Anne Stadler

Open Space Technology, developed by Harrison Owen, has been around in organization transformation circles for about thirteen years. Though it invites spirit, it is not an esoteric practice. It is a simple way of achieving extraordinary practical results. Lately, with the burgeoning interest in large systems change, and simpler ways of being in organization, Open Space Technology is being examined with greater interest. It is popularly regarded as a method of convening creative events involving anywhere from 5 to 700 people.

But in the past several years, a number of Open Space users have been experimenting with Open Space Technology as a way leading and managing organizations--a way of being in organization over time. They've taken Ope Space rituals of human relationship, the four principles and the Law of Two Feet, and applied them in a variety of formats: the stereotypical Open Space event, in regular meetings, in project generation and management, and more.

In this issue of At Work, we've collected a variety of reports from the front lines. You'll find first person stories of opening space in business organizations (The Bank of Montreal, Mastek and Majesco software companies, The Boeing Company), educational and research institutions (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Pierce College, Marylhurst College), government organizations (the US Peace Corps.), social service providers, and voluntary organizations in the United States, Canada, and India.

You get inspiration linked to practical results. Giles Hopkins says it succinctly in his article, "It uncovers the people with passion about important issues and questions who are willing to provide leadership and exercise their sense of accountability."

In a recent Open Space event, Mike Little of the Bechtol Corp. made the observation that opening space frees people to do what comes naturally. It's how creative work gets done in any organization: by people taking responsibility for what they care about. It's what underlies organizational tables, departments, roles and positions.

So, as you read our stories, consider, what do they tell us about sustaining inspired human organization? Do they show us significant patterns that are widely applicable?

During a recent Open Space event, one of my colleagues came up to me excitedly. "Come and look" she said. "Look at what they're doing!" We went into the crowded hallway where people were gathered for coffee before the opening session.

"They're all in circles... just as you said!"

And sure enough, there were circles of people everywhere--talking together. As people would come and go, the circles would expand or contract, but they remained circles none-the-less. People were creating a marketplace through conversation: listening and talking, moving from one small group to another as they followed what they cared about--a spontaneous demonstration of the basic rituals of human relationship, and of Open Space Technology.

Open Space Technology starts and ends with a circle: an open, permeable circle. Actually, there are three virtual circles formed in Open Space: a circle of vision linked to practical results by people taking responsibility for what they care about; a circle of shared leadership; and a circle of shared learning.

The other two basic elements are a marketplace, and self-generated groups. Fundamental human patterns: you gather in a circle when you want to communicate and learn from each other. When you want exchange, you form a marketplace. When you want action, you get together with people who care about the same thing you do.

Opening space in any organization usually begins with an event. After the event, the law, principles and rituals of OST assume different forms, depending on particular circumstances and organizational intention.

Calling the circle starts with inviting spirit and then, inviting people. In planning an Open Space event, you ask: What is our intention for this gathering? What is the spirit we want to communicate? Then, you ask: Who are the stakeholders we need to convene, so that the whole system (circle) will be in the room?

When people arrive at the event, they sit in a circle-- making it clear everyone is essential. There's no head table, no special place for experts.

In the center of the circle are tools: sheets of newsprint and felt pens. One wall of the room (the Agenda Wall) is entirely blank. It is the space on which the group will create its own agenda. Computers are lined up on tables in front of a News Wall. That is where people will record sessions they have convened, creating the record of the group's activities and sharing their learning.

Inviting Spirit: The convener welcomes the group, talks about the focal theme of the gathering and his/her own hopes for the event. He may also describe any boundary conditions, such as on-going organizational processes into which the meeting fits.

Opening the circle: The facilitator acknowledges the essential relationship of each person to the group's endeavor. She describes how the group will self-organize and briefly articulates the law and four principles of Open Space,

The law of Open Space, The Law of Two Feet, invites spirit into the group by asking each person to take responsibility for what he/she truly cares about. That means show up, pay attention to what has heart and meaning for you, and use your two feet to move to whatever place you can best contribute.

Four Open Space principles articulate the simple epistomology of an open circle:

1. Whoever comes is the right people.

Whoever is attracted to a particular topic are the people who can contribute most to it because they really care about it. So even if your bitter enemy is sitting in the circle with you, your task is to find out what he/she and you care about and build on that. If you can't, there's always the Law of Two Feet.

 

2. Whatever happens is the only thing that could've.

This principle acknowledges you'll do your best to be open to whatever happens, in the present time and place, and not be constrained by what you think could've or should've happened.

 

3. Whenever it starts is the right time.

The creative spirit has its own time, and our task is to make our best contribution, entering the flow of creativity whenever it starts.

 

4. When it's over, it's over.

Then the facilitator creates the marketplace: inviting anyone who chooses to step into the center of the circle, pick up a sheet of paper and a pen, and write down a topic he or she cares about-- using one sheet for each topic. The person announces the topic, identifies a time and place for people to meet, and posts the topic on the Agenda Wall. This process continues until there are no additional items to post. Then, people sign up for whatever topic appeals.

Whoever posts a topic convenes the session, making certain it is facilitated, and seeing to it a report is generated for posting on the News Wall and circulation to the whole group in a final report.

After the Opening Circle, people meet in self-chosen groups during the day. They are responsible for their own schedules, for exchanging ideas and creating whatever outcomes each small group may arrive at.

Holding the space is a matter of simply reminding people of the Law of Two Feet, the four principles, and where things are located. You may need to do a little computer coaching and housekeeping, too; but people do best if they are just supported to get on with what they really care about.

People come together in the whole circle at the conclusion of the event (or the conclusion of each day in a multi-day event). Everyone is encouraged to contribute to a learning exchange--so the group itself can learn. A talking stick, or a Dialogue approach is commonly used. This is not a time for discussion. It's a period of deep reflection and sharing learnings.

At the end of any Open Space gathering, the final actions are those of closing: commitments of further actions to be taken, and giving thanks and acknowledgements.

In the Open Space event, there's a group rhythm similar to breathing: breathing in (the whole circle comes together), breathing out (the whole circle breaks up, forms smaller circles in the marketplace), breathing in (the whole circle comes back together). That breathing rhythm continues over time in on-going leadership and management of organizations.

The articles in this issue tell stories of Open Space rituals and principles used to lead and manage emergent organizational realities. R. Sundar reflects on his learning as CEO of Majesco SOftware paying attention to the rhythms and applications of opening space for two years. Birgitt Bolton describges her experience as a CEO of a Canadian social service agency opening space over three years time. Jan Gray's story shows the variety of forms Openp Space can take when applied consistently in sustaining high performance of an organization's vision (including sailing aboard a 101 foot schooner, The Adventuress). Herb Long and Sara Halprin share a diary of OST as a medium for teaching a graduate level course. Lee Hartwell assesses next steps in growing a highly successful initiative into an Open Space organization at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

Our stories are different, happening in different locations, different cultures, different kinds of organizations, but one thing is clear: when people make a commitment to opening space in an organization, they surface underlying issues which affect the organization to achieve its highest potential:

These issues are always present in an organization, but they are often obscured in a culture of power and positional authority or they are a source of continuing conflict and negative energy. In Open Spae, they come up in a context of a learning community and shared responsibilty. As a result, regeneration and the potential for constructive action is heightened.p

Open Space Technology is a simple way of being in organization. Opening space has only one law: each of us takes responsibility for what has heart and meaning, shows up for that, and is open to whatever happens. Doing this in concert with others seems to create a field of alignment in which creative spirit manifests in practical activity.

So far, we've all learned that opening space opens the way for personal and organizational transformation resulting in greater alignment, awareness, learning and action. And THAT is a significant learning.

So we invite you to join us in this on-going experiment. Each of us, and many more whom you can reach via the Open Space Institutes of Canada and the United States are eager to share our questions and our discoveries. It's time to help each other and our planet reconnect with the essence of living in sustainable relationships.