Page 6 - The World Cafe

Special Report – Hosting Strategic Conversations 5
approach for ongoing improvement at all levels of the organization.
AI is a radical shift in working with organizations, and it produces equally radical (and positive) gains.
The gains from AI are solid and proven in a host of arenas. They come from a huge change in mind-set and it takes significant time to implement and to build the new habits that are required. The question is – are you ready to put yourself and your organization through the mind-set changes and challenges required to claim those wins?
Open Space Technology
“As the new business landscape continues to emerge, and new forms of organization take shape, our ability to lead will be dependent upon our ability to host and convene quality conversations.”
Robert Legel, PhD, University of Texas San Antonio EMBA Program
On one level, Open Space Technology (OST) is a quick, easy way to more effective meetings, and at a more fundamental level, it is a powerful way to actually create passionate, empowered, self-managing organizations. It can be used in regular meetings, across an organization of hundreds or thousands, or in communities and countries to create lasting, meaningful action.
There are no set agendas, no committees, no hierarchies, and no unnecessary meetings. Rather, OST balances order and
chaos with two fundamental drivers: passion and responsibility. It allows individuals to self-organize based on what they are passionate about, and it gives each person the responsibility to go where they can give or receive the most value – and to take action.
An Open Space session starts with a core question that focuses the event. All key parties related to the question and issue at hand are invited to attend, and usually Open Space starts with everyone seated in a circle, or several concentric circles, whether there are 5 participants or 1,000. Nearby is a blank bulletin board or wall, perhaps with days, times and locations scheduled.
The hosts introduce the principles and the one law of Open Space (explained below), and the central question. Participants are then invited to come to the center of the room with their burning questions or issues of concern around the central question, and to write these on a sheet of paper. Each person introduces him/herself and reads his or her question/issue, then posts the question in the marketplace – at a certain time and location (and day, if this is a multiple day event).
Once everyone who has an issue or question has come up and posted it, the participants are set free to go to any of the gatherings about specific issues/discussions that have been posted. Nobody announces the time or hurries people along, even if there are hundreds of people involved. Each person simply takes responsibility for following their passions and being where they need to be. The hosts’ responsibility is to hold the space where this system can self-organize itself.
© Chrysalis Strategies Inc.
RaviTangri.com