In my continuing ambition to remove the barriers to great conversations, I would like to offer my services to three(3) gatherings/conferences/unconferences or other congregations of people who want to meet and explore horizons undiscovered or seek solutions to difficult questions.
This offer is only open for 2011 (there may be another one in 2012).
The events may be in the Agile space (yes! that includes Lean and Kanban too) or in something completely unrelated to Computing.
Who Am I?
I’m Mike and my sign is Aries. I’m also a trained Open Space Technology facilitator.
I have facilitated/co-facilitated Open Space at two Agile Coach Gatherings, one XPDay , an Agile Coach Camp Germany and numerous private company Open Space events to seek ideas for difficult questions.
Outside of computing I have co-facilitated Open Space in the human rights and social justice space.
What Is The Offer?
Free facilitation of an Open Space event anywhere in the world (no expenses in the UK, flights and accomodation everywhere else)
Why Am I Doing This?
I believe in Open Space, I have had some of the best conversations of my life in these types of gatherings and I want to enable others to experience it too.
The more Open Space I do, the happier I am and the more experienced I become. I like being happy.
I believe in communities that give away what they love doing, its how I learnt a lot of what I know, so I’m doing the same.
Also, I met some of my favorite people in Open Space gatherings and by doing this, I get to meet even more favorite people.
Finally, this year – 2011 – I want to strive to live a life inspired by Open Space principles. Of being useful and of learning, to accept and work with things and people as they are (and not as I wish them to be) and making the most of moments as they arise. Making this offer just seems to fit that goal.
Are There Conditions?
Ok – here are the conditions and they are fairly straightforward:
- The event must be non-profit making. If you make a surplus, it goes to other not-for-profit events, a charity or into the community
- The event must be all or mostly Open Space (no token 3 hour OS sessions in an otherwise conventional conference)
- This offer involves the planning beforehand, so your organising group needs to be happy for me to get involved in getting the event organised
- I may blog about the experience and my blog may include pictures (subject to permission etc). You will need to be cool about this to take this offer up.
- I will not charge your event a fee to facilitate, nor for materials that I normally have (post its, cards, markers etc). If there is something more elaborate required, your organising group will need to sort that out.
- I will also not charge expenses to events in the UK (consider my expenses part of the sponsorship offer). However if the event is outside the UK, your event will need to cover my flight and accommodation (I am happy to sleep on comfy couches too!)
What Is It In For You?
- You get a very competent, funny, passionate and experienced Open Space facilitator for free
- Help with planning a great Open Space event
- Freedom to fully participate in your event on the day, safe in the knowledge that your event is being beautifully facilitated (by me!)
How Will This Work?
If you are interested in my offer, send me an message on the contact form below, tweet me @mhsutton or send me a message in a bottle and we can take it from there.
Thank You.