How to change the world on a rainy Saturday from my desk?

How do we support communities and organizations to become enablers of ongoing Open Space (OS)?

This question was part of the invitation to Open Space facilitators, practitioners and sponsors who are interested in sharing thoughts, ideas and resources about Open Space Technology (www.openspaceworld.org).

An hour before the World OpenSpace-Online on OpenSpace-Online starts (www.openspace-online.com/event/070630/index.php), I sign into the virtual conference space sitting in my new room in Berlin, which is still chaotic with my stuff all over since I have just moved in. 15 people from across the world are already there. Very exciting, in 30 minutes, the “Meeting & Greeting” starts in the Foyer.

But before we start, I start writing the notes for the kick-off Pioneers of Change meeting in Berlin last Thursday. We met around the question: where am I pioneering change in my life and how do I connect to the Pioneers of Change principles? (pioneersofchange.net/aboutus/philosophy)

I receive an email from Wiebke Koch, the founder of the “Social Entrepreneur and Leadership Foundation” in Berlin (www.self-germany.de/mediapool/31/311023/data/SELF-Overview_engl.pdf) inviting me for a project called “Land of Succeeding” (www.land-des-gelingens.de). There will be an Open Space in Berlin for planning the concept next week.

Another email from my father with a scanned letter that was in the post today: I have not been selected for the Cosmopolitan Business Academy Leadership Coaching Programme: www.cosmopolitan.de/jobgeld/infos.html Oh well, there are loads of other opportunities around…

40 minutes before the conference starts: Harrison Owen, Mr. OpenSpace himself has just signed in: how cool is that?! I am even more excited ;-)

32 minutes before the start, Gabriela Ender, the inventor of OpenSpace-Online signs in…

In the Foyer, I meet people from India, Australia, Europe, the US, Singapore, Taiwan, etc.: main topic of discussion…the weather ;-) The whole range between Summer (very hot in Istanbul) and Winter (Australia) is present.

After COMOSO, the virtual facilitator has introduced the 4 principles of Open Space in the opening circle, it is 17:15 and the 46 participants from across the globe start building the agenda together. I post the question: “How can we use OSonline to create a We Are What We Do community globally?” After 15 minutes we end up with 14 different sessions divided into 3 time blocks of 40 minutes.

In the first round, I get disconnected from the conference. Why do I have trouble to connect to the questions? There are 5 questions being discussed: What methods can we use to loosen up people before OS? Where is OS working best? Is OST training obsolete? How do you include OS in your daily life – how to live in OS? How can we use OST as a research technique?

Half through the first round, I realize it is not the questions that I don’t connect to but having too many people around that I don’t know and I don’t see. I jumped around sessions and catch a German talking about an OST experience with a German Hauptschule (German has a 3 classes-school-system and this is the “lowest class”). I see a glimpse of a connection but leave the very crowded room to get some air in the Café. And seconds later, there he is again and invites me for a private one-to-one talk: he remembers us corresponding through email about We Are What We Do. I log into www.xing.com at the same time and find his profile online. We agree to a follow-up conversation after the conference. And the first round finishes with me not really attending the sessions ;-) but still having great conversations.

In the first break, I post a question in the Bistro: How did everybody experience the first round? There are more people feeling a bit confused. However, I think confusion that is caused by the chaos of an OS conference is a very important prerequisite to take responsibility and share your passion through posting and hosting your own question and thus create order around your personal needs. I am already looking forward to discuss my question in round 3.

When round 2 starts, I intend to focus on only one question and get very engaged with the question: “How can we use OSonline to create learning in virtual communities of practice?” Why do I connect to this question? As you can see from my earlier post, I am generally interested in how I can support building communities of practice (www.ewenger.com) in my local environment. Pioneers of Change has discussed virtual possibilities of community-building lately pioneersofchange.net/communities/networkdialogue and I have had very insightful conversations through Skype circle conversations with Pioneers from across the world in the past months.

Round 3, I am hosting my question and the speed of ideas, typing and questions reaches the limit: “So, I am working for the international movement We Are What We Do: www.wearewhatwedo.org and I was wondering how can we use OSonline to “inspire people to use their everyday actions to change the world”?” I really engage in the conversation and forget to continue writing this blog entry…

I leave the conference after being 4 hours online, having had interesting and helpful conversations with total strangers from across the world who have become advisors and possibly mentors for me hosting a We Are What We Do OSonline in the near future.