A Sample Script for Opening the Space
This script is something I first distilled from Harrison Owen's OpenSpaceTechnology/UsersGuide (available at any good bookstore). Over the years I've added my own notes. It helps me remember what really needs to be said in the opening of the space, and what really does not. I don't think I've ever opened the space without a copy of this in my back pocket, but that's just me. I HIGHLY recommend getting the OpenSpaceTechnology/UsersGuide and working out your own process. In the meantime, here are my notes...
Sponsor's introduction
- Three minutes... to tell the story of "how we got here" ...whatever that means to them.
Welcome and Introduction
- Look around circle/bounding the space
- What do we know about who's here? ...nobody knows, everybody cares, nobody in charge, everybody skilled
State the theme
- Summarize comments by host/sponsor/client organizer, see 'opening remarks' notes
A Little History
- 15 years, 5 continents, no marketing budget or advertising department
- African villages, corporate boardrooms, all kinds of churches, the Peace Corps and the Pentagon, Banks and Techs, government and community organizations, school leaders and youth groups... with anywhere from 5 to 1000 people at a time
- Outstanding results -- it will work here, too
Descibe the Process - How this is going to work today
- Invite those who want to, and nobody has to
- Identify some issue/opportunity related to our theme
- Something you have real passion for and will take personal responsibility for starting the conversation about it
- Don't have to be an expert with answers, need to care enough to ask the question and start the conversation
- If nothing occurs to you, fine -- if more than one, post them on separate pages
- In a minute, ask to come forward, grab the paper and markers
- Write your topic and you name
- Read it out -- "my name is ... and my issue is...."
- Post it on the wall so everyone who shares your interest can find your conversation
The Four Principles
- Whoever comes are the right people don't need 100 people and the ceo to do good work...need the people who care if nobody comes, might be a bad idea, or just bad timing you might be the only one who knows enough to deal with it or see its importance take it as just another piece of information, spend time on it yourself or move on
- Whatever happens is the only thing that could have be prepared to be surprised, be very dull if everything always went as expected forget coulda, woulda and shoulda and go with the flow of what is here and now
- Whenever it starts is the right time -- spirit and creativity don't run on the clock
- When it's over it's over if you finish in ten minutes, don't rehash for another 50...move on when it's not over, it's not over...so you might have to move, but don't have to end
The Law of Two Feet
- You have the right and the responsibility to use your two feet to go wherever you need to in order to maximize your own learning and contributing today.
- When mind wanders, take your body with it... stay whole!
- If you're not learning or contributing...go someplace else -- don't waste time.
- Means if you aren't enjoying where you are, it's totally your choice to stay or move on
- Law is death to egotists and speechmakers
- Creates bumblebees who cross-pollinate and butterflies who create space to just be
Veteran Strategies
(some suggestions sometimes offered for shorter spaces, with thanks to OST veteran Giles Hopkins, sometimes I make an extra poster with most appropriate items from this list)
- Be a bumble bee, butterfly
- Ask a provocative question
- Convene a consulting group
- Save time to ask for conclusions/recommendations
- Pass a sign-up sheet to gather participant names
- Convene a sequel
- Limit attendance and do it twice
- Issue "special" invitations
- Find a co-conspirator (co-convener)
- Type the notes from butterfly conversations
- Capture notes on flipchart paper
- Convene lunch/dinner sessions
- Hold your session in whatever language works
- DO talk to strangers
- Listen for something really new
- Speak your mind
- Plan some actions
- Work, play, learn, dream, move
- (to be continued...)
Jumping In
- Can't learn to swim from the side of the pool -- time to jump in
- Identify an issue or opportunity for which you have some real passion
- Think of a short title and write it with your name
- Read it out -- my name is... my issue is..... -- no speeches required or allowed
- Post it and come back to circle
Sign-ups
- Clear a path to get to the wall
- Sign up for everything that interests you, even if more than one during the same session
- Conflicts...can combine, move or bumblebee, but conveners have final word on it
- On your own, take responsibility for your own meetings/times, bells don't ring until closing
- Go to your first session as soon as you're done signing up
...beneath and beyond the opening briefing
Guiding Metaphors
- hero's journey
- treasure hunt, nobody knows
- blowing bubbles
- bubbling cauldron
- creeping ivy
- room to work
Guiding Intentions
- be with, be open, be space
- expanding our now, nobody knows
- presence invites presence
- what if it all really works?
- open invitation, unconditional offering
- room/right to make own choices
- less is more
- have fun, play
Answers to every question
- what do you want to do?
- great, why don't you take care of it?
Key Questions and Instructions
- evening news - one word to describe how feeling, where you are
- morning news - new topics to post? other news?
- talking stick closing - how do you feel? what has this meant? what have you learned? what will you do now? what is required to sustain this movement?
- reading proceedings - pay special attention to those issues not attended and not familiar with
- voting instructions - is NOT political win/lose, IS sifting and sorting to find where the greatest energy and greatest needs are, vote for the importance of the issue not the quality of the report
Closing
- distribute proceedings -- gallery of notes, copies of handwritten notes, books of typed notes
- talking stick -- passed around, left in center, or delivered to those who raise a hand
- cycle of invitation story - invitation, topics posted, proceedings, new invitations
- medicine wheel story - leadership, vision, community, management
- prioritization - clustering, sticky dot voting, computer voting, reopening
- news, now, next, nuts -- repeating the cycle of review, check-in/closing, opening, breakouts (see non-convergence notes)
Opening Script Updated and Divided for Three Training Workshop Participants to Open the Space Together
Sponsor's introduction
- Three minutes... to tell the story of "how we got here" ...whatever that means to them.
FACILITATOR ONE
Welcome and Introduction
- Look around circle/bounding the space
- What do we know about who's here? ...nobody knows, everybody cares, nobody in charge, everybody skilled
State the theme
- Summarize comments by host/sponsor/client organizer, see 'opening remarks' notes
FACILITATOR TWO
Descibe the Process - How this is going to work today
- Invite those who want to, and nobody has to
- Identify some issue/opportunity related to our theme
- Something you have real passion for and will take personal responsibility for starting the conversation about it
- Don't have to be an expert with answers, need to care enough to ask the question and start the conversation
- If nothing occurs to you, fine -- if more than one, post them on separate pages
- In a minute, ask to come forward, grab the paper and markers
- Write your topic and you name
- Read it out -- "my name is ... and my issue is...."
- Post it on the wall so everyone who shares your interest can find your conversationa
FACILITATOR THREE
The Four Principles
- Whoever comes are the right people don't need 100 people and the ceo to do good work...need the people who care if nobody comes, might be a bad idea, or just bad timing you might be the only one who knows enough to deal with it or see its importance take it as just another piece of information, spend time on it yourself or move on
- Whatever happens is the only thing that could have be prepared to be surprised, be very dull if everything always went as exipected forget coulda, woulda and shoulda and go with the flow of what is here and now
- Whenever it starts is the right time -- spirit and creativity don't run on the clock
- When it's over it's over if you finish in ten minutes, don't rehash for another 50...move on when it's not over, it's not over...so you might have to move, but don't have to end
The Law of Two Feet
- You have the right and the responsibility to use your two feet to go wherever you need to in order to maximize your own learning and contributing today.
- When mind wanders, take your body with it... stay whole!
- If you're not learning or contributing...go someplace else -- don't waste time.
- Means if you aren't enjoying where you are, it's totally your choice to stay or move on
- Law is death to egotists and speechmakers
- Creates bumblebees who cross-pollinate and butterflies who create space to just be
FACILITATOR ONE, AGAIN
Jumping In
- Can't learn to swim from the side of the pool -- time to jump in
- Identify an issue or opportunity for which you have some real passion
- Think of a short title and write it with your name
- Read it out -- my name is... my issue is..... -- no speeches required or allowed
- Post it and come back to circle
Sign-ups
- Clear a path to get to the wall
- Sign up for everything that interests you, even if more than one during the same session
- Conflicts...can combine, move or bumblebee, but conveners have final word on it
- On your own, take responsibility for your own meetings/times, bells don't ring until closing
- Go to your first session as soon as you're done signing up
some stores and images to consider, operating beneath and beyond the opening briefing
- Guiding Metaphors
- hero's journey
- treasure hunt, nobody knows
- blowing bubbles
- bubbling cauldron
- creeping ivy
- room to work
Guiding Intentions
- be with, be open, be space
- expanding our now, nobody knows
- presence invites presence
- what if it all really works?
- open invitation, unconditional offering
- room/right to make own choices
- less is more
- have fun, play
Answers to every question
what do you want to do?
great, why don't you take care of it?
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