Open Space meetings can enable
the merging of organizations, units and cultures. Whether the merger is forced
or chosen, differences in culture and approach can impede effective and
spirited performance. When it is clear that the merger is going forward, Open
Space meetings foster letting-go of the past and together choosing the new
future.
Like all other interventions,
Open Space meetings work best when the context and expectations are clear
and the timing is right. They also work best when the participants are
given real freedom to take initiative or develop proposals with regard
to the task at hand. Developing clarity as to what can be influenced or decided
is a critical part of preparing for any Open Space. In a merger, it is
particularly important to state what is given and what is open for
consideration. Executives or managers can then choose to Open
the Space as part of a change management process, for example:
Because Open Space fosters
self-organization and initiative, it engages participants in choosing to
work together like no other approach. Events of up to 750 people, and more
linked with computers, can have a critical mass impact on the
organization. It can also be co
For example, when multiple units
of the Anglican Church of Canada were co
Open Space Meetings can speed
up the process of letting-go and embracing the new. Open Space also fosters
the learning required to both lead and flow with the new norm of
continuous change.