What a great question Birgitt! I think for me, it’s that entirely predictable and still satisfying discovery so many people make when, at some point, they say: "I thought I was the only one who felt that way." Discovering kindreds when someone thought they were alone always makes me smile. It is like watching community grow before my eyes. I’ve met many people over the years, who have told me they met someone during an OST gathering who is, years later, still a good friend. And, of course, it is that sort of connection that feeds the connective tissue noted in the Centola research. Contagion of relationships and ideas…that used to be what I hoped for. Now it is something I know will happen. Peggy P.S. Michael Wood captured well in an earlier message the importance of pre- and post-gathering work as essential to systems work. My take on what’s involved is in a piece I wrote a few years ago for the Organization Development Network: Emergent Design for Generative Change <https://peggyholman.substack.com/p/emergent-design-for-generative-change-78571485daaa>. > On Aug 12, 2026, at 12:54 PM, Michael Herman via OSList <everyone@oslist.org> wrote: > > i like those, birgitt. i'll add one. in a very unscientific analysis, it's seemed, to me, to make a difference. > > years ago, when michael jordan was playing for basketball championship repeats, he made a last second shot to win a big game. an interviewer asked him after the game, "during that last timeout, what were you thinking, knowing, i that last few seconds, the ball was going to be coming to you?" he just smiles and says, "you know, i was looking around at all the people in the arena, and all the cameras and thinking about all the people watching on tv... and was thinking... nobody knows what's going to happen. nobody knows. and i just thought that was really cute." so a few days later, i told that story as part of my opening, to make the point that nobody knows what is about to happen in this open space. seemed to make a difference, so mostly i always say something about "nobody knows." usually in the context of "as you look around the circle, old friends and maybe some old friends you haven't met yet... one of the things we know about everyone in the circle... they care about [the theme/question]... and nobody, not one of them, not even me... knows what is gonna happen, what we can do, what we can learn, what we can..." > > m > > -- > > Michael Herman > 312-280-7838 (mobile) > > MichaelHerman.com <http://michaelherman.com/> > OpenSpaceWorld.org <http://openspaceworld.org/> > > > > > On Wed, Aug 12, 2026 at 1:40 PM Birgitt Williams via OSList <everyone@oslist.org <mailto:everyone@oslist.org>> wrote: >> Dear friends and colleagues, >> the breath...I love when this is included by the facilitator as part of the opening. Taking the time to remind people of the importance of the breath and taking breaths together. Reminding people that within the experience of the OST people will have the experience that feels somewhat like the breath...in some moments it feels like breathing in, sometimes like breathing out. >> >> wisdom is in every one. I love it when the facilitator reminds the participants to pay attention to the wisdom that shows up in the meeting and that this wisdom comes from everyone in the circle. I find it really sacred to be given the opportunity to look around at each person in the circle recognizing, silently, that there is wisdom in that person that I just might benefit from in the meeting. Looking at everyone in the circle is a little harder to achieve in OST online, yet in gallery view on zoom, given the space and time by the facilitator, it is possible to look at each person with the intention of recognizing that person as a wise person. >> >> Both of these aspects provide the opportunity to pause. Pausing before doing has immense value. I find this affects the quality of the experience in the OST. >> >> What aspects of OST do you particularly love? >> >> Warmly, >> Birgitt >> >> >> Birgitt Williams (she/her) >> Senior Consultant >> Dalar International Consultancy >> >> Life Nourishing Leadership >> +1 919 522 7750 · call, text, or WhatsApp >> LinkedIn <https://www.linkedin.com/in/birgittwilliams/> >> My working hours may differ from yours – please reply when the time is right for you. >> >> >> <https://www.dalarinternational.com/> Explore upcoming workshops <https://www.dalarinternational.com/learn/> OSList mailing list -- everyone@oslist.org <mailto:everyone@oslist.org> >> To unsubscribe send an email to everyone-leave@oslist.org <mailto:everyone-leave@oslist.org> >> See the archives here: https://oslist.org/empathy/list/everyone.oslist.org > OSList mailing list -- everyone@oslist.org > To unsubscribe send an email to everyone-leave@oslist.org > See the archives here: https://oslist.org/empathy/list/everyone.oslist.org