Just being
20 July 2008I’ve written before about my frustration at the need to produce ‘outputs’ at the end of a gathering, implying that just being together in conversation is not enough. I’m about to take part in the 16th Annual World Open Space on Open Space in San Francisco. I’m looking forward to just being in *open space*.…
Cause and effect
6 June 2008This has been playing on my mind recently, and maybe it’s gelling just enough for me to write about it. Three things happened: 1. I was researching Communities of Practice and complexity and came across a Sketchcast by Shawn at Anecdote, where he talked about the Cynefin framework and the relationship between cause and effect.…
A few thoughts on facilitating
11 April 2008Yesterday I facilitated a workshop with some people from a rural community to explore their future in light of the changes that are occurring around them. I’d heard a cool quote on television the night before that I used: “Knowledge is knowing you’re on a one-way street; wisdom is looking both ways anyway.” It seemed…
Open Space Training
30 March 2008One of the questions I’m often asked is ‘how long does it take to open the space, get the agenda on the wall and open the marketplace’? the assumption seems to be that the more people you have, the longer it takes. It’s marginal really. My answer is almost always – 45 minutes. One of…
More work to do in the world for women
9 March 2008At an International Women’s Day event I heard an Aboriginal woman talk of her family’s struggle to remain together; of the ignorance of others in declaring, when, as a teenager she took her siblings to the local swimming pool and was told she wasn’t allowed to swim there ‘because they would turn the water black’;…
Role of facilitation in reconciliation
14 February 2008Facilitator as group leader; facilitator as organiser; facilitator as strategist; facilitator as innovator; facilitator as guide; facilitator as teacher; facilitator as visionary; facilitator as healer; facilitator as warrior; facilitator as peace maker. Facilitator as peace maker – now that’s something you don’t hear very often. Maybe we should hear it more. Harrison Owen of Open Space…
PASSION
10 February 2008I’m enjoying this blog of Stephen Shapiro’s and particularly like this piece about passion.I think it works well with the uses of passion and responsibllity as experienced in Open Space. Don’t think I’ll ever look at the word passion the same again.
Opening Space for ideas and dialogue at PM Rudd’s Australia 2020 Summit
9 February 2008This week, Australia’s Prime Minister announced a 2020 Summit AS Melbourne University vice-chancellor Glyn Davis said yesterday, it is all too rare for Australians from a vast range of areas to come together to think about the future. Kevin Rudd’s planned summit, titled Australia 2020, which has drawn bipartisan support from Brendan Nelson, is a…
World Open Space on Open Space
3 January 2008This will be a MUST DO in my calendar this year. Here’s some information from Open Space guru and friend Lisa Heft… World Open Space on Open Space 2008 – San Francisco, California, USA Monday, July 21 and Tuesday, July 22, 2008 – Open Space Learning Workshop (for anyone who has not yet experienced Open…
New Year resolutions/thanks
2 January 2008I’ve been reading a lot of blogs lately where New Year resolutions / intentions / aspirations and the like are discussed. There’s been a lot of reflection of the past year too. Not surprisingly given that the calendar has just clicked over to a whole new year bringing with it the opportunity to stop and…