Well, it’s nearly 12 months since Brian’s untimely death on 2^nd February 2010.

Andrew Rixon is hosting a celebratory yum cha in Melbourne on Wednesday 2^ndFebruary in memory of Brian. It will be at the Shark Finn House in Little Bourke Street starting at 11.30 am. If you are interested in having a casual lunch and a natter about open space and anything else that comes up contact Andrew 0400 352 809 andrew@babelfisgroup.com (PS Andrew is a yum cha afficionado, so you’ll have plenty of help in choosing what to eat!)

A bit about the Open Space Institute

While Brian WAS the Open Space Institute in Australasia, we’ve tried to keep it ticking over. We are me (Viv McWaters), Andrew Rixon and Brendan McKeague with moral support from Sascha Rixon and a few others. While other countries have created actual organisations, we still prefer the light approach. So the OSI exists as a mailing list and as this website (albeit a bit neglected)

Two-day Open Space Facilitator Co-Learning program with Brendan McKeague.

Brisbane: March 10 – 11 Perth: March 30 – 31, August 23 – 24, November 9 – 10

Please reply directly to Brendan McKeague 0429 448 090

mckeaguebrendan@gmail.com

Two-day training with Viv McWaters and Andrew Rixon

Melbourne: May 24 – 25

Please reply directly to Viv McWaters 0417 135 406

viv@mcwaters.com.au

or Andrew Rixon 0400 352 809

andrew@babelfisgroup.com

We are not inviting our clients to engage in risky behavior. Quite the opposite, we are opening a space in which they can really be themselves. And the real risk is to continue with the non-productive, guilt inducing, dependant behavior. – Harrison Owen

Anyone confronted with an Open Space meeting for the first time is often thrust in to what I call ‘open space shock’. We are so used to being told what to do, where to go, and when, that when faced with a self-organising system, we sometimes doubt our own ability to respond.

I see this in all sort of ways: people asking for guidance, grumbling about the ‘lack of organisation’ and fears that no-one would ever come to a meeting or conference where they are responsible for creating the agenda. There’s a fear that we all seem to carry that we’re not good enough – our thoughts, our ideas, our experiences – so we default to relying on others. Open Space puts us all right back in the centre.

One of the many reasons I continue to use open space and explore its effects on people and organisations, is because of the reactions of people and the changes that emerge once they are involved in open space. Experiences are often good, sometimes not – all are legitimate. Why is it that a process like open space can engender so many reactions?

Harrison Owen again – It is not about doing something new, or internalizing some new truth — but rather remembering what we already knew and doing what we should/could have been doing in the first place.

If you’d like to join us on the journey – and also learn the basics of facilitating open space – Andrew Rixon and I will be leading a two-day learning event in Melbourne on June 16 & 17. There’s more information here.

It’s also a tribute to our friend Brian Bainbridge.

It’s a gift to be lifted by friends that nourish –
my learning flourishes through tweets and sweets
and my moving feets – pick up seeds, move along –
appear and be gone.
Meeting here under the steeple with these
Aussie open space people, physical and virtual
loves to a world of practice, heralding
connection from here to Berlin,
A sterling group of boundary riders.
My wants and needs are satisfied, currency
sliding feeding affirmed.
A firm connection, inspired and tired
I’ve become a yellow bowl of mints
More sweetness stole on since meeting you all.
I feel gratitude, full, but clear of platitudes,
learned some new things, put down a few things, getting clear.
Noticing Brian isn’t here – but he was never here,
but always near. Somehow holding space so we can
hear each other speak –
witness the creack of my view stretching, hearing you
fetching treasures for the journey
learning while relaxing, without being taxing.
This a place where I can listen to people talk
Without wanting to choke them – no joke!
We disrupt without interrupting, feeling hungry and hyper.
Aware of erupting connection and coincidence
Came to be challenged, little coincidences
That conspire to bless us address our heart’s
all to be together.
I’ve made some good choices that have led me
to the crowd of voices.
I’m sad to be going home – aware of what’s missing
But not feeling dissed by those who never showed
for they allowed conversation to flow,
for us to put to paper what we know.
It’s funny to imagine what isn’t here,
But what’s deeply understood on the little phrase –
It’s all good.

Here are the topics that were posted. Reports will be linked as they become available.

And we send our good wishes to our colleagues gathering in Berlin, Germany for the 18th Annual World OSonOS.

• Open Space as a transformational space (Jim)
• Share an improv game (Johnnie)
• Inside out open space (Rob)
• Using open space to design and deliver better government community grants programs (eg Vic Govt climate communities programs) (Liz)
• Exploring online social networking opportunities for ‘grounded’ learning communities (Tricia)
• Check-in over a cuppa at the Bakery (Jess)
• How can we promote OST in the corporate world? (Erik)
• Open Space appreciative inquiry (and…?) (Sue)
• Using cultural intelligence to ride the boundaries achieving inclusiveness and a global mindset (Rhonda)
• Post open space meeting: what more can we do to encourage organisational culture change towards self-responsibility and self organisatioon (Erik)
• Reflections and connections – at those boundaries we ride (Sue)
• One less thing – what bits of OS can we leave out? (Johnnie)
• Space invaders – a hidden/latent asset? (John)
• Open space in the body – appreciating our physical self-organising abilities (Allison)
• Laughter group (Jim)
• Reconnecting people and systems using open space (Gayle)
• Being, or not being, your true self and how this impacts on your facilitation (Sina)
• Successful and sustainable action outcomes – back at work – keeping action/work groups going after the OST event è framework? (Max)
• Connecting with other open space and like-minded people using the internet (eg Twitter) (Sam)
• Learning the way… (Andrew)
• Cutting through the crap – gentle and effective ways for cutting through false boundaries to really open space (Chris)
• The ‘right’ client – initiating OST, roles and relationships (Max)
• Explore this (wave) metaphor (Geoff)
• Failing at open space (Allison)

Open Space is all about self organising, and the role of the facilitator is to open, and hold, the space – and to get out of the way. This is counter-intuitive. As facilitators we’re supposed to be helpful, right? In this case, being too helpful simply interferes.

This cartoon always reminds me that it’s not about me – it’s always about the participants, and if I’m too visible, I’m just not doing justice to the process, and the people.

Adelaide: Tues-Wed, July 14-15

Perth: Wed-Thurs, August 25-26

Sydney: Thurs-Fri, September 16-17 Brisbane: Mon-Tues, September 20-21

Perth: Tues-Wed, November 9-10

Please contact Brendan mckeague@iprimus.com.au for details.

Melbourne workshops will be offered by Viv McWaters and Andrew Rixon

Melbourne: Wed-Thurs, June 16-17 Please contact Viv McWaters for details: viv@mcwaters.com.au

Next week, on May 11, we will convene a Fringe World Open Space on Open Space just before the Official WOSonOS in Berlin, starting on May 12.

We’re excited to have about 40 people attending this event, and an opportunity to honour Fr Brian Bainbridge who, until his untimely death in February, WAS the OSI in Australia.