Re: [OSList] Is there experience in developing Open Space further in organizations and networks after the initial intervention

[Michael Herman via OSList]

In my experience, Robin, every situation is different.  If there was such a
table, I suspect it would have MANY rates.  Kind of like asking, "What is
the going rate for an artist?"  Depends greatly on the artist, the asker,
and many things about the situation and duration of the work/impact
desired.  Sometimes there is already a budget, so quoting prices doesn't
matter and it's more a question of what can be done within that limit.
Other times, there is an emphasis on the quality of the work such that any
price is okay as long as everything goes well.  Sometimes it surprises
clients that there should be preparation time, it's not just a technical
task we show up for the day of the meeting/event.

If there's any rule at all for me, it might be that the conversation needs
to focus first on what's happening, what's desired and expected, what's
already decided and where there might be uncertainty or complete unknowns.
All of these things in terms of the context, the leadership/sponsorhip, the
invitation, invitation list, logistics, documentation or otherwise keeping
things going, AND in terms of budget, previous experience with OS or other
facilitators.  The tricky part, in my experience, is that the most
important work often happens in the earliest conversations, before anyone
agrees to pay anything.  So it's a bit of line to walk, helping them
see/understand the value but not spending too much time/energy before
there's a commitment.  And that line is different with every potential and
situation.

I once had a first meeting with a leader and her board chair.  They decided
against doing the "event" we'd discussed, but she said she wanted to pay me
something, anyway.  Turns out we'd opened enough space in our first
conversation that she'd gotten to raise the issues that mattered most and
gotten important "action" on them.  So we agreed on a fee and I sent her an
invoice.  What I take from this and some of the previous stories in this
thread is that we need to be quoting for their value not our time.  I
estimate days, but I share more and less of that calculation as needed in
any situation.  I try to keep the focus on what we need to do, toward
achieving what large and important purpose, with no guarantees or promises
to control the group, for what total fee.  And sometimes the "daily rate"
is quite high.  Then, having agreed to that fee, I spend whatever time I
find is needed.  So any quoted rate may or may not end up being the actual
rate earned.  With experience and with the learning we do in the first
conversation(s), focused on the work not the fee, we can do pretty well
with the estimating.

Speaking of invoices, I guess the one other "rule" I have is that once we
have that initial conversation and agree on some scope of engagement and
fee amount, with almost every client, that fee is billed in two parts.  The
first half is billed and payable immediately, the second half plus expenses
is billed upon completion.  Sometimes the plane ticket gets rolled into the
first invoice.  This accomplishes a lot of useful things.  One of which is
that it de-emphasizes contracting that often has a legalistic, us-them,
and/or guarantees flavor to it and emphasizes, instead, real action.  When
they say, "Book a ticket and send the first invoice," we all know it's
really game on, going to happen.  Another is that in the most complex,
energy-intensive situations, which tend to be the higher fees, when I show
up, only half my pay feels "at risk."  It feels like my client and I go
into the unknown of the opening circle with more balance in the risk and
relationship.

Geoff Bellman, in his book, "The Consultant's Calling," has a little bit on
this topic.  The line I remember best and use from time to time is, "I'd
like to make/earn/bill $ for this work."  It's not about imposing a fee
structure.  It's maybe not up to the consultant at all.  But there is also
sense of "This is what I think this is worth" and "This is what I'd feel
good about trading for the energy I think this is going to take."  Implicit
in the latter is some expectation of the energy that'll be required.  And
if that quoted price is outside of what's expected, there are several lines
to pursue in the conversation that follows.  Often, I propose a range, as
well, which gives me some wiggle room, because we never really know what
we're walking into.  It's nice to make a little extra when the going gets
rough in preparations or the work proves especially valuable and it's nice
to leave a little on the table when things go easy or maybe unsettling
things turn up at the end.

So maybe there are at least two questions inside of your question, Robin...
How much do you think clients will pay for our work (how/how much do they
value our work)?  AND how much do you like to get paid for doing this kind
of work?  And then, for what sorts of clients, issues, purposes, places,
etc.  And then, what do we do when the two numbers are different?  Or when
your value and 

Re: [OSList] Is there experience in developing Open Space further in organizations and networks after the initial intervention

[Harrison Owen via OSList]

Lots of luck! I can only talk about my rates which run from $0 to embarrassing. 
Or doubling embarrassing if I am forced to look like a “real consultant.” Short 
take… There is no such thing as a “standard rate” anywhere on the globe that I 
am aware of. So what do you do? My approach was always to ask two questions. 1) 
What did the client hope to achieve? And 2) How much would that be worth, if it 
happened? Depending on the answers and the client, we eventually came up with 
some appropriate rate. Which, as I said, ran from $0 to $Embarrassing (to me).

 

Good Luck!

 

ho

 

From: OSList [mailto:oslist-boun...@lists.openspacetech.org] On Behalf Of Robin 
Muretisch, Facilitative Insights, LLC via OSList
Sent: Monday, August 13, 2018 12:15 PM
To: World wide Open Space Technology email list
Cc: Robin Muretisch, Facilitative Insights, LLC
Subject: Re: [OSList] Is there experience in developing Open Space further in 
organizations and networks after the initial intervention

 

Hi.  I’ve recently started my own facilitation business, coming from many years 
in a corporate environment.  Having a reference for going rates would be 
helpful, to ensure I’m charging clients appropriately.  I’ve scoured 
OpenSpaceWorld.org (amazingly helpful site!!) but can’t find anything on rates. 
 Is there a resource you could point me to (on that site or elsewhere) that 
provides going rates for Open Space Facilitation in various regions of the 
world/countries?  Thanks.

 

Robin D. H. Muretisch, CPF, MBA, CPA

  ro...@facinsights.com  |  770.371.5874  |   
 
cid:image005.jpg@01D40887.3C7F2640

facinsightslogo - FULL

 

 

From: OSList  On Behalf Of David Smith 
via OSList
Sent: Sunday, August 12, 2018 11:19 PM
To: 'World wide Open Space Technology email list' 

Cc: imagi...@bigpond.net.au
Subject: Re: [OSList] Is there experience in developing Open Space further in 
organizations and networks after the initial intervention

 

Hi Harrison and Rob,

I similarly put in a quote for making a multimedia video/presentation for an 
environmental engineering company. The project manager contacted me and said I 
was far and away the best qualified person for the job but my quote was far and 
away the lowest – would I consider doubling it to avoid embarrassing the 
others...

What can you say?

David Smith

 

 

Dr David Smith
BSc(Hons) PhD FRSA
Trading as imaginACTION 
 
50 Sweyn Street
Balwyn North
Victoria   3104
AUSTRALIA
 
t +613 9857 8688
m 0411 444 048
da...@imaginaction.net.au
www.imaginaction.net.au  

 
iA

imaginACTION
Winner 2016 Victorian Community History Award 

for Historical Interpretation

Duldig Studio Documentaries DVD

 

Overall  Winner,  
Australian Achiever Awards
Victorian TV, Film, Audio and Video

 

 

 

From: OSList [mailto:oslist-boun...@lists.openspacetech.org] On Behalf Of R 
Chaffe via OSList
Sent: 13 August, 2018 9:04 AM
To: World wide Open Space Technology email list
Cc: R Chaffe
Subject: Re: [OSList] Is there experience in developing Open Space further in 
organizations and networks after the initial intervention

 

Harrison, yes.  

 

On the other hand a client almost demanded that I increase my fee by 30%.  My 
comment was we had a contract and I intended to keep to the agreed cost.  The 
underlying issue was that my event had been so successful that it made other 
similar events look very expensive.  Yet all that happened was that the process 
gave voice to all present.

 

Rob


On 13 Aug 2018, at 12:41 am, Harrison Owen via OSList 
 wrote:

Rob – you have identified one of the most curious aspects of dealing with 
clients and/or potential clients regarding Open Space. It’s too simple. 
Couldn’t possibly happen, and doesn’t cost enough. I had one (major) corporate 
client who told me to double my fee otherwise, he said, he couldn’t possibly 
get the contract through the front office. I did what he asked and always felt 
rather guilty about it all. But he was very happy, and of course the Open Space 
“worked” as usual. For obvious reasons all names are withheld to protect the 
innocent and gullible J

 

ho

 

From: OSList [mailto:oslist-boun...@lists.openspacetech.org] On Behalf Of R 
Chaffe via OSList
Sent: Saturday, August 11, 2018 10:02 PM
To: World wide Open Space Technology email list
Cc: R Chaffe
Subject: Re: [OSList] Is there experience in developing Open Space further in 
organizations and networks after the initial intervention

 

Harrison, the process is so comfortable ie sitting in circles, speaking when 
there is something to say, listening to others, keeping our minds open to 
insights and differences etc.  Yes we do it all the time!  Therein lies an 
issue for those looking for the “silver” bullet from “outside” as the promise 
we can make is for an opportunity to explore issues and opportunities 
associated with a particular question we have little control on 

Re: [OSList] Is there experience in developing Open Space further in organizations and networks after the initial intervention

[Robin Muretisch, Facilitative Insights, LLC via OSList]

Hi.  I’ve recently started my own facilitation business, coming from many years 
in a corporate environment.  Having a reference for going rates would be 
helpful, to ensure I’m charging clients appropriately.  I’ve scoured 
OpenSpaceWorld.org (amazingly helpful site!!) but can’t find anything on rates. 
 Is there a resource you could point me to (on that site or elsewhere) that 
provides going rates for Open Space Facilitation in various regions of the 
world/countries?  Thanks.

Robin D. H. Muretisch, CPF, MBA, CPA
ro...@facinsights.com  |  770.371.5874  |  
[cid:image005.jpg@01D40887.3C7F2640] 

[facinsightslogo - FULL]


From: OSList  On Behalf Of David Smith 
via OSList
Sent: Sunday, August 12, 2018 11:19 PM
To: 'World wide Open Space Technology email list' 

Cc: imagi...@bigpond.net.au
Subject: Re: [OSList] Is there experience in developing Open Space further in 
organizations and networks after the initial intervention

Hi Harrison and Rob,
I similarly put in a quote for making a multimedia video/presentation for an 
environmental engineering company. The project manager contacted me and said I 
was far and away the best qualified person for the job but my quote was far and 
away the lowest – would I consider doubling it to avoid embarrassing the 
others...
What can you say?
David Smith


Dr David Smith
BSc(Hons) PhD FRSA
Trading as imaginACTION

50 Sweyn Street
Balwyn North
Victoria   3104
AUSTRALIA

t +613 9857 8688
m 0411 444 048
da...@imaginaction.net.au
www.imaginaction.net.au

iA
imaginACTION
Winner 2016 Victorian Community History Award
for Historical Interpretation
Duldig Studio Documentaries DVD

Overall  Winner,
Australian Achiever Awards
Victorian TV, Film, Audio and Video



From: OSList [mailto:oslist-boun...@lists.openspacetech.org] On Behalf Of R 
Chaffe via OSList
Sent: 13 August, 2018 9:04 AM
To: World wide Open Space Technology email list
Cc: R Chaffe
Subject: Re: [OSList] Is there experience in developing Open Space further in 
organizations and networks after the initial intervention

Harrison, yes.

On the other hand a client almost demanded that I increase my fee by 30%.  My 
comment was we had a contract and I intended to keep to the agreed cost.  The 
underlying issue was that my event had been so successful that it made other 
similar events look very expensive.  Yet all that happened was that the process 
gave voice to all present.

Rob

On 13 Aug 2018, at 12:41 am, Harrison Owen via OSList 
mailto:oslist@lists.openspacetech.org>> wrote:
Rob – you have identified one of the most curious aspects of dealing with 
clients and/or potential clients regarding Open Space. It’s too simple. 
Couldn’t possibly happen, and doesn’t cost enough. I had one (major) corporate 
client who told me to double my fee otherwise, he said, he couldn’t possibly 
get the contract through the front office. I did what he asked and always felt 
rather guilty about it all. But he was very happy, and of course the Open Space 
“worked” as usual. For obvious reasons all names are withheld to protect the 
innocent and gullible ☺

ho

From: OSList [mailto:oslist-boun...@lists.openspacetech.org] On Behalf Of R 
Chaffe via OSList
Sent: Saturday, August 11, 2018 10:02 PM
To: World wide Open Space Technology email list
Cc: R Chaffe
Subject: Re: [OSList] Is there experience in developing Open Space further in 
organizations and networks after the initial intervention

Harrison, the process is so comfortable ie sitting in circles, speaking when 
there is something to say, listening to others, keeping our minds open to 
insights and differences etc.  Yes we do it all the time!  Therein lies an 
issue for those looking for the “silver” bullet from “outside” as the promise 
we can make is for an opportunity to explore issues and opportunities 
associated with a particular question we have little control on what might come 
and we have faith in the community of concern will have the best ways of 
dealing with their concern.  Sometimes it is a “road to Damascus experience and 
most of the time it is an insight that needs to be explored.   This raises 
another issue for those who think the one meeting will be all that is required 
and blindly race into the future thinking that change is something that others 
do.  Opening the space is more a process than an event and seeing / believing 
in this is one of the main stays of Open Space along with the faith that within 
the community of concern we have the power to implement insights and directions 
gained from empowering the community to “live”.
Regards
Rob

On 12 Aug 2018, at 5:09 am, Jan Hoglund via OSList 
mailto:oslist@lists.openspacetech.org>> wrote:
Thanks for your reflections Harrison!

Rachel Naomi Remen also speaks about 'who and what' we already are:

"The power to repair the world is already in you."
"In befriending 

Re: [OSList] Is there experience in developing Open Space further in organizations and networks after the initial intervention

[David Smith via OSList]

Hi Harrison and Rob,

I similarly put in a quote for making a multimedia video/presentation for an 
environmental engineering company. The project manager contacted me and said I 
was far and away the best qualified person for the job but my quote was far and 
away the lowest – would I consider doubling it to avoid embarrassing the 
others...

What can you say?

David Smith

 

 

Dr David Smith
BSc(Hons) PhD FRSA
Trading as imaginACTION 
 
50 Sweyn Street
Balwyn North
Victoria   3104
AUSTRALIA
 
t +613 9857 8688
m 0411 444 048
da...@imaginaction.net.au
www.imaginaction.net.au  

 
iA

imaginACTION
Winner 2016 Victorian Community History Award 

for Historical Interpretation

Duldig Studio Documentaries DVD

 

Overall  Winner,  
Australian Achiever Awards
Victorian TV, Film, Audio and Video

 

 

 

From: OSList [mailto:oslist-boun...@lists.openspacetech.org] On Behalf Of R 
Chaffe via OSList
Sent: 13 August, 2018 9:04 AM
To: World wide Open Space Technology email list
Cc: R Chaffe
Subject: Re: [OSList] Is there experience in developing Open Space further in 
organizations and networks after the initial intervention

 

Harrison, yes.  

 

On the other hand a client almost demanded that I increase my fee by 30%.  My 
comment was we had a contract and I intended to keep to the agreed cost.  The 
underlying issue was that my event had been so successful that it made other 
similar events look very expensive.  Yet all that happened was that the process 
gave voice to all present.

 

Rob


On 13 Aug 2018, at 12:41 am, Harrison Owen via OSList 
 wrote:

Rob – you have identified one of the most curious aspects of dealing with 
clients and/or potential clients regarding Open Space. It’s too simple. 
Couldn’t possibly happen, and doesn’t cost enough. I had one (major) corporate 
client who told me to double my fee otherwise, he said, he couldn’t possibly 
get the contract through the front office. I did what he asked and always felt 
rather guilty about it all. But he was very happy, and of course the Open Space 
“worked” as usual. For obvious reasons all names are withheld to protect the 
innocent and gullible J

 

ho

 

From: OSList [mailto:oslist-boun...@lists.openspacetech.org] On Behalf Of R 
Chaffe via OSList
Sent: Saturday, August 11, 2018 10:02 PM
To: World wide Open Space Technology email list
Cc: R Chaffe
Subject: Re: [OSList] Is there experience in developing Open Space further in 
organizations and networks after the initial intervention

 

Harrison, the process is so comfortable ie sitting in circles, speaking when 
there is something to say, listening to others, keeping our minds open to 
insights and differences etc.  Yes we do it all the time!  Therein lies an 
issue for those looking for the “silver” bullet from “outside” as the promise 
we can make is for an opportunity to explore issues and opportunities 
associated with a particular question we have little control on what might come 
and we have faith in the community of concern will have the best ways of 
dealing with their concern.  Sometimes it is a “road to Damascus experience and 
most of the time it is an insight that needs to be explored.   This raises 
another issue for those who think the one meeting will be all that is required 
and blindly race into the future thinking that change is something that others 
do.  Opening the space is more a process than an event and seeing / believing 
in this is one of the main stays of Open Space along with the faith that within 
the community of concern we have the power to implement insights and directions 
gained from empowering the community to “live”.

Regards

Rob


On 12 Aug 2018, at 5:09 am, Jan Hoglund via OSList 
 wrote:

Thanks for your reflections Harrison!

Rachel Naomi Remen also speaks about 'who and what' we already are:

"The power to repair the world is already in you."
"In befriending life, we do not make things happen according to our own design. 
We uncover something that is already happening in us and around us and create 
conditions that enable it. Everything is moving toward its place of wholeness. 
Befriending life requires that we listen for that potential which is trying to 
actualize itself over time. … It is not about mastering life, controlling it or 
exerting our will over it, no matter how well intentioned our will may be. … It 
means listening to life from the place in us that is connected to the wholeness 
around us. The place in us that is also whole."
—Rachel Naomi Remen, My Grandfather's Blessings

I assume this is somewhat in line with your thinking? Maybe 'blessing' a space, 
or an organization, is a way to open it further? And it opens yourself. Just a 
thought.

Thanks again,
/Jan Höglund, Sweden






 

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To subscribe or manage 

Re: [OSList] Is there experience in developing Open Space further in organizations and networks after the initial intervention

[R Chaffe via OSList]

Harrison, yes.  

On the other hand a client almost demanded that I increase my fee by 30%.  My 
comment was we had a contract and I intended to keep to the agreed cost.  The 
underlying issue was that my event had been so successful that it made other 
similar events look very expensive.  Yet all that happened was that the process 
gave voice to all present.


Rob

> On 13 Aug 2018, at 12:41 am, Harrison Owen via OSList 
>  wrote:
> 
> Rob – you have identified one of the most curious aspects of dealing with 
> clients and/or potential clients regarding Open Space. It’s too simple. 
> Couldn’t possibly happen, and doesn’t cost enough. I had one (major) 
> corporate client who told me to double my fee otherwise, he said, he couldn’t 
> possibly get the contract through the front office. I did what he asked and 
> always felt rather guilty about it all. But he was very happy, and of course 
> the Open Space “worked” as usual. For obvious reasons all names are withheld 
> to protect the innocent and gullible J
>  
> ho
>  
> From: OSList [mailto:oslist-boun...@lists.openspacetech.org] On Behalf Of R 
> Chaffe via OSList
> Sent: Saturday, August 11, 2018 10:02 PM
> To: World wide Open Space Technology email list
> Cc: R Chaffe
> Subject: Re: [OSList] Is there experience in developing Open Space further in 
> organizations and networks after the initial intervention
>  
> Harrison, the process is so comfortable ie sitting in circles, speaking when 
> there is something to say, listening to others, keeping our minds open to 
> insights and differences etc.  Yes we do it all the time!  Therein lies an 
> issue for those looking for the “silver” bullet from “outside” as the promise 
> we can make is for an opportunity to explore issues and opportunities 
> associated with a particular question we have little control on what might 
> come and we have faith in the community of concern will have the best ways of 
> dealing with their concern.  Sometimes it is a “road to Damascus experience 
> and most of the time it is an insight that needs to be explored.   This 
> raises another issue for those who think the one meeting will be all that is 
> required and blindly race into the future thinking that change is something 
> that others do.  Opening the space is more a process than an event and seeing 
> / believing in this is one of the main stays of Open Space along with the 
> faith that within the community of concern we have the power to implement 
> insights and directions gained from empowering the community to “live”.
> 
> Regards
> Rob
> 
> On 12 Aug 2018, at 5:09 am, Jan Hoglund via OSList 
>  wrote:
> 
> Thanks for your reflections Harrison!
> 
> Rachel Naomi Remen also speaks about 'who and what' we already are:
> 
> "The power to repair the world is already in you."
> "In befriending life, we do not make things happen according to our own 
> design. We uncover something that is already happening in us and around us 
> and create conditions that enable it. Everything is moving toward its place 
> of wholeness. Befriending life requires that we listen for that potential 
> which is trying to actualize itself over time. … It is not about mastering 
> life, controlling it or exerting our will over it, no matter how well 
> intentioned our will may be. … It means listening to life from the place in 
> us that is connected to the wholeness around us. The place in us that is also 
> whole."
> —Rachel Naomi Remen, My Grandfather's Blessings
> 
> I assume this is somewhat in line with your thinking? Maybe 'blessing' a 
> space, or an organization, is a way to open it further? And it opens 
> yourself. Just a thought.
> 
> Thanks again,
> /Jan Höglund, Sweden
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  
> ___
> 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:
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> ___
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Re: [OSList] Is there experience in developing Open Space further in organizations and networks after the initial intervention

[Harrison Owen via OSList]

Rob – you have identified one of the most curious aspects of dealing with 
clients and/or potential clients regarding Open Space. It’s too simple. 
Couldn’t possibly happen, and doesn’t cost enough. I had one (major) corporate 
client who told me to double my fee otherwise, he said, he couldn’t possibly 
get the contract through the front office. I did what he asked and always felt 
rather guilty about it all. But he was very happy, and of course the Open Space 
“worked” as usual. For obvious reasons all names are withheld to protect the 
innocent and gullible J

 

ho

 

From: OSList [mailto:oslist-boun...@lists.openspacetech.org] On Behalf Of R 
Chaffe via OSList
Sent: Saturday, August 11, 2018 10:02 PM
To: World wide Open Space Technology email list
Cc: R Chaffe
Subject: Re: [OSList] Is there experience in developing Open Space further in 
organizations and networks after the initial intervention

 

Harrison, the process is so comfortable ie sitting in circles, speaking when 
there is something to say, listening to others, keeping our minds open to 
insights and differences etc.  Yes we do it all the time!  Therein lies an 
issue for those looking for the “silver” bullet from “outside” as the promise 
we can make is for an opportunity to explore issues and opportunities 
associated with a particular question we have little control on what might come 
and we have faith in the community of concern will have the best ways of 
dealing with their concern.  Sometimes it is a “road to Damascus experience and 
most of the time it is an insight that needs to be explored.   This raises 
another issue for those who think the one meeting will be all that is required 
and blindly race into the future thinking that change is something that others 
do.  Opening the space is more a process than an event and seeing / believing 
in this is one of the main stays of Open Space along with the faith that within 
the community of concern we have the power to implement insights and directions 
gained from empowering the community to “live”.

Regards

Rob


On 12 Aug 2018, at 5:09 am, Jan Hoglund via OSList 
 wrote:

Thanks for your reflections Harrison!

Rachel Naomi Remen also speaks about 'who and what' we already are:

"The power to repair the world is already in you."
"In befriending life, we do not make things happen according to our own design. 
We uncover something that is already happening in us and around us and create 
conditions that enable it. Everything is moving toward its place of wholeness. 
Befriending life requires that we listen for that potential which is trying to 
actualize itself over time. … It is not about mastering life, controlling it or 
exerting our will over it, no matter how well intentioned our will may be. … It 
means listening to life from the place in us that is connected to the wholeness 
around us. The place in us that is also whole."
—Rachel Naomi Remen, My Grandfather's Blessings

I assume this is somewhat in line with your thinking? Maybe 'blessing' a space, 
or an organization, is a way to open it further? And it opens yourself. Just a 
thought.

Thanks again,
/Jan Höglund, Sweden





 

___
OSList mailing list
To post send emails to OSList@lists.openspacetech.org
To unsubscribe send an email to oslist-le...@lists.openspacetech.org
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Re: [OSList] Is there experience in developing Open Space further in organizations and networks after the initial intervention

[R Chaffe via OSList]

Harrison, the process is so comfortable ie sitting in circles, speaking when 
there is something to say, listening to others, keeping our minds open to 
insights and differences etc.  Yes we do it all the time!  Therein lies an 
issue for those looking for the “silver” bullet from “outside” as the promise 
we can make is for an opportunity to explore issues and opportunities 
associated with a particular question we have little control on what might come 
and we have faith in the community of concern will have the best ways of 
dealing with their concern.  Sometimes it is a “road to Damascus experience and 
most of the time it is an insight that needs to be explored.   This raises 
another issue for those who think the one meeting will be all that is required 
and blindly race into the future thinking that change is something that others 
do.  Opening the space is more a process than an event and seeing / believing 
in this is one of the main stays of Open Space along with the faith that within 
the community of concern we have the power to implement insights and directions 
gained from empowering the community to “live”.

Regards
Rob

> On 12 Aug 2018, at 5:09 am, Jan Hoglund via OSList 
>  wrote:
> 
> Thanks for your reflections Harrison!
> 
> Rachel Naomi Remen also speaks about 'who and what' we already are:
> 
> "The power to repair the world is already in you."
> "In befriending life, we do not make things happen according to our own 
> design. We uncover something that is already happening in us and around us 
> and create conditions that enable it. Everything is moving toward its place 
> of wholeness. Befriending life requires that we listen for that potential 
> which is trying to actualize itself over time. … It is not about mastering 
> life, controlling it or exerting our will over it, no matter how well 
> intentioned our will may be. … It means listening to life from the place in 
> us that is connected to the wholeness around us. The place in us that is also 
> whole."
> —Rachel Naomi Remen, My Grandfather's Blessings
> 
> I assume this is somewhat in line with your thinking? Maybe 'blessing' a 
> space, or an organization, is a way to open it further? And it opens 
> yourself. Just a thought.
> 
> Thanks again,
> /Jan Höglund, Sweden
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ___
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Re: [OSList] Is there experience in developing Open Space further in organizations and networks after the initial intervention

[Harrison Owen via OSList]

Jan Rachel is probably coming from her own special place, but I would judge we 
end up at the same point. I think we save lots of time and energy when we are 
sensitive to what is already present and try to enhance or enable it… as 
opposed to starting from scratch. When I work with a client (all those years 
ago) I would point out, should the occasion arise, that Open Space might look a 
little different (sitting in circles, etc) but it was pretty much what they 
were already doing in those moments when they really under the gun and trying 
to accomplish something. Certainly they might have formal meetings, issue 
memos, emails etc – but in the “crunch time” (American for serious talk) they 
would “huddle up.” Which is just another word for forming a circle. Really 
effective organizations (High Performing Systems) simply bypass the formal 
stuff and get right to the circle. We can help them do that.

 

Harrison

 

Winter Address

7808 River Falls Dr.

Potomac, MD 20854

301-365-2093

 

Summer Address

189 Beaucauire Ave

Camden, ME 04843

207 763-3261

 

Websites

www.openspaceworld.com

www.ho-image.com

 

From: OSList [mailto:oslist-boun...@lists.openspacetech.org] On Behalf Of Jan 
Hoglund via OSList
Sent: Saturday, August 11, 2018 3:09 PM
To: World wide Open Space Technology email list
Cc: Jan Hoglund
Subject: Re: [OSList] Is there experience in developing Open Space further in 
organizations and networks after the initial intervention

 

Thanks for your reflections Harrison!

Rachel Naomi Remen also speaks about 'who and what' we already are:

"The power to repair the world is already in you."
"In befriending life, we do not make things happen according to our own design. 
We uncover something that is already happening in us and around us and create 
conditions that enable it. Everything is moving toward its place of wholeness. 
Befriending life requires that we listen for that potential which is trying to 
actualize itself over time. … It is not about mastering life, controlling it or 
exerting our will over it, no matter how well intentioned our will may be. … It 
means listening to life from the place in us that is connected to the wholeness 
around us. The place in us that is also whole."
—Rachel Naomi Remen, My Grandfather's Blessings

I assume this is somewhat in line with your thinking? Maybe 'blessing' a space, 
or an organization, is a way to open it further? And it opens yourself. Just a 
thought.

Thanks again,
/Jan Höglund, Sweden



 

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Re: [OSList] Is there experience in developing Open Space further in organizations and networks after the initial intervention

[Jan Hoglund via OSList]

Thanks for your reflections Harrison!

Rachel Naomi Remen also speaks about 'who and what' we already are:

"The power to repair the world is already in you."
"In befriending life, we do not make things happen according to our own design. 
We uncover something that is already happening in us and around us and create 
conditions that enable it. Everything is moving toward its place of wholeness. 
Befriending life requires that we listen for that potential which is trying to 
actualize itself over time. … It is not about mastering life, controlling it or 
exerting our will over it, no matter how well intentioned our will may be. … It 
means listening to life from the place in us that is connected to the wholeness 
around us. The place in us that is also whole."
—Rachel Naomi Remen, My Grandfather's Blessings

I assume this is somewhat in line with your thinking? Maybe 'blessing' a space, 
or an organization, is a way to open it further? And it opens yourself. Just a 
thought.

Thanks again,
/Jan Höglund, Sweden





___
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Re: [OSList] Is there experience in developing Open Space further in organizations and networks after the initial intervention

[Harrison Owen via OSList]

Definitely must be the Old Curmudgeon in me … And Birgitt and I have gone 
around this one several times J 

 

AND… I’ve always been a little suspicious of the necessity/possibility of 
developing an “Open Space Organization. My reasoning is simple (simple 
minded?). 

 

By my reckoning – All organizations are (already) Open Space organizations… 
they are just doing it very badly. Premise is that self organization has been 
the operative force with ALL systems for roughly 13.7 billion years. That would 
include stars, galaxies, centipedes, ant colonies AND Human Systems – even that 
funny thing called “our organization.” I know that everybody (most people) say 
we organized it – but truth of the matter, as I would see it: We may have put 
some thoughts down on paper, which we called a Business Plan, Organization 
Chart or whatever… but the moment that glorious plan hit Time/Space (Reality) 
“it” did what everything else in Time/Space does – Self Organizes. The 
alternative, of course is that it ceases to exist. Terminates, in a word. 
Crazy, I’m sure – but you can “prove it” to yourself, I think with a simple 
question: Have you ever seen a any plan/org chart that ever lasted longer than 
the time it took for the ink to dry, digital bits to vaporize in the 
cyber-sphere? And should it have survived (most don’t) who did it? I know a lot 
of folks who would like to claim credit (they get paid the Big Bucks)… but I 
think they are fudging a bit. And to play an old song: Open Space is not a 
method, technique, procedure – it is simply a remembrance of who and what we 
really are. 

 

ho

 

From: OSList [mailto:oslist-boun...@lists.openspacetech.org] On Behalf Of agusj 
via OSList
Sent: Friday, August 10, 2018 10:25 AM
To: World wide Open Space Technology email list
Cc: agusj
Subject: Re: [OSList] Is there experience in developing Open Space further in 
organizations and networks after the initial intervention

 

Thanks a lot Peggy! I didn´t know this wordelful story about Open Space 
Organizations. It's very inspiring! I am very greatful of being part of this 
community!!

 

Agustin

 

Kari, thank you for bringing this theme up again,

Thank you so much for this beautiful reminder Peggy,

and thank you Birgitt !!!

for leading the way for Open Space Organizations and sharing you deep knowledge 
so generously

With gratitude to all of you

Tova

 

  _  

From: Peggy Holman via OSList 
To: Open Listserv  
Cc: Peggy Holman 
Sent: Wednesday, August 8, 2018 5:32 PM
Subject: Re: [OSList] Is there experience in developing Open Space further in 
organizations and networks after the initial intervention

 

Kari,

 

Check out Birgitt William’s stories in the OSlist archives about the social 
service organization she ran as an Open Space Organization. Among her posts, my 
favorite is one where she listed her lessons about Open Space Organizations:

 

https://www.mail-archive.com/oslist@lists.openspacetech.org/msg03764.html

My story of the Open Space Organization Part 2 of 4

18 Jan 2001

 

I’ve put an excerpt from it below called Ingredients of the Open Space 
Organization.

 

Another favorite insight from Birgitt is captured in this message 
 , 
called Open Space client opportunity from July 20, 2000:

IN EACH AND EVERY EXAMPLE INCLUDING THE ONE AT WESLEY, ABOUT THREE
TO
FOUR MONTHS AFTER THE FIRST OPEN SPACE EVENT AND ONCE SOME OF THE NEW WAYS
OF OPERATING ARE IN PLACE, THERE IS A REVOLT BY STAFF THAT IS VERY LARGE
AND AWFUL FOR THE LEADERSHIP. Even though staff want the change at the
start, they rebel and get very angry at the leadership. In all cases it is
about this time that leadership ends up in tears, wondering if they have
made a BIG mistake, doubting themselves as competent leaders.
COACHING/MENTORING/HAND HOLDING from the consultant is critical at this
time just as the midwife holding the hand of the woman in labour when
things start to get really bad just before birth. It is exactly the time
not to try to fight what is happening, and the most important thing the
coach can do is to reassure and to tell stories of how "normal" this stage
is. When everyone gets through this stage, staff start talking about how
angry they were but how they now get it. And leaders talk about their anger
at Open Space but when asked if they would do it over again, always say
that they WOULD. In every case they said that although the transition had
been very painful, that the stuff was out in the open that had always been
under the surface and had always gotten in the way (ie: Dead Moose stuff)

 

 

*

 

 

Ingredients of the Open Space Organization
 
Below, I present a list of what we learned to pay attention to as an Open
Space Organization. We refined this during those three years, actively and
intentionally learning together to capture what worked.
 
1. The grief cycle at work promoting understanding and tolerance
 
All staff 

Re: [OSList] Is there experience in developing Open Space further in organizations and networks after the initial intervention

[john watkins via OSList]

Peggy and Birgitt,

Wow! I am really excited to see this in-depth analysis of the process of 
developing an open space organization. I’ve always felt that this was possible, 
but not seen specific examples, though most of the steps are familiar from work 
I have done with organizations, thanks to reading Peggy’s writing, the open 
space folks, the future search work, the art of hosting people, Meg Wheatley 
and the Berkana Institute’s work, and ideas about emergence from Peggy and the 
complexity theory people.

How rich!

With gratitude,

John W.

> On Aug 8, 2018, at 3:32 PM, Peggy Holman via OSList 
>  wrote:
> 
> Kari,
> 
> Check out Birgitt William’s stories in the OSlist archives about the social 
> service organization she ran as an Open Space Organization. Among her posts, 
> my favorite is one where she listed her lessons about Open Space 
> Organizations:
> 
> https://www.mail-archive.com/oslist@lists.openspacetech.org/msg03764.html 
> 
> My story of the Open Space Organization Part 2 of 4
> 18 Jan 2001
> 
> I’ve put an excerpt from it below called Ingredients of the Open Space 
> Organization.
> 
> Another favorite insight from Birgitt is captured in this message 
> , 
> called Open Space client opportunity from July 20, 2000:
> IN EACH AND EVERY EXAMPLE INCLUDING THE ONE AT WESLEY, ABOUT THREE
> TO
> FOUR MONTHS AFTER THE FIRST OPEN SPACE EVENT AND ONCE SOME OF THE NEW WAYS
> OF OPERATING ARE IN PLACE, THERE IS A REVOLT BY STAFF THAT IS VERY LARGE
> AND AWFUL FOR THE LEADERSHIP. Even though staff want the change at the
> start, they rebel and get very angry at the leadership. In all cases it is
> about this time that leadership ends up in tears, wondering if they have
> made a BIG mistake, doubting themselves as competent leaders.
> COACHING/MENTORING/HAND HOLDING from the consultant is critical at this
> time just as the midwife holding the hand of the woman in labour when
> things start to get really bad just before birth. It is exactly the time
> not to try to fight what is happening, and the most important thing the
> coach can do is to reassure and to tell stories of how "normal" this stage
> is. When everyone gets through this stage, staff start talking about how
> angry they were but how they now get it. And leaders talk about their anger
> at Open Space but when asked if they would do it over again, always say
> that they WOULD. In every case they said that although the transition had
> been very painful, that the stuff was out in the open that had always been
> under the surface and had always gotten in the way (ie: Dead Moose stuff)
> 
> 
> *
> 
> 
> Ingredients of the Open Space Organization
> 
> Below, I present a list of what we learned to pay attention to as an Open
> Space Organization. We refined this during those three years, actively and
> intentionally learning together to capture what worked.
> 
> 1. The grief cycle at work promoting understanding and tolerance
> 
> All staff were introduced to an understanding of the cycle of griefwork and
> challenged to view situations within Wesley Urban Ministries from a
> perspective that rather than dealing with "resistance to change", we could
> be dealing with a person working through the grief cycle. This promoted
> understanding and tolerance, and brought a shift towards deferring judgement
> about others.
> 
> 2. Storytelling promoting awareness, collectiveness, empathy, truth
> 
> Time was taken at regular intervals, every three months or so, for staff to
> tell stories. These were stories of the organization, of their immediate
> work in the organization or the larger context. Story telling time was seen
> as valuable, with all stories-sads, glads, and mads-being valued. Sometimes
> pictures and other artifacts accompanied the story telling. Through the
> story telling, we wove a story of a corporate culture that fostered social
> justice and valued all people as precious.
> 
> 3. The story of the organization including purpose, values and vision
> 
> We worked to achieve great clarity about our purpose, values and vision
> throughout the organization that was understood by all who were involved
> with the organization. The purpose, values, and vision were taken into
> account during every Policy and Operating decision that was made. All
> decisions and actions were upheld to ensure congruity with the purpose,
> values and vision.
> 
> 
> 4. The deep essence, working with what is not seen including Spirit
> 
> We realized that much of what we spent our energy on as an organization
> especially energy in dealing with conflicts involved attention to behaviors
> and actions. As a staff we started talking about a theory that was known as
> the "iceberg theory", attesting that most of what was really going on in the
> organization was below the level of the visible (behaviors and 

Re: [OSList] Is there experience in developing Open Space further in organizations and networks after the initial intervention

[Diane Gibeault via OSList]

On Aug 10, 2018, at 10:25, agusj via OSList  
wrote:

Thanks a lot Peggy! I didn´t know this wordelful story about Open Space 
Organizations. It's very inspiring! I am very greatful of being part of this 
community!!

Agustin

Kari, thank you for bringing this theme up again,
Thank you so much for this beautiful reminder Peggy,
and thank you Birgitt !!!
for leading the way for Open Space Organizations and sharing you deep knowledge 
so generously
With gratitude to all of you
Tova


From: Peggy Holman via OSList 
To: Open Listserv  
Cc: Peggy Holman 
Sent: Wednesday, August 8, 2018 5:32 PM
Subject: Re: [OSList] Is there experience in developing Open Space further in 
organizations and networks after the initial intervention

Kari,

Check out Birgitt William’s stories in the OSlist archives about the social 
service organization she ran as an Open Space Organization. Among her posts, my 
favorite is one where she listed her lessons about Open Space Organizations:

https://www.mail-archive.com/oslist@lists.openspacetech.org/msg03764.html
My story of the Open Space Organization Part 2 of 4
18 Jan 2001

I’ve put an excerpt from it below called Ingredients of the Open Space 
Organization.

Another favorite insight from Birgitt is captured in this message, called Open 
Space client opportunity from July 20, 2000:
IN EACH AND EVERY EXAMPLE INCLUDING THE ONE AT WESLEY, ABOUT THREE
TO
FOUR MONTHS AFTER THE FIRST OPEN SPACE EVENT AND ONCE SOME OF THE NEW WAYS
OF OPERATING ARE IN PLACE, THERE IS A REVOLT BY STAFF THAT IS VERY LARGE
AND AWFUL FOR THE LEADERSHIP. Even though staff want the change at the
start, they rebel and get very angry at the leadership. In all cases it is
about this time that leadership ends up in tears, wondering if they have
made a BIG mistake, doubting themselves as competent leaders.
COACHING/MENTORING/HAND HOLDING from the consultant is critical at this
time just as the midwife holding the hand of the woman in labour when
things start to get really bad just before birth. It is exactly the time
not to try to fight what is happening, and the most important thing the
coach can do is to reassure and to tell stories of how "normal" this stage
is. When everyone gets through this stage, staff start talking about how
angry they were but how they now get it. And leaders talk about their anger
at Open Space but when asked if they would do it over again, always say
that they WOULD. In every case they said that although the transition had
been very painful, that the stuff was out in the open that had always been
under the surface and had always gotten in the way (ie: Dead Moose stuff)


*


Ingredients of the Open Space Organization

Below, I present a list of what we learned to pay attention to as an Open
Space Organization. We refined this during those three years, actively and
intentionally learning together to capture what worked.

1. The grief cycle at work promoting understanding and tolerance

All staff were introduced to an understanding of the cycle of griefwork and
challenged to view situations within Wesley Urban Ministries from a
perspective that rather than dealing with "resistance to change", we could
be dealing with a person working through the grief cycle. This promoted
understanding and tolerance, and brought a shift towards deferring judgement
about others.

2. Storytelling promoting awareness, collectiveness, empathy, truth

Time was taken at regular intervals, every three months or so, for staff to
tell stories. These were stories of the organization, of their immediate
work in the organization or the larger context. Story telling time was seen
as valuable, with all stories-sads, glads, and mads-being valued. Sometimes
pictures and other artifacts accompanied the story telling. Through the
story telling, we wove a story of a corporate culture that fostered social
justice and valued all people as precious.

3. The story of the organization including purpose, values and vision

We worked to achieve great clarity about our purpose, values and vision
throughout the organization that was understood by all who were involved
with the organization. The purpose, values, and vision were taken into
account during every Policy and Operating decision that was made. All
decisions and actions were upheld to ensure congruity with the purpose,
values and vision.


4. The deep essence, working with what is not seen including Spirit

We realized that much of what we spent our energy on as an organization
especially energy in dealing with conflicts involved attention to behaviors
and actions. As a staff we started talking about a theory that was known as
the "iceberg theory", attesting that most of what was really going on in the
organization was below the level of the visible (behaviors and actions) and
at the levels of emotion, meaning, perception and interpretation. We started
putting more energy to discussing the unseen. Some of this was done by our
discussions about purpose, values and vision. 

Re: [OSList] Is there experience in developing Open Space further in organizations and networks after the initial intervention

[agusj via OSList]

Thanks a lot Peggy! I didn´t know this wordelful story about Open Space 
Organizations. It's very inspiring! I am very greatful of being part of this 
community!!
Agustin
Kari, thank you for bringing this theme up again,Thank you so much for this 
beautiful reminder Peggy,and thank you Birgitt !!!for leading the way for Open 
Space Organizations and sharing you deep knowledge so generouslyWith gratitude 
to all of youTova

  From: Peggy Holman via OSList 
 To: Open Listserv  
Cc: Peggy Holman 
 Sent: Wednesday, August 8, 2018 5:32 PM
 Subject: Re: [OSList] Is there experience in developing Open Space further in 
organizations and networks after the initial intervention
   
Kari,
Check out Birgitt William’s stories in the OSlist archives about the social 
service organization she ran as an Open Space Organization. Among her posts, my 
favorite is one where she listed her lessons about Open Space Organizations:
https://www.mail-archive.com/oslist@lists.openspacetech.org/msg03764.htmlMy 
story of the Open Space Organization Part 2 of 418 Jan 2001
I’ve put an excerpt from it below called Ingredients of the Open Space 
Organization.
Another favorite insight from Birgitt is captured in this message, called Open 
Space client opportunity from July 20, 2000:IN EACH AND EVERY EXAMPLE INCLUDING 
THE ONE AT WESLEY, ABOUT THREE
TO
FOUR MONTHS AFTER THE FIRST OPEN SPACE EVENT AND ONCE SOME OF THE NEW WAYS
OF OPERATING ARE IN PLACE, THERE IS A REVOLT BY STAFF THAT IS VERY LARGE
AND AWFUL FOR THE LEADERSHIP. Even though staff want the change at the
start, they rebel and get very angry at the leadership. In all cases it is
about this time that leadership ends up in tears, wondering if they have
made a BIG mistake, doubting themselves as competent leaders.
COACHING/MENTORING/HAND HOLDING from the consultant is critical at this
time just as the midwife holding the hand of the woman in labour when
things start to get really bad just before birth. It is exactly the time
not to try to fight what is happening, and the most important thing the
coach can do is to reassure and to tell stories of how "normal" this stage
is. When everyone gets through this stage, staff start talking about how
angry they were but how they now get it. And leaders talk about their anger
at Open Space but when asked if they would do it over again, always say
that they WOULD. In every case they said that although the transition had
been very painful, that the stuff was out in the open that had always been
under the surface and had always gotten in the way (ie: Dead Moose stuff)

*

Ingredients of the Open Space Organization

Below, I present a list of what we learned to pay attention to as an Open
Space Organization. We refined this during those three years, actively and
intentionally learning together to capture what worked.

1. The grief cycle at work promoting understanding and tolerance

All staff were introduced to an understanding of the cycle of griefwork and
challenged to view situations within Wesley Urban Ministries from a
perspective that rather than dealing with "resistance to change", we could
be dealing with a person working through the grief cycle. This promoted
understanding and tolerance, and brought a shift towards deferring judgement
about others.

2. Storytelling promoting awareness, collectiveness, empathy, truth

Time was taken at regular intervals, every three months or so, for staff to
tell stories. These were stories of the organization, of their immediate
work in the organization or the larger context. Story telling time was seen
as valuable, with all stories-sads, glads, and mads-being valued. Sometimes
pictures and other artifacts accompanied the story telling. Through the
story telling, we wove a story of a corporate culture that fostered social
justice and valued all people as precious.

3. The story of the organization including purpose, values and vision

We worked to achieve great clarity about our purpose, values and vision
throughout the organization that was understood by all who were involved
with the organization. The purpose, values, and vision were taken into
account during every Policy and Operating decision that was made. All
decisions and actions were upheld to ensure congruity with the purpose,
values and vision.


4. The deep essence, working with what is not seen including Spirit

We realized that much of what we spent our energy on as an organization
especially energy in dealing with conflicts involved attention to behaviors
and actions. As a staff we started talking about a theory that was known as
the "iceberg theory", attesting that most of what was really going on in the
organization was below the level of the visible (behaviors and actions) and
at the levels of emotion, meaning, perception and interpretation. We started
putting more energy to discussing the unseen. Some of this was done by our
discussions about purpose, values and vision. Equally as valuable to
shifting our attention to what we 

Re: [OSList] Is there experience in developing Open Space further in organizations and networks after the initial intervention

[Royle, Karl via OSList]

Living it large Harrison. ☺

From: OSList  on behalf of Harrison 
Owen via OSList 
Reply-To: World wide Open Space Technology email list 

Date: Thursday, 9 August 2018 at 21:42
To: 'World wide Open Space Technology email list' 

Cc: Harrison Owen 
Subject: Re: [OSList] Is there experience in developing Open Space further in 
organizations and networks after the initial intervention

Reflections? It took me a while to recognize that Open Space is not a method 
that we might “do” or “impose” – rather it is a memory of what we already 
possess. OS simply allows us to recall that we are all self-organizing 
creatures – no matter how much we might like to think we are “in charge.” The 
really ridiculous thing is that clients pay us (occasionally quite well) for 
giving them something they already possess. But at 82, my ethics are getting a 
little foggy. I did have a client one time who figured it out. He said, 
“Harrison, you have the greatest con game going. You charge a significant fee 
for something the people already have (but may not know it) – and then you go 
and take a nap while they do exactly what they already know how to do…” Keep 
those checks coming Baby! Of course, I am here in Maine where the weather is 
warmish but wonderful… and what would you say about that?

Harrison

From: OSList [mailto:oslist-boun...@lists.openspacetech.org] On Behalf Of Jan 
Hoglund via OSList
Sent: Thursday, August 9, 2018 2:21 AM
To: World wide Open Space Technology email list
Cc: Jan Hoglund
Subject: Re: [OSList] Is there experience in developing Open Space further in 
organizations and networks after the initial intervention


Many thanks to Harrison Owen and Peggy Holman for sharing this — and to Birgitt 
Williams, of course!



And now, twenty years and more later, what are your reflections?



/Jan Höglund, Sweden


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To unsubscribe send an email to oslist-le...@lists.openspacetech.org
To subscribe or manage your subscription click below:
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Past archives can be viewed here: 
http://www.mail-archive.com/oslist@lists.openspacetech.org

Re: [OSList] Is there experience in developing Open Space further in organizations and networks after the initial intervention

[Harrison Owen via OSList]

Reflections? It took me a while to recognize that Open Space is not a method
that we might “do” or “impose” – rather it is a memory of what we already
possess. OS simply allows us to recall that we are all self-organizing
creatures – no matter how much we might like to think we are “in charge.”
The really ridiculous thing is that clients pay us (occasionally quite well)
for giving them something they already possess. But at 82, my ethics are
getting a little foggy. I did have a client one time who figured it out. He
said, “Harrison, you have the greatest con game going. You charge a
significant fee for something the people already have (but may not know it)
– and then you go and take a nap while they do exactly what they already
know how to do…” Keep those checks coming Baby! Of course, I am here in
Maine where the weather is warmish but wonderful… and what would you say
about that?

 

Harrison

 

From: OSList [mailto:oslist-boun...@lists.openspacetech.org] On Behalf Of
Jan Hoglund via OSList
Sent: Thursday, August 9, 2018 2:21 AM
To: World wide Open Space Technology email list
Cc: Jan Hoglund
Subject: Re: [OSList] Is there experience in developing Open Space further
in organizations and networks after the initial intervention

 

Many thanks to Harrison Owen and Peggy Holman for sharing this — and to
Birgitt Williams, of course!

 

And now, twenty years and more later, what are your reflections?

 

/Jan Höglund, Sweden

 

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Re: [OSList] Is there experience in developing Open Space further in organizations and networks after the initial intervention

[Tova Averbuch via OSList]

Kari, thank you for bringing this theme up again,

Thank you so much for this beautiful reminder Peggy, 

and thank you Birgitt !!!

for leading the way for Open Space Organizations and sharing you deep knowledge 
so generously

With gratitude to all of you

Tova

 

From: OSList [mailto:oslist-boun...@lists.openspacetech.org] On Behalf Of Peggy 
Holman via OSList
Sent: Thursday, August 09, 2018 1:33 AM
To: Open Listserv 
Cc: Peggy Holman 
Subject: Re: [OSList] Is there experience in developing Open Space further in 
organizations and networks after the initial intervention

 

Kari,

 

Check out Birgitt William’s stories in the OSlist archives about the social 
service organization she ran as an Open Space Organization. Among her posts, my 
favorite is one where she listed her lessons about Open Space Organizations:

 

https://www.mail-archive.com/oslist@lists.openspacetech.org/msg03764.html

My story of the Open Space Organization Part 2 of 4

18 Jan 2001

 

I’ve put an excerpt from it below called Ingredients of the Open Space 
Organization.

 

Another favorite insight from Birgitt is captured in this message 
 , 
called Open Space client opportunity from July 20, 2000:

IN EACH AND EVERY EXAMPLE INCLUDING THE ONE AT WESLEY, ABOUT THREE
TO
FOUR MONTHS AFTER THE FIRST OPEN SPACE EVENT AND ONCE SOME OF THE NEW WAYS
OF OPERATING ARE IN PLACE, THERE IS A REVOLT BY STAFF THAT IS VERY LARGE
AND AWFUL FOR THE LEADERSHIP. Even though staff want the change at the
start, they rebel and get very angry at the leadership. In all cases it is
about this time that leadership ends up in tears, wondering if they have
made a BIG mistake, doubting themselves as competent leaders.
COACHING/MENTORING/HAND HOLDING from the consultant is critical at this
time just as the midwife holding the hand of the woman in labour when
things start to get really bad just before birth. It is exactly the time
not to try to fight what is happening, and the most important thing the
coach can do is to reassure and to tell stories of how "normal" this stage
is. When everyone gets through this stage, staff start talking about how
angry they were but how they now get it. And leaders talk about their anger
at Open Space but when asked if they would do it over again, always say
that they WOULD. In every case they said that although the transition had
been very painful, that the stuff was out in the open that had always been
under the surface and had always gotten in the way (ie: Dead Moose stuff)

 

 

*

 

 

Ingredients of the Open Space Organization
 
Below, I present a list of what we learned to pay attention to as an Open
Space Organization. We refined this during those three years, actively and
intentionally learning together to capture what worked.
 
1. The grief cycle at work promoting understanding and tolerance
 
All staff were introduced to an understanding of the cycle of griefwork and
challenged to view situations within Wesley Urban Ministries from a
perspective that rather than dealing with "resistance to change", we could
be dealing with a person working through the grief cycle. This promoted
understanding and tolerance, and brought a shift towards deferring judgement
about others.
 
2. Storytelling promoting awareness, collectiveness, empathy, truth
 
Time was taken at regular intervals, every three months or so, for staff to
tell stories. These were stories of the organization, of their immediate
work in the organization or the larger context. Story telling time was seen
as valuable, with all stories-sads, glads, and mads-being valued. Sometimes
pictures and other artifacts accompanied the story telling. Through the
story telling, we wove a story of a corporate culture that fostered social
justice and valued all people as precious.
 
3. The story of the organization including purpose, values and vision
 
We worked to achieve great clarity about our purpose, values and vision
throughout the organization that was understood by all who were involved
with the organization. The purpose, values, and vision were taken into
account during every Policy and Operating decision that was made. All
decisions and actions were upheld to ensure congruity with the purpose,
values and vision.
 
 
4. The deep essence, working with what is not seen including Spirit
 
We realized that much of what we spent our energy on as an organization
especially energy in dealing with conflicts involved attention to behaviors
and actions. As a staff we started talking about a theory that was known as
the "iceberg theory", attesting that most of what was really going on in the
organization was below the level of the visible (behaviors and actions) and
at the levels of emotion, meaning, perception and interpretation. We started
putting more energy to discussing the unseen. Some of this was done by our
discussions about purpose, values and vision. Equally as valuable to
shifting our 

Re: [OSList] Is there experience in developing Open Space further in organizations and networks after the initial intervention

[Jan Hoglund via OSList]

Many thanks to Harrison Owen and Peggy Holman for sharing this — and to Birgitt 
Williams, of course!


And now, twenty years and more later, what are your reflections?


/Jan Höglund, Sweden

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Re: [OSList] Is there experience in developing Open Space further in organizations and networks after the initial intervention

[Harrison Owen via OSList]

Kari… The answer is YES – with multiple examples. Long, long ago in the Great 
State of Kentucky (USA), Some strange things happened…

 

The University of Kentucky Center for Rural Health Loyd Kepferle and Karen Main 

 

For reasons remaining somewhat obscure, it turns out that Open Space often 
migrates from the status of "meeting methodology" towads a new status as, "the 
way we do business around here." One might assume that an organization doing 
business in an open space mode would accomplish little. That does not seem to 
be the reality, for Open Space frames the total operation, and internally there 
is an appropriate alternation between open exploration of new opportunities and 
pre-determined, structured responses to known situations. The key word is 
"appropriate." In those situations where people know what to do and there are 
systems in place to take care of that particular business, that is the way 
things work. On the other hand, when novelty is the order of the day open space 
becomes the dominant mode. The people in Kentucky have been experimenting with 
all of this, and what follows is a description of their efforts. vv The 
employees of the Center for Rural Health believe that the Center exists as one 
mechanism for making life better for people who live in rural Kentucky and 
rural America. These people include our students, our patients, our 
constituents and of course, ourselves. We try to make life better by educating 
people for better 40 careers in health care, through the health services 
provided in our clinic, through our Community programs which help people 
improve their health care systems, through research and policy analysis coupled 
with advocacy for improving health in rural areas, and through programs which 
will help all of our employees achieve their potential. The Center is a complex 
organization functioning within the rules of a much larger bureaucracy to which 
we are accountable (the University Kentucky Medical School). While the 
philosophy enunciated below is one of personal empowerment, we recognize that 
we are not empowered to act in ways that are contradictory to University rules 
and regulations. Some of our programs, such as the academic programs, may be 
more constrained by these rules than others, such as Community Programs. In 
addition, while we espouse an egalitarian philosophy, we recognize that for the 
purposes of accountability, there is an implicit hierarchy within the Center. 
For example, while employees interested in technology are strongly urged to 
explore innovations that may help our programs, they will require information 
from the Center Administrator regarding availability of funds since the 
Administrator is accountable to the Director for not overspending the Center's 
budget. In this example, however, if funds were not available from the Center, 
this information would only lead the technology group to consider other funding 
sources. It would not negate their right to improve our programs. We believe 
that even with these limitations, the vast majority of problems and 
opportunities which come to the Center can be resolved by maximizing the 
talents and creativity of our 41 employees through empowerment. In this regard, 
we believe that all of us are using our abilities to make the Center succeed. 
ALL OF OUR CONTRIBUTIONS ARE EQUAL. In these efforts there is no hierarchy or 
"chain of command". We simply perform different functions. To operationalize 
this philosophy, we are working hard to make a process we experimented with a 
reality in every day life at the Center. The process is called "Open Space". 
The main idea of this process is that "People who care most passionately about 
a problem or opportunity have the RIGHT and the RESPONSIBILITY to do something 
about it". This basic idea supersedes all notions of a hierarchical 
organizational structure which requires individuals with problems or ideas to 
proceed through several layers of authority in order to articulate a 
problem/solution or idea before it can be addressed or implemented. Underlying 
this approach is the idea that success is dependent on commitment which comes 
from Ownership which is dependent on power. There are only five constraints on 
this model of personal empowerment: 1. When a problem or opportunity is to be 
discussed, there must be wide notification of the meeting time and place so 
anyone who is interested can attend. 2. Proposed solutions/ideas must be 
broadcast widely so they can be acknowledged as Center policies, programs or 
procedures; or, if they are contradictory to University of Kentucky rules, 
another solution can be sought. 3. Proposed solutions cannot be hurtful to 
anyone else. 4. Proposed solutions should channel our limited resources in such 
a way as to have maximum impact on achieving 42 our goal. 5. Accomplishing the 
work for which we were hired takes precedence over our group work. However, if 
the RIGHT people (those who 

Re: [OSList] Is there experience in developing Open Space further in organizations and networks after the initial intervention

[Michael M Pannwitz via OSList]

Dear Kari,

probably, there are loads of such experiences.
One of them that found its way into "literature" you can see here

https://www.westkreuz-verlag.de/de/Practicing-Open-Space-Our-First-Ten-Years-E-Book


(it was first published as Chapter 5 in "Meine open space Praxis" and 
then as a stand-alone; its a short paper and in I think 5 languages)


Several of the participants have been parts of regional, european and 
worldwide OSonOSes. In fact, there were several events focusing 
especially on this experience. They were called "International 
gatherings on InterActived Organisations" that took place in Krakow 
(2002), Budapest (2005) and Istanbul (2006).


I am sending you a seperate email with the invitation to the Istanbul 
event attached.


greetings from Berlin
mmp


Am 06.08.2018 um 14:06 schrieb Kári Gunnarsson via OSList:

Hi my dear open space family

I wonder if there is experience in developing Open Space further in 
organizations and networks after the initial intervention and how we 
could, each of us, go about inviting this experience to participating in 
the next and future Wosonos events.


Who are the people that want to explor how to develop the OST approach 
further in their organizations and networks? I think we usually call 
them sponsors!


With love
Kári




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--
Michael M Pannwitz
Draisweg 1, 12209 Berlin, Germany
++49 - 30-772 8000
mmpannw...@gmail.com


Check out the Open Space World Map presently showing 467 resident Open 
Space Workers in 76 countries working in a total of 145 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
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Re: [OSList] Is there experience in developing Open Space further in organizations and networks after the initial intervention

[R Chaffe via OSList]

Kari,
Continuing conversations are the essence of a adaptive, innovative and self 
organising organisation. The perturbation of an organisation or group by 
innovative processes like Open Space is a challenge for those involved, in 
particular those who gave permission for the event to take place as once the 
power of opening space is manifest decisions must be made. Will we continue, 
will we act on the new reality, etc.  I believe the original facilitator should 
have explored this with the persons who have permission so that there is no 
surprises about process and where it might lead including what might happen 
when the real potential of a group is realised or awakened.  People will find a 
way to continue and they will insist on process that is open.  As Harrison 
described the people will send out messages until the right time when the right 
people will gather with the right process and the process will continue.   All 
this despite what you might do as the genie is out of the bottle!

Regards
Rob

> On 6 Aug 2018, at 10:06 pm, Kári Gunnarsson via OSList 
>  wrote:
> 
> Hi my dear open space family
> 
> I wonder if there is experience in developing Open Space further in 
> organizations and networks after the initial intervention and how we could, 
> each of us, go about inviting this experience to participating in the next 
> and future Wosonos events.
> 
> Who are the people that want to explor how to develop the OST approach 
> further in their organizations and networks? I think we usually call them 
> sponsors!
> 
> With love 
> Kári
> 
> 
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[OSList] Is there experience in developing Open Space further in organizations and networks after the initial intervention

[Kári Gunnarsson via OSList]

Hi my dear open space family

I wonder if there is experience in developing Open Space further in
organizations and networks after the initial intervention and how we could,
each of us, go about inviting this experience to participating in the next
and future Wosonos events.

Who are the people that want to explor how to develop the OST approach
further in their organizations and networks? I think we usually call them
sponsors!

With love
Kári
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