Au cours du dernier Forum Ouvert mondial sur le Forum Ouvert (Wosonos), qui s’est tenu les 11, 12, 13 et 14 octobre à Londres, j’ai proposé d’échanger sur : les limites du Forum Ouvert.
J’aimerais partager avec vous le compte rendu de ce groupe de discussion :
To explore the limits of Open Space, let’s start directly with one question : when does Open Space really not work ?
1. When the “client” is not truly honest in his intention
2. When the leaders know exactly what will be or should be the outcomes
3. When there are many internal conflicts
4. … ?If Open Space was a flow, what to do to keep the flow sustainable?
– Building genuine contact with the client (check the Genuine Contact Approach)
– Defining clear givens (budget, confidentiality, respect the purpose of the organization, values, vision, etc) and being fully aware of consequences
– Sending truth invitation with clear final intention (with verbs to express it) and introducing what the leaders will support and will not support after the Open Space
– Getting only the right people (don’t force people to come)
– Adapting the Open Space specific language/words to the culture of the company
– Thinking about the follow-up with the planning committee (with that mention in the invitation)In conclusion, I would like to share a personal insight I got afterwards from these thoughts about the limits of Open Space :
As Open Space is all about being in genuine contact with ourselves and others, I’ve realized how much the limits of Open Space are the limits I’ve built in myself. The limits in my mind, in my heart and in my behavior to avoid being fully responsible for who I am and who I can be. In fact, it’s all about accepting my unlimited potential. It seems obvious, but it’s good to remember it sometimes…
Good place to share this famous quote from Marianne Williamson :
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
Comme indiqué, la dernière partie de ce compte rendu est le fruit de réflexions personnelles postérieures au groupe de discussion.
Au-delà de partager ici le contenu de ce compte rendu, mon intention était aussi de montrer à quel point ce qui est vécu dans un Forum Ouvert peut avoir des effets à postériori bien plus profonds que ceux observés lors de son déroulé. Au fond, tout dépend de l’espace que chacun est prêt à créer en soi pour s’autoriser à être vraiment surpris.
Nous touchons là toute la profondeur à laquelle invite une démarche comme le Forum Ouvert.
Jean-Philippe Poupard
