Article

by Jay W. Vogt

Published in Mass High Tech, 2005

Only one face-to-face meeting method — Open Space Technology — unleashes the creativity and participation that we love about the Web. What drives participation on the Web drives meetings in Open Space — passion for a topic and the willingness to step up and get things done. As on the Web, the number who can take part is the number who care passionately about the topic, whether it's 15 or 500 or more.

How do you lift off into Open Space? Start with a compelling business challenge — a shocking competitive threat, a bet-the-business undertaking, a cultural shift or merger. Open Space thrives on topics that are complex, need diverse minds to tackle them, may cause conflict, and require urgent answers.

The challenge is framed as an open invitation, from the CEO or the task champions, to all interested parties: “Here’s our challenge, clearly stated. We trust it will attract the right people, and we welcome all takers. ” No need to agonize about invitation lists. Just put out the call, and work with whoever cares enough to come.

The invitation sets the tone and key parameters, but the participants set the agenda. Remember, this is like the Web, where no one is “in charge.”

When the people who care are assembled — for a half day, a day, or two days — an Open Space facilitator sets the process in motion with a few simple, Web-like principles, designed to foster creativity:

• Whoever comes are the right people.
• Whatever happens is all that could have.
• Whenever it starts is the right time.
• When it’s over, it’s over.

Next, the facilitator invites those with a passion for any topic related to the challenge to convene a work group. For example, if the challenge is reviving a stale product line, someone might stand up and offer to convene (not lead) a work group on why new product ideas have been dying on the vine lately. Even with hundreds of participants, it takes less than an hour for the agenda to emerge quickly and organically from the prime concerns of those present.

What happens next? Work groups gather simultaneously, in a self-organizing fashion, throughout the meeting space — a large, open room surrounded by breakout rooms, lounges, and other casual meeting places. As with Web sites, some topics will attract swarms, and others little or no interest. Participation in these groups is governed by the one law of Open Space, the Law of Two Feet: “If you’re not learning or contributing wherever you are, use your two feet to go where you can!”

All along, participants manage their own time, learning, and contributions. This experience is a profound takeaway for many. As it spreads across an organization’s culture, it starts to show up as individual initiative.

Laptops in every work group, loaded with custom templates, help volunteers record group discussions and frame proposals. Proceedings are published immediately, or posted to the Web for global review.

The results? An explosion of creativity, peer-to-peer learning and exchange, and fun. People love being in Open Space. They love the freedom to focus on exactly what they feel they most need to focus on, for as long as they need to, with only those people who feel the same way.

Managers typically fear it, but they welcome the results:

• Innovative solutions to complex problems.
• Widespread sharing of critical business information.
• Creation of task-focused networks and alliances.
• Release of community spirit and playfulness.

Examples from real life?

• A firm’s two largest clients are merging. How to merge the two global customer service teams, blend their cultures, manage the transition, and refocus on client needs — quickly? Put both teams together in Open Space for two days.

• A large utility wants to challenge its top one hundred high-potential employees so they’ll stick around. They kick off a customized leadership development program with a day in Open Space, centered on solutions to the chief employee complaints.

• Six health care organizations form an umbrella entity to pursue large, joint contracts. What quality and productivity gains can they achieve by collaboration? Two hundred participants come together for two days and generate over fifty work proposals.

You believe in the power of the Web. You expect rich results from its simple protocols. You cherish the creativity and connectivity it unleashes. As a high tech professional, you know how self-organization creates order out of chaos.

Visit Peoplesworth.com to learn more about how we help organizations.