Resources

Wicked article on Greed and Scarcity from Yes Magazine. By Bernard Lietaer. Hard not to be interested in an article on "biggest issues" humanity faces with the doorway of economic systems.

Excellent paper from Toke Moeller and Interchange on applications of the Art of Hosting
Other excellent resources from Interchange

Open Space Technology -- Articles and Videos

Life on an AoH Host Team -- A helpful description by Teresa Posakony on what it is like to be on a hosting team. Includes some on structure / flow, how to participate, teaching / learning, and working with participant hosting teams.

Guidelines for Calling an Art of Hosting -- A few simple steps and rough timelines for people considering calling an AoH.

Arts

Proletariat Theatre -- I met Rob Luckau, Company Director, through the Salt Lake Center for Engaging Community. I loved his commitment to building community, theatre being one medium for doing such.

"It is the mission of Proletariat Theatre to provide substantial theatre opportunity, education and experience to people of all communities and socioeconomic backgrounds. We will provide and support quality theatre education and experiences in a helping, learning environment. We value the talent in all individuals and their willingness to learn. We are committed to the development of the artist, actor, writer, techie and director in everyone."


Articles

The Work of Leadership (Ronald A. Heifetz, Donald L. Laurie) -- I love the subtitle: "Leaders do not need to know all the answers. They do need to ask the right questions." I also like the way this article describes complex problems, "adaptive challenges." These are not challenges to do more of the same. They are challenges "when our deeply held beliefs are challenged, when the values that made us successful become less relevant..." It also speaks to me to the need to address change from the level of identity. Less from "technical job description." More from "adaptive learning innovators."

The Art of Powerful Questions (Eric E. Vogt, Juanita Brown, David Isaacs)

Invitations -- For several Art of Hosting Trainings

Tips for Hosting Large Open Space Meetings

Video

Conversation as a Radical Act -- Juanita Brown

The Global Mindshift -- I like the conciseness of description on the requirement for connection, for global community to be in global challenges.

Harvesting (Chris Corrigan, 3 minutes) -- From Tampa Bay Art of Hosting, that Chris and I co-hosted with others in May 2008.

Resources for Educators

September 25, 2008

Thanks to Helen Santiago, whom I just met in New York City at an event convened by the Department of Education. Helen is with The College Board Leadership Institute for Principals. She is also Executive Director of New Small Schools, which helps increase students' college readiness. She works with World Cafe and Open Space Technology. Our conversation included focus on how to use organic process and harvest for traditional audiences.

Helen was one of many great people at this event. Here's a bit on The College Board: This national leadership institute is designed to build the capacity of school leaders to develop and sustain their own practice and help them develop rigorous and nurturing school environments.

Here's the report she shared with me.

Wave Rider -- Book by Harrison Owen

September 2, 2008

Below is an email that came out through the OS listserve. It announces Harrison Owen's new book, Wave Rider, published by BK. I'm posting it here because I love the clarity of description on experiment. When I think of what OS is, and how I describe it to others, this little post is exceptionally good. I like the focus on self-organization with OS as one of the ways to work with the reality of self-organization.

"On September 12, 2008, Berrett-Koehler will
publish my new book, Wave Rider: Leadership for High Performance in a Self
Organizing World. As I explained to my publisher, Steve Piersanti, this is the
book I have been waiting to write because it represents my final report on my
participation in a grand natural experiment.

The experiment, of
course, is that ridiculously simple way to elegant gatherings, Open Space
Technology. As you may know, the creation of OST was not a labor intensive
activity. In fact it appeared in my mind on the strength of two martinis in the
time it took to drink them. That was 23 years ago, and in the intervening period
millions of people from 134 countries have discovered that if you will sit in a
circle, create a bulletin board, open a market place, and go to work -- some
fairly incredible things are likely to happen. Massively complex issues can be
dealt with in amazingly short periods of time. Intense conflict can find useful
paths of resolution. And it seems to happen all by itself. There are even
recorded cases where the sole facilitator took a nap!

I have no way
of knowing what all these people thought about their experience, but I found it
profoundly mystifying. How could something so simple do so much? Considered
against the dominant theory and practice of organization and meetings, such
things not only could not happen, they should not happen. But it did and it
does.

Over time it occurred to me that the magic was not Open Space
Technology, but something infinitely more powerful and profound: the elemental
force of Self Organization. For whatever reason, I have had a lifetime
fascination with the great cosmic dance of chaos and order. My 1965 thesis could
have born the title, “Chaos, Order, and the Creative Process,” for that was the
central theme. As the evolving science of chaos and complexity matured I found
myself mesmerized by the elegant insights of the physicists, chemists and
biologists who were pushing that frontier – particularly when they identified
the phenomenon of self organization as a critical player. It all seemed so
counterintuitive -- and disturbingly compelling when it occurred to me that
something of the same sort could be happening every time we sat in a circle and
created a bulletin board. But they were doing High Science, and we just
convening meetings. And that is where that funny thing called OST became a
natural experiment for me.

The question was: If the primal force of
self organization lay at the heart of the Open Space experience could we learn
to leverage it for our benefit and align our endeavors with its massive power? I
think the answer is yes, not just as a theoretical possibility but in very
practical ways which might enhance our performance and expand our possibilities
in this turbulent, confusing and wonderful world. In a word, we might learn to
surf the waves of primal power to become Wave Riders.

The book
comes in two parts. The first states the case, and Part II makes the
application. If your predilection is theoretical start at the beginning and read
forward. On the other hand, if your preference is practical, skip Part I and
head straight for Part II: The Wave Rider’s Guide. I make no pretence that this
is the “final word” -- indeed I hope it is but a beginning. But it will get you
started, and the rest is up to you."

Graphic Recorder Resources

To add to the choice of harvests...

Nancy Margulies
http://www.nancymargulies.com/
I met Nancy in the early 90s, working together at Berkana Institute dialogues. She is a brilliant thinker and artist. Nancy is pioneering remote recording in forms of videos, live tablet drawings, and others. I love her work, and in this remote sense, commitment to lowering carbon footprint. Nancy also has great books and resources to strengthen the graphic recorder in all of us.

Frankie James
http://www.frankejames.com/debate/?p=109
Nancy Margulies told me to check Frankie James, in particular her visual essays. Nice harvest options here.

The World Café
www.theworldcafe.com
Includes a resource directory for visual recorders.

International Visual Practitioners Forum
www.ifvp.org
Really easy interface to find graphic recorders.

Julie Stuart
www.makingideasvisible.com
Georgia
Julie and I are with a team hosting and harvesting a one-day retreat, including a world café, for the Greater Miami Jewish Federation

Nancy White
www.fullcirc.com
Washington
Nancy and I were with a team hosting and harvesting conversation spaces at the Pegasus Systems Thinking in Action Conference, November 2007

Steven Wright
http://www.wrightmarks.com/
Washington
I haven’t met Steven in person, but know of him through Chris Corrigan.

Janine Underhill
www.idea-360.com
Colorado
Haven’t met in person, but was happy to know of her out in the west.

Martha McGinnis
http://www.marthamcginnis.com/
Georgia
I haven’t met Martha but became aware of her through IVPF.

Stephanie Crowley
Chrysalis Studios
Texas
Have a look at her 2 minute video, time lapsed to see a great version of what can happen.

Articles

- Swarm Theory
Peter Miller
National Geographic, July 2007

- The Biology of Business: Love Expands Intelligence
Humberto Maturana and Pille Bunnell
Reflections (Society for Organizational Learning), Volume 1, Number 2

- Cafe to Go
The World Cafe Community

For My Children

August 1, 2008

OK, so this is a short piece about being a dad. I am dad to 13 year-old Zoe, 11 year-old Isaac, and 3 year-old Elijah. Particularly when I think of Zoe and Isaac, I feel this desire to welcome a social awareness and activism in them. I have a desire to share resources with them -- websites, emails, cartoons, movies, groups, websites, people -- and then just be in conversation with them. Active, curious, learning, loving conversation. Playful. Serious. Real. Not all are full hits. And on some I am not sure.

But here are a few tidbits that come my way, starting now. My criteria for including them here is the simple reaction that I have in seeing them myself that makes me say, I'd really like Zoe, or Isaac, or Elijah to see this. My dad identity is very strong. My colearning indentity with these old souls that I sometimes refer to as my children is very strong. I put there here because this learning has some spirit that is everything to do with any professional work that I do.

Happy People Dancing on Planet Earth (Movie -- 4 minutes)

Forwarded from Caitlin Frost -- "I found this video so moving as a reminder of the human goodness and joy all around the world. I nice reminder when there is so much international doom and gloom in the news. It is a fun watch for kids also. Enjoy.

ReGeneration (Movie) -- Trailer
The feature-length documentary ReGeneration goes beyond the labels of "Generation X" and "Generation Y." ReGeneration looks at the many issues facing our culture through the eyes of today’s youth and young adults by exploring how we have been shaped by our media, education system, and parenting.

Christian the Lion (1 minute)
Reunion of a pet lion in the wild with two people that raised him. Thanks Bud Holland.

World Peace Day (Movie) -- Trailer (2 minutes)
An inspiring website and video about World Peace Day - 21 September 2008. Thanks Jennifer Jones.

Adam Bender -- Baseball Player (2 minutes)
Adam Bender, 8, is one of several kids who plays catcher in Southeastern’s rookie league at Veterans Park. What makes Adam stand out is that he plays one of the toughest positions on the field with only one leg. Thanks Larry Lires.

The Girl Effect -- Several Videos and Materials
"A simple, clear expression of how women and girls are changing their communities. I found this very powerful. The video is also be used by CARE on their website." Thanks Meg Wheatley

You Are Worth The Time (7 Minutes)
I love the message in this about art, our expressions or art, our process on creating, being as important as air to breath. And I like how many of my colleagues and I are describing ourselves as process artists. Thanks Harold Aldrich, cohost in Florida.

Did You Know (5 Minutes)
A video on the staggering rate of information change and availability. Thanks Jerry Nagel.

World Cafe Resources

March 12, 2008

The World Cafe: Social Innovation in Action
An Overview and Invitation
Tom Hurley

World Cafe Website
- Hosting Guides

The World Cafe: Living Knowledge Through Conversations that Matter
Juanita Brown, David Isaacs, The WC Community

Conversation as a Core Business Process
Juanita Brown, David Isaacs

Circle Resources

PeerSpirit -- www.peerspirit.com -- I have learned from and with many great circle practitioners. Christina Baldwin and Ann Linnea were my first, where I first saw the difference between facilitating and holding space. They are masterful.

Basic Guidelines to Calling a Circle

Open Space Technology -- Resources

Introduction to Open Space: A paper that Jon Swanson wrote for the Journal of Aboriginal Management called "A Model For Aboriginal Facilitation."

Action Planning Resources
Chris Corrigan compiled three useful approaches to facilitating action planning in Open Space. The first is his own version of moving to action, the second is Diana Larsen's approach to prioritizing ideas by impact and energy and the third approach is Jack Martin Leith's approach to project planning, which he blogged here. The three are in an easy to download .pdf. Enoy.

A couple of video resources from OS Practitioner, Esther Matte.
Watch an Open Space event in a 30-seconds time-lapse video
Short film on Open Space (3 min 34 sec)

"Whatever happens is the only thing that could have happened" -- what does this mean? A question from Ashley Cooper. Reflections, hosted by Chris Corrigan, from participants at the July 2008 open space on open space. http://chriscorrigan.com/parkinglot/Whateverhappens.mp3

Chris Corrigan