Hi folks, There’s a local event that is very obviously using OST (law of two feet, brainstorm topics, etc) but doing it under their own brand name. I know it is Harrison’s wish not to make it proprietary and that it’s free for everyone to use, but something rubs me the wrong way about not at least an acknowledgement that you’ve borrowed someone else’s system? I was curious how folks have dealt with this / what your thoughts were? -- @@@ James Sheldon Graduate Student, Education: Equity and Social Justice, San Francisco State University Special Education Paraprofessional, San Francisco Unified School District @@@

Hi James, My initial thought is OST is no one’s system to borrow. However, it is strange that the local event makes no mention of the tradition informing it. Any sense why? Haven’t dealt with this myself. Perhaps engaging the organizer in a curious dialogue to find out their motivations and reasoning? Much love, Jake On Tue, Nov 8, 2022 at 4:34 PM James Sheldon via OSList <everyone@oslist.org> wrote: > Hi folks, > > There’s a local event that is very obviously using OST (law of two feet, > brainstorm topics, etc) but doing it under their own brand name. I know it > is Harrison’s wish not to make it proprietary and that it’s free for > everyone to use, but something rubs me the wrong way about not at least an > acknowledgement that you’ve borrowed someone else’s system? > > I was curious how folks have dealt with this / what your thoughts were? > -- > @@@ > James Sheldon > Graduate Student, Education: Equity and Social Justice, San Francisco > State University > Special Education Paraprofessional, San Francisco Unified School District > @@@ > _______________________________________________ > OSList mailing list -- everyone@oslist.org > To unsubscribe send an email to everyone-leave@oslist.org > -- ________________ When the mind is quiet, the sun of your heart will shine once again, and you will be free of problems. - Robert Adams <http://www.robert-adams.info/>

Dear James, ignore it, is my first reaction. If they use a term such as "brainstorm topics" they have already diluted the approach. Brainstormng is a wonderful activity but in an ost event "issues" is the name of the game. When I google open space or ost in the German language section I see an endless string of  all kinds of open space approaches that make no reference to the source, some do, however. Keep ignoring it, is my second reaction. Getting back to Harrison, here is what he says in the Preface to the Third Edition: "From the very beginning we all understood that Open Space Technology is free. Nobody owns it; it has never been patented or trademarked, nor will it ever be. But there is a cost and an expectation - that we will share what we are learning...". Lets focus on sharing what we are learning and nudge others to also chip in. Our OSLIST is one of those spaces where we can do that. And our gatherings at the WOSonOS, at regional and local OSonOS and Learning Exchanges and... Don't forget the Stammtisch gatherings, great places to share and eat and imbibe. Our next one in Berlin will be on January 9 (actually our Stammtisch is on the first Monday of every odd month... in this case, our regular space to gather is closed on January 2nd). Our last regular one this year was two days ago (old hands at this stuff such as Jo and Funda attended). So, if you are in town on January 9, 2023 simply show up at 7pm with open end right here > https://www.kreuzberger-weltlaterne.com/?lang=en And jot down October 18 through 21, 2023 for the WOSonOS in Berlin. I hear a preliminary invitation with more details is being worked on. I plan to be there and am bent on coming even if I have wound up in a wheelchair (back in 2002 I facilitated a three day ost event in a wheelchair with an Achilles tendon rupture. There I learned what it means to be at the same level with the participants looking straight into 54 pairs of eyes circling the circle: It was wonderful). Have a great day and share what you learned in the last os event you facilitated or hosted or attended ... one of the questions in this context used to be: Did you find one less thing to do? Greetings from Berlin mmp PS: You are invited to include yourself in the Open Space World Map so that I can look at your picture while I write this note and can also spot you when you turn up at the Stammtisch next January or at the WOSonOS next year and see where you live and have a look at your website... Simply click here to get started: > https://www.openspaceworldmap.org/inclusion Am 08.11.2022 um 22:32 schrieb James Sheldon via OSList: > Hi folks, > > There’s a local event that is very obviously using OST (law of two > feet, brainstorm topics, etc) but doing it under their own brand > name.  I know it is Harrison’s wish not to make it proprietary and > that it’s free for everyone to use, but something rubs me the wrong > way about not at least an acknowledgement that you’ve borrowed someone > else’s system? > > I was curious how folks have dealt with this / what your thoughts were? Michael M Pannwitz Draisweg 1, 12209 Berlin, Germany +49 30 7728000mmpannwitz@posteo.de See the Open Space World Map with 511 Open Space Workers living in 77 countries and active in 142 countries worldwide:www.openspaceworldmap.org And see books/ebooks and task cards on open space and other related treasures, most in German, some in English, some multilingual: https://www.westkreuz-verlag.de/de/Kommunikation