentation, we encountered "TSW" with no explanation . . . On day 2 of the 4 day training, we learned that "TSW" = "The System Works" This was an invitation not to mess with the process because we know THIS "works" Of course, OST always works . . . even when the process is wildly altered . . . but my observation is that, done consistently "by the book" works "better" Each piece and nuance matters in the unfolding of self-organization because many of the participants are experiencing a freedom they've never experienced. Anyone can disagree . . . and anyone can fiddle with the process . . . and it'll still "work" but why tamper with a sure thing? TSW *Barry Owen* *Real Estate Strategist* *Pareto Realty, LLC *\pə-ˈrā-(ˌ)tō\ <http://www.merriam-webster.com/audio.php?file=bixpar02&word=Pareto&text=%5Cp%C9%99-%3CSPAN%20class%3Dunicode%3E%CB%88%3C%2FSPAN%3Er%C4%81-(%3CSPAN%20class%3Dunicode%3E%CB%8C%3C%2FSPAN%3E)t%C5%8D%5C> *The Vital Few* 4004 Hillsboro Pike Ste 234-B Nashville, TN 37215 Connect: *615-568-2123* *BarryOwen.US <http://BarryOwen.US>* "I Help people (Organizations) self organize to find resolution to important and complex issues." On Thu, May 9, 2019 at 3:25 AM Michael M Pannwitz via OSList < oslist@lists.openspacetech.org> wrote: > Dear Alan, > > some time ago when I was still employed and had the joy of working with > a grand colleague employed in the same outfit we did a lot of odd stuff. > What we did usually worked, in fact, it was stunning how well it worked. > > Other folks working in the same organisation but in different parts of > Berlin, hearing of what we were doing would say: "Oh well, of course, > you guys in Steglitz (one of the districts of the city)!" (Similar, it > appears to me, to someone saying: "From Fremantle, no wonder!") > > We felt they accepted what we were doing and pointed out that we were in > a different space (geographically and perhaps in other ways). What they > did not know and we ourselves were also unaware of, this was long before > we ran into OST, was our way of dealing with control. This is what I say > in hindsight. > We had some principles such as: Never offer people ways of doing stuff > or giving them advice, even though we were "consultants" or maybe > because we were consultants. We turned up here and there to watch and > listen. And then folks came and asked us, we had plenty of time, and > some kind of relationship began out of which or through which stuff > unfolded that had been there but was folded. > > From my present point of view, I also assume that space is. Sometimes > it is widely opened and other times it is less opened and sometimes it > is shrunk to almost zero. I also assume that if it is completely closed > it has the character of stuff in which all thermal motion ceases, that > is at O Kelvin, or at -273.15 C / -459.67 F, and stuff just turns into > dust when you touch it. This is what also happens to groups, > organizations and systems of our own making when space has shrunk to > zero. They simply disappear. > > Then OST came to me and I tried it. It worked and I kept with it. It > working was what I liked. As I got practice I appreciated the 5 or 6 > prerequisites for selforganisation and some details about the various > roles and their functions in the process. > > Presently, I feel it works very well if the prerequisites are in place, > no shortcuts are taken, the sponsor opens the event in such a way that > it widens the space just a bit and the facilitator introduces the > approach (kiss, of course). In this process the persons and functions > change: the sponsor becomes participant, the facilitator disappears and > the participants lead, structure, connive, manage and act. > Instead of setting up a container, space is expanded (control reduced) > and the needed structure, call it what you like, is created, maintained, > adjusted, changed, etc. by those that can best decide what they need, > the participants in selfcontrol. They are the ones that take or leave > the invitation to attend, offer or do not offer issues... if those > things dont happen, the event is over (for some reason I have never > experienced this but someone among us probably has... what I did > experience in one case, however, is that after an OST-event, a well > established and seemingly thriving organisation folded a week after the > event, hmmm!). > > In real events stuff happens such as the sponsor (in this example the > CEO) turning up in polished shoes, fine thread and perfect tie... and > after his opening taking off his polished shoes, fine thread and tie and > slipping into sneakers, jeans and a T-shirt to sit in the circle of > participants. The facilitator disappearing into the background when all > the issues have unfolded and have found their place on the bulletin > board. The participants taking over everything that needs to happen. > > What I also discovered is that Action Planning after all issues have > been dealt with is very successful when done as a "second" open space > (some call it Action Space). It is superior to statistical methods such > as voting or weighing with dots because it has at its base not that > which is important but which folks will act on with passion. This arose > from the observation that often those proposals with the most dots did > not find a single actor. > > As far as my own role as facilitator is concerned I have no better way > of describing than the mantra "is totally present and completely > invisible". This sounds impossible and probaby is. Of course, many feel > that OST is impossible when the first hear of it. When they engage in > one they are usually surprised but no longer feel its anything special > but it puzzles and tickles and you want more. I think it is a natural > process that continues to be remembered and it is for free. Anybody with > a clear head and a good heart can do it and most of us have a clear head > and a good heart. Perhaps practically everybody. At times, > my wife does wonder about my clear head and then I ask for her advice. > > Who do you have near you that you ask for advice? > > Greetings from Berlin > mmp > > > > Am 08.05.2019 um 17:21 schrieb Alan Halford via OSList: > > It is becoming abundantly clear to me that every time I have the > privilege to facilitate an Open Space that the space is already open and my > responsibility is to set up the container and hold the space for those > participating. In saying that I am from Fremantle in Western Australia and > we are possibly considered a bit odd! > > Alan > > Alan Halford & Associates > > Open Space Technology Aficionados > > Mediation and Conflict Transformation > > Facilitators > > > > www.alanhalford.com.au > > www.conflictcompany.com.au > > 0421 475 252 > > skype: alanhalford > > > > > > > > > > > > On 8 May 2019, at 11:11 pm, Birgitt Williams via OSList < > oslist@lists.openspacetech.org> wrote: > > > > Dear friends and colleagues, > > "Who Opens the Space" > > > > I believe that I open the space for myself. I show up. I make a > conscious choice about how much space I choose to open for myself, for > myself as a whole person to participate. Sometimes the space feels safer to > me than other times. Regardless, it is my choice for me of how much space I > open for myself in every situation, how much I choose to participate within > that self created open space, and for how long I choose to keep the space > for myself open. > > > > I appreciate the effort and love of the facilitator of the Open Space > Technology meeting. The role is important, assuming it is carried out with > care and love and clarity, to make visible that a bigger space is open and > ready for participation. This is a valuable role. Yet, it is still me, that > opens the space for myself...no one can do this for me. > > > > I appreciate the role of the sponsor is opening the space within the > organization for a conscious opening of space for a particular theme to be > explored. Sometimes the sponsor chooses to open a big space, sometimes it > is a smaller space...Both are fine so long as there is honesty about the > amount of space being opened. Yet, it is still me that opens the space for > myself to consciously choose my participation. > > > > Now, I am wondering about the importance of providing the people who > attend the OST meeting with the concept that the amount of space that they > are opening for themselves is their responsibility. Your thoughts? > > > > in genuine contact, > > Birgitt > > > > > > Birgitt Williams > > Supporting Next Level Leadership "Leading So People Will Lead" > > Author, Senior Consultant, President Dalar International Consultancy, Inc > > Founder Genuine Contact Program > > Co-owner Genuine Contact Group, LLC > > Founder Extraordinary Leadership Network > > > > Learn with us for your growth and development for the new leadership > paradigm > > > > Genuine Contact Summer Academy theme is Genuine Contact: a holistic > approach to change June 22-28, 2019 Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario, > Canada--early bird registration price still in effect. Approximately 30 > participants from many countries taking a deep dive into working with > change, learning more about thriving in today's performance environment of > constant change. > > > > Trail-Blazing Membership to the International Community of Practice > Available Now--the international community of practice working with the > Genuine Contact program since 2001 is now evolving itself as a membership > organization. Trail Blazing members have the opportunity from now through > August 2019 to help develop the membership model. I hope that you will > become a Trail-Blazing Member, adding your support to the growth of Genuine > Contact in the world...and there are membership benefits that are sure to > make this worth your commitment. > > > > PO Box 19373, Raleigh, NC, USA 27613 > > Phone: 01-919-522-7750 > > _______________________________________________ > > 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 > > Past archives can be viewed here: > http://www.mail-archive.com/oslist@lists.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 > > Past archives can be viewed here: > http://www.mail-archive.com/oslist@lists.openspacetech.org > > > > -- > Michael M Pannwitz > Draisweg 1, 12209 Berlin, Germany > ++49 - 30-772 8000 > mmpannw...@gmail.com > > > Check out the Open Space World Map presently showing 480 resident Open > Space Workers in 76 countries working in a total of 141 countries worldwide > www.openspaceworldmap.org > > At my publisher you find books and task cards on open space, most in > German, some in English, some as ebooks, some multilingual > https://www.westkreuz-verlag.de/de/Kommunikation > _______________________________________________ > 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 > Past archives can be viewed here: > http://www.mail-archive.com/oslist@lists.openspacetech.org >
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