Open Space Technology

Open Space Technology ,(OST) first described and popularized by Harrison Owen, is a powerful form of what I refer to as Reflection Learning, one of six learning structures in Partnership Learning.   (You can download a free version of my short book on Partnership Learning here, and you can also see a short video of me describing Reflection Learning here).   Owen stumbled on to this methodology. After organizing and attending conferences, he realized that, he says, “…the truly useful part had been the coffee breaks. So much for one year’s effort to arrange papers, participants, and presenters. The only thing that everybody liked was the one thing I had nothing to do with: the coffee breaks. There had to be a message here” (p. 3).

            Open Space is a deceptively simple process that puts conversation and choice at the heart of the matter. At the Kansas Coaching Project’s Annual Instructional Coaching Conference,   my friend Sue Keck facilitates our OST session each year.   Thus, at the conference, Sue asks participants to consider hosting a discussion about a coaching topic they are very interested in discussing. Inevitably people list such issues as evaluating coaches, the role of the principal, math coaching, reading strategies, social networking and coaching. They write their discussion point on chart paper and post their chart on one of the walls around the beautiful old room at Liberty Hall in Lawrence, Kansas where we host our conference.

            Those who host a topic agree to lead a conversation about whatever they have posted.   Once topics are posted, the remaining participants then pick the one that they are most interested in discussing.   Sometimes one topic attracts a large number of participants and the group might choose to divide into smaller groups.   Sometimes only the host is interested in the topic.   In the rare event that no one chooses to discuss a topic, Harrison Owen points out that maybe the host is the only person who is qualified to discuss that topic.   Furthermore, “ There is nothing in the rule book that says a “group” must be composed of more than one. And by the way, when was the last time you had a large piece of time free to work on a major idea for which you had a passion?” (pg. 96).

            Owen offers many suggestions for facilitators, and I think they are especially relevant for any one using the Partnership Learning approach.   I’ll list them here, and then offer a few comments at the end.

Open Space Technology will not work, and therefore should not be used, in any situation where the answer is already known, where somebody at a high level thinks he or she knows the answer, or where that somebody is the sort that must know the answer, and therefore must always be in charge, otherwise known as control, control, control (p. 15).

… Open Space Technology runs on two fundamentals: passion and responsibility. Without passion, nobody is interested. Without responsibility, nothing will get done. Obviously, different people feel passionate about different things (different strokes for different folks). And it is quite unlikely that anybody will take responsibility for something they do not care about. It is extremely important, therefore, to declare right up front what the focus is (p. 18).

Voluntary self-selection is the absolute sine qua non for participation in Open Space (p. 21).

The unique and critical role of the facilitator in an Open Space event revolves around two functions: creating time and space and holding time and space. Observably, in performance, this means doing less rather than more. Under the best of circumstances, the facilitator will be totally present and absolutely invisible (p. 57).

Owen offers the following four guidelines for facilitators:

Show up: “ This is not complicated and simply means you have to be physically on hand. Of course, mere physical presence does not guarantee authentic presence, but it is certain that if the body is not there not much else will be available either, and that body must be in good shape. Showing up tired, hung over, or stressed out just won’t do. Safe space is calm space, and that calm must begin with you, the facilitator.

Be Present: “ Being present … means providing those around us with a profound sense of grounding, reality, solidity, which translates to security, peace, and strength. Being in the presence of one who is truly present is comfortable in the root meaning of that word, “with strength.”

Telling the truth: This “defines the quality of our presence. It is a hard job indeed. Actually, it is even harder than it sounds, for the issue is not so much faithfully reporting the facts of the case (which is certainly useful) but rather being the truth. That is to say, reflecting an essential, powerful, and good humanity in the way one is.”

Letting it Go: This means “Have no attachment to fixed outcomes… the point is that we have no permanent claim on anything that is, and the sooner we get that through our heads the better things will be. It is not that we have gone out of control, it is quite simply that we had no control to begin with. Obviously this phrase is anathema to those folks who have spent their whole lives trying to keep or gain control, which turns out to be most of us. Letting go is also essential for the effective facilitation of Open Space. To the best of my knowledge, there is exactly one way to absolutely guarantee the failure of an Open Space event, and that is to try and control it. It won’t work. Things will either shut down or blow up, but in either case the results will be less than optimal. Guaranteed” (pp. 62 – 64)

“To the extent that the facilitator becomes prescriptive, imposing time, space, and solutions, he or she will fail. The more done, the less accomplished. It is necessary to be physically on hand, be fully present, be the truth, and then get out of the way. As the world would see it, the ultimate facilitator will do nothing and remain invisible.

Preparing oneself to assume this role cannot be done in a moment, nor can it be left to chance. One the contrary, preparation is an intentional, ongoing act that must become part of the life of the would-be facilitator (p. 64).”

A Few Thoughts:

            This is only a quick overview of OST, but those familiar with Partnership Learning should see that this is very much a partnership approach.   When we use Partnership Learning, we work from the assumption that our participants do not need us to check up on them and make sure that they are doing what we ask.   Recently, I was asked, “what do you do to make sure that your participants are on task?”   My response was that “I really don’t do anything during the workshop.”   I try to set up learning structures that people choose to participate in that are inherently compelling enough to keep people interested.  

            If participants consistently don’t tackle the learning opportunities I offer, then I figure my job is to re-think the activity, not use proximity control to get participants to do what they don’t feel interested in doing.

            I have also started to use OST during various workshops.   I let participants post topics, host discussions, and so forth. In each case, after some very careful explanation, participants have had lively, meaningful conversations.

 Next Week: We'll discuss Firms of Endearment, a book Michael Fullan mentions frequently in his book  Six Secrets of Change, which I have discussed previously in this blog.