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These are the proceedings from meetings of the Open Space Institute.
  • Title: July 2022 Board Meeting Minutes
    Meeting Date: 22 Jul 2022

    July 19, 2022

    Attendees: Karen J. Davis, Harold Shinsato, Rijon Erickson, April Jefferson
    Guest: Susan Liao

    Moment of silence and checkins at 6:05pm edt. Checkin themes: The Fourth Turning, Neil Howe, Canada and Music Festival there, opening space virtually, Chasing the Gig, Pausing and Magic.

    Harold volunteered for note taking, Rijon for "bin gardening" facilitation.

    Sponsoring Re-imagining Unconference

    It is online and on qiqochat. It is happening on 8/18/2022, and inspired by a conversation and experiment at the Future of Work 24 Hours last year with April's support. https://reimaginingunconference.com. Was originally titled Startups for All. Trying to organize it as open space, anyone can join at any time. There are five organizers now, and only Susan has open space experience. It is about bringing together connected communities that may not know each other, "People, Power, and Possibility of Work". It is a hybrid. The opening will be a panel and lightening chats, holding space for voices you don't typically see in headlines. The core open space is 9:30am-12:30pm pacific. They have an honorariums bento box, for speakers and co-creators. Community sponsorships start at $100. Harold moved we send $250 and everyone agreed. Susan will send Harold a media package for promotion and advertising on the OSList, Facebook, LinkedIn and our website.

    They need visual, tech scribes, and sign language interpreters.

    April was invited to help with a hybrid experience at a company, and she was able to help the hybrid event be successful. Two facilitators online, and two in person. Greeting and logistics. Technology wise, they had rooms. If you were in a room in person, you shared an audio connection and everyone got on video individually. But if someone wanted to be by themselves they could join separately in the company building. The people online was no different. They had hybrid agreements - how to engage - being mindful sharing the space both online and in person. Not able do the qiqochat of unlimited session because rooms needed time blocks since they were shared. And having breaks inbetween sessions. Each room had a different capacity size. Interest was polled to help choose the best rooms to match the interest (using a miroboard). The shared audio? Old school. Poly com's with multiple speakers so everyone could hear. They used one Zoom instance - one breakout per physical room.

    New Board Members

    We welcomed Rijon Erickson onto the board today. Susan Liao is attending her second board meeting with this meeting, and we plan to welcome her onto the board next month. Harold mentioned five is a good number for the board, but the most stable might be seven, though it might be best to let us get used to five for a few months. But please be on the look out for new board members. Susan mentioned there might be interest from the Reimagining Unconference.

    Videos for Youtube

    April wants to hold a conversation, invite folks to converse about online about the theme of facilitating hybrid open space. Harold will send out an invitation.

    Sponsoring Grieving and Thriving

    How do we make space for grief in the workplace? August 20. We agreed to be a media sponsor.

    Peace and High Performance 2023

    International House has reserved 1/13-15/2023. It will cost more than it has in the past, a bit over ten thousand. We're not likely to see the price to ever go down. We hope to hold Peace & HIgh Performance at least one more time at International House. We need to rely on personal invitations. They have totally remodeled the Hall of History. We won't complete a contract until the fall.

    Should this 2023 be held up as a special event? What about Hybrid? It might be nice having a second event that is online in addition to this in person event. It seems to be an event to celebrate.

    We could have a pre-day?

    Inviting the Future of Work Onto the OSI-US

    They voted to create their own non-profit.

    Women in Agile 2022

    They will have an event December 1-3 in a private compound. They can actually stay there. In Florida. An Open Space Retreat. Alone and together. Harold said he'd love to sponsor.

    Next Meeting

    August 16, 2022 6-7:30pm edt

    Checkouts 7:34 pm edt

     

     

  • Title: June 2022 Board Meeting Minutes
    Meeting Date: 21 Jun 2022

    OSI-US Board Minutes June 21, 2022

    Present: Karen J. Davis, April Jefferson, Harold Shinsato
    Guests: Rijon Erickson, Susan Liao

    Began with minute of silence and checkins.

    Checkin Themes: OSList migration, Barcelona ODNetwork, Bilbao WOSonOS, Hybrid Open Space, Great resignation and layoffs, Comfort with discomfort, Good Health News, Changing world, Bringing open space to places it's foreign to is exciting, hybrid and liberatory spaces, needed guidance and structure, allowing for grief and joy, celebrating the small.

    Future of Work 24 Hours joining OSI-US

    April and Susan are both part of the Future of Work 24 Hours. No progress so far.

    New Board Members

    We have two new prospective board members. Rijon and Susan. We ask that new board members attend three meetings before they are welcomed onto the board. There is a board member onboarding document on the website.

    April says we're not really selecting. If they show up, do something simple. The onboarding, feel free to contact anyone of us about anything. It's not just at meetings. We don't really have officer positions.

    OSList Update

    It's going well.

    Peace & High Performance 2023

    Opening Space for Peace & High Performance: it's been a quarter of a century around the MLK weekend at International House (Columbia) in Manhattan. It's a theme as well as training oriented Open Space to give people a chance to practice elements of facilitation. We have been virtual the last two years. This coming year Karen is still negotiating the finances for a live OST again. Assuming that the pandemic doesn't interfere again. They've been doing renovation and prices are going up. Last info they would be charging separately for the Home room and the Hallway of History. That's a significant change. Still waiting for the VP to get back to her, but she said we can't afford that. 1800 a day before. Now it would be more than twice that. Haven't heard back from him. We want to do at least one more time if it's not that much more. Our registration fee has suggested prices, though we generally allow people to pay what they can after a conversation with Karen. We depend a lot for the higher contributions. We've been positive the last five or six years, but we have lost money in the past.

    Karen: usually November is when the invites go out. We discussed options if International House is not practical. Hybrid might be possible. April says we need more than a good wifi connection. On camera agreements. And we need a shared audio connection in the physical room.

    Susan offered another lens: who are we inviting into the space? Location based. Exploring possibilities, extending the dialog. Real hybrid might need a good AV system in each breakout space as well as the main room.

    Harrison will be virtually present, and still be a host, but not do a presentation.

    Mission & Vision

    Holding Space for Open Space to become opening space for open space?

    Next Meeting

    Tuesday July 19, 2022 - 6-7:30pm edt

    Checkouts at 7:30pm

     

  • Title: May 2022 Board Meeting Minutes
    Meeting Date: 24 May 2022

    OSI-US Board Meeting May 24, 2022

    Present: Harold Shinsato, Karen J. Davis, April Jefferson
    Guest: Rijon Erickson

    We began with a moment of silence at 6pm edt and checkins.

    Future of Work 24 Hours Report

    What is possible if OST principles are true? Started earlier, more even participation through the different circles, less U.S. and English centric. More communities were present through opening up the invitation. The proceedings, something new, all volunteer led. Experiment with sense making, is there something that bubbles up with that? Some conversations have lived over a year and are still living.

    The event is not managed by a non-profit, so there is risk of individuals facing audits. The energy of volunteers is very strong and has created a community of communities. It would very much help to have board members from their organization. We should explore it more, and make it an agenda item for the next time. Or maybe they should start their own non-profit. There are other non-profits that will do this work.

    New Board Members - Rijon Erickson

    Rijon is considering joining the board. This was his first visit of three visits as a guest before he can be admitted by our current on boarding process for new board members.

    Exploring potential for conflict and diversity, while the world is in the crunching out of spirit that Rijon experienced in Agile. And with Rijon's background as a jazz musician, it's life, it's true analog, it's improvisation. Stand up for love and life, the heart and the spirit that gets forgotten. He comes from the Grieving and Thriving event series which Harold and Rijon have been supporting. Grieving and Thriving might come to the OSI-US as a sponsoring home. Rijon brings some of the spirit from that online open space event that came out of 2022 Peace and High Performance.

    "Thank you for being you," would that could be said in every container.

    We are a broad community across many cultures and locations around the world.

    Work on some poetry about this theme, to offer it. In the squeezing there is a release that needs to happen, and an allowing. There is a unity around the world that needs to be received.

    Rijon went to college to study jazz and his main instrument is the bass guitar. Ron Carter luminary jazz bass guitarist.

    OSList Update

    The OSList used to have a poet laureate. It hasn't really been a living practice for maybe ten years.

    Agile and Open Space

    Harold reported how April Jefferson's work with Agile Open Northwest has been legendary with how she helped new voices.

    Peace and High Performance 2023

    About 25 years we've been gathering annually at International House which houses students around the world attending Columbia University in NYC. Harrison Owen was involved early, and the last several years virtually. He was available this year just briefly. It has brought people from around the world in person, and virtual. April and Myrianne Ouellette did a fantastic job doing it virtually. We want to do at least one more at International House regardless of the pricing. The price has not gone up that much. We are paying for both the main room and the hall of history. It will be separate pricing. The cost has been about $9k, people pay what they can but suggested pricing. We've had surplus the last several years. The OSI-US was involved when we started accepting financial registrations and has been more involved in the planning and organizing. IH is holding the place January 13-15, Friday-Saturday. Karen is working on the contract. Part of the expenses have included a continental breakfast and a lunch voucher. One of the biggest open spaces there was with Harrison Owen after 9/11.

    Next Meeting Tuesday June 21, 2022

    Rijon might be late.

    Checkouts 7:30pm

     

  • Title: April 2022 Board Meeting Minutes
    Meeting Date: 19 Apr 2022

    OSI-US Board Meeting April 19, 2022

    Present: Karen J. Davis, April Jefferson, and Harold Shinsato.

    Started with a moment of silence and checkins 6:10pm edt. Checkin comment: The work is not done, and Open Space has made such a difference was reflected in the check-ins.

    Peace and High Performance 2022 & 2023

    Sending PDF for the Peace & High Performance 2022 proceedings - first to the participants - then get an update. April will send a message to Myriane to get it exported to a PDF.

    For the future, Karen had a good conversation with Maxine at the International House. She was in and out of the open spaces. She's been at I-House for 27 years and spent the last few weeks orienting the next president. I-House is in a lot of refurbishing which includes the Hall of History outside the Home room which we've used for years. Renamed to Kurcaeu (sp). The only thing up in the air is that they will have guest rooms again, hopefully before January 2023. It will be the same food service. A new AV person. Victor is the VP of facilities which will be our liaison in the future. Victor will know the rates for next year, which will be increased. Clarabell was on her way going into Mexico, and helped on the financial side. We never paid for AV in the past. They know the dates, January 13-15, 2023 if we keep our usual dates. Noticed in older minutes, the in-person Open Space being in October. We need to be clear about it.

    It would be great if we could do something in person and online.

    Karen wanted to get materials to Maxine to pass on to Victor. Maxine was impressed with how long we've been there. Get the cover sheet of the virtual experience. Fall and September are very heavy months for people going places. Exactly the same time that things are going on in Bilbao, the International OD will be meeting in Barcelona. Make it so people could go to both. The policy of annual negotiation is unlikely to change since International House prioritizes their own use of their facilties, so we don't get confirmation until the summer before.

    We recorded a description and demo of the QiqoChat online space for Peace and High Performance.

    AONW 2022

    April particpated as a producer for Agile Open Northwest 2022 which we sponsored. Harold and Charlie Colpitts represented the OSI-US and Harold delivered the 1 minute sponsor description. The event was very powerful and very well attended (over 200 people). Harold felt it was well worth the sponsorship investment.

    Future of Work 24 Hours

    We are sponsoring the next Future of Work 24 Hours coming in May that April Jefferson founded. April is sharing how they bring about more language inclusion to say how every language be the right language. A live translation with Microsoft Language Translator, so people can dialog back and forth. Doing a lot of global open spaces speaking in different languages. Keep pursuing the principles and law even further and growing it.

    We have done some promotion as the OSI-US, and we will do more.

    Do a 20 minute live conversation talk to help promote the Future of Work 24 Hours.

    New Board Members

    Susan Liao is quite busy according to her calendar. Susan is in Portland. Karen will reach out. We will consider inviting interest in board membership at the Future of Work 24 Hours. Harold will also mention this need in the proceedings announcment to Peace & High Performance.

    Next Meeting

    Tuesday May 24, 2022. 6-7:30pm would be better for Karen, so we will reserve that date unless we get notice from Karen.

    Check outs 7:30pm

     

  • Title: March 2022 Board Meeting Minutes
    Meeting Date: 15 Mar 2022

    OSI-US March 15, 2022

    Present: Karen J. Davis, Myriane Ouellette, April Jefferson, Harold Shinsato

    Began with a moment of silence and checkins. Checkin themes: the teal community something to look at, OSI-US has a lot of the characteristics of Teal.The Teal around the World conference was excellent.

    Myriane stepping back

    Myriane is stepping back from the board. Using her two feet to concentrate on the new part of her career. Wanted to assure us that the conferences and speaking and the book is very much linked to Open Space. Efforts need to be concentrated there. Super hard.

    She’s not saying good-bye, but moving forward into her commitment to Open Space. Make open space and opening space accessible to everyone. Practice every day, circle work. Speaking and writing a book.

    Transforming the way education is happening in New Brunswick. Running their meetings in open space, and taking it out to the class room.

    So much power in open space, opening space constantly. Platforms are different. The impact is wider than the interventions that we are doing.

    New Board Members

    Line Mørkbak declined joining the board, very busy.

    Opening Space

    We can support opening space through other avenues: open sessions, podcasts, and more. What does the community need? It would be helpful to talk about elephants in the room. Opening space for the elephant in the room (or in Canada, the moose in the room.)

    Sponsorships

    Open space OSList - evolution what is open space? It took a number of years before it was even referred to as self-organizing. Maybe we should move from "holding space" for open space to just "opening space" for open space.

    Karen - it's like we as a community have matured from teen agers and adults, we’re at another point. It’s about stewarding the practice. Get back to that kind of energy. Maybe set up one of those gatherings - we can’t wait for Spain WOSonOS in September.

    Inviting stewards of open space - carying on this practice and sharing it. Lots of training. It’s about building capacity. How might we as an organization take more of a position of steward. Instead of holding it in.

    Next Meeting

    April 19, 2022.

  • Title: February 2022 Board Meeting Minutes
    Meeting Date: 15 Feb 2022

    In attendance: Karen J. Davis, Harold Shinsato, & April Jefferson. Started at 6pm est.

    We decided that Line Morkback can attend in March and April to qualify for board membership.

    We decided to sponsor $500 for the May Future of Work.

    We discussed how to allocate funds raised from Flourishing Futures last year. We'll continue the conversation next month.

    We will continue discussing having an in person and online event. What would a fall in person OST look like? Where?

    We will send $500 for WOSonOS 2022 in Spain in September.

    We went over the final finances for Peace and High Performance. Almost $1.3k net. Not a lot of feedback for Peace & High Performance on our feedback page. There were folks needing support but not a lot showing up for facilitating online.

    One of the goals for Peace & High Performance the last few years has been supporting the online QiqoChat.

    Quick checkout ending at 7pm est.

  • Title: Annual Member Meetup for 2022 Notes
    Meeting Date: 15 Jan 2022

    Annual Member Meeting 2022 for the OSI-US

    In attendance: Harold Shinsato, Line Morkbak, Karen J. Davis, Myriane Ouellette, Tom Brown, April Jefferson, Susan Liao, Barry Owen, Charlie Colpitts

    This was also our montly board meeting for January 2022. We met on Zoom as usual, but from within the Opening Space for Peace and High Performance QiqoChat platform.

    Minutes of Silence and Check-ins at 3:30pm EST

    Harold was the note taker. We did not have a single facilitator. It was held in the spirit of an open space breakout session. These notes are not very complete. As a general description, there was great energy for understanding the Open Space Institute - U.S., our process for meetings, as well as the vision and needs of the Open Space community, with questions as well as ideas from beyond the board.

    Lots of questions. We were going all over the map.

    • How we brand ourselves.
    • How we turn the new mission work into clear and compelling text to share.
    • We're looking for new blood on the board.
    • Our mission is holding space for open space.
    • Supporting research.
    • Find a grad student - Harrison did something with a shoe company.
    • A survey of open space practitioners.
    • Open Space spreading - to anchoring it in the experience of great open spaces.
    • People being in open spaces that aren't real open space.

    Notes on Accessibility:

    • Initial question - why open space?
    • Future of Work portal
    • Tensions in the typical work environment
    • More ways in which power is distributed

    Susan mentioned her plan for an open space with Startups for All - Public Education for social entrepreneurship. What is the ecosystem that helps people thrive? What opportunities?

    Line Morback shared her view that it's about persistence. Establishing a world view. It contains and molds your experience. You look at things a certain way. Don't think we should be targeting facilitators and leaders. We should be looking at people at helping people.

    The board members present approved sponsoring and supporting the next Future of Work 24 Hours that April is leading as well as the even that Susan Liao for social entrepreneurship later in 2022.

     

  • Title: December 2021 Board Meeting Minutes
    Meeting Date: 14 Dec 2021

    OSI-US Board Meeting December 14, 2021

    In attendance: Karen J. Davis, Harold Shinsato and April Jefferson

    Minute of silence and checkins at 6pm EST

    Peace & High Performance

    Suzanne Daigle has shifted her priorities and won't help with the invitation process of the event. The energy there is significant. Harrison was still open to be a host, but he won't do a morning reflection but he would be present to be available to people. The current invitation text created will need refinement. April wondered if we can we reduce it to a single day or two day. Karen doesn't think it's the days that makes a difference. The purpose is to learn more about facilitation and become more comfortable with it. A chance to practice. Morning announcements, evening news. April can hold on the producer role to host of facilitation. Suzanne helped with invitations and proceedings. The proceedings can be quite simple and get a PDF of the proceedings if we use a tool like Miro. April can show up in the producer role.

    We can include training in the online hosting open space as part of the invitation. Harold suggested it would be useful to headline April because of her leadership role in hosting online open spaces. We can also do pair facilitation. April does that as well.

    We decided to continue with a three day event and add the producer role as part of the Open Space training aspect. The times being 11am-3pm EST.

    Suzanne had taken the lead on marketing so we will need to pick up her marketing role. April recommends LinkedIn for professionals. We have multiple ways. Some of the marketing has already been done.

    AONW Sponsorship

    The OSI-US has sponsored the Agile Alliance recognized Agile Open Northwest event in the past. It is one of the most important Open Space events for the Agile community. The board approved sponsorship at the $500 level.

    State of Washington Non-Profit Law Changes

    Peggy Holman, who started the OSI-US, brought to our attention significant changes to the laws for non-profits in the State of Washington where we are incorporated. This will require study and attention.
     

  • Title: November 2021 Board Meeting Minutes
    Meeting Date: 16 Nov 2021

    OSI-US Board Meeting November 16, 2021

    In attendance: Harold Shinsato, Karen J. Davis, April Jefferson

    Annual Membership Meeting

    We could have a session as a room in Peace and High Performance for members as our official one to reset it to the beginning rather than the end of the year. Make membership a value and do that at Peace & High Performance. April moved that we do that. Harold seconded. We approved unanimously.

    Peace & High Performance

    We've agreed not to use Eventbrite and we'll continue to use QiqoChat connected to our website (civicrm). The time zones need to get worked out. Having two openings each day. January 14,15, & 16. EST 10-3, and another circle. The Asia opening will probably happen earlier. Harold will copy the current invitation text into the website. Much work has been put into the invitation between Karen, April and Suzanne Daigle.

    Next Meeting December 14, 2021 6-7:30pm EST.

    It will be both our final board meeting of the year and the Annual Membership Meeting.

  • Title: October 2021 Board Meeting Minutes
    Meeting Date: 19 Oct 2021

    OSI-US Board Meeting October 19, 2021

    In attendance Karen J. Davis, Harold Shinsato, April Jefferson, Myriane Ouellette

    Minute of silence and then check-ins.

    Women In Agile Sponsorship

    The Women in Agile online in QiqoChat was a beautiful space. It was wonderful seeing OST community from OSList popped in supporting people. The first circle was global. All facilitators were new. April felt honored to have them. She is planning the Future of Work, 24 hour open space. Excited for a new iteration which will be the third year and giving facilitation opportunities to other people. She is walking in the vision where others are owning it.

    Our sponsorship wasn't a financial sponsorship. It was a media sponsorship. Our community showed up and it was nice. Attendees appreciated that. It helped support them. Other communities showed up. 149 registered. Beatuiful space (nice art work). A global team supporting it. Learned how to create a store as a fund raiser. Learned a lot about how to make QiqoChat look beautiful. April has made a lot of spaces and this is her favorite. They had a graphic recorder live in the spaces attended.

    We are excited by the Agile Open initiatives for the Agile Alliance.

    Peace and High Performance

    Some are working with Karen on next year's Opening Space for Peace and High Performance.  There is excitement.

    WonderMe and StormBoard was used last year for the online QiqoChat Peace and High Performance (PHP). We might consider Miro. The subscription is reasonable, something like $20 a month. Miro doesn't work for screen readers. Padlet does allow screen readers. When people register we can ask about that. Karen and April will speak more after this meeting. Karen believes it will make a big difference. One of the biggest things she learned, How can we keep meeting? We can improve upon the circle to share it with our community during the event so it's not just staying there stagnant. We can share it with people there to have a more engaging community. We can use QiqoChat to realize the vision we had in our mission and vision work. We can talk to Lucas to have an OSList integration.

    Karen had hoped to get the dates fixed on the calendar but it's not done yet. When we create the date and the length of time, that is all we need.

    Look for people in our community for graphic recording. Like with Flourishing Futures, people in the community want to help out. Just because you could do it, doesn't mean you should. Always we want to put a call out to get help to put this on. Suzanne Daigle set up the four of us to set up roles. (Karen, April, Suzanne, Myriane). January 14-16, 2022 will be the dates. Would be helpful to have the start and end times since this is an online event. Karen isn't sure what role that Harrison will be willing to take for a morning talk or something.

    New Board Members

    A new candidate was discussed.

    Next meeting Tuesday November 16, 2021. 6-7:30pm EST

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