An Open Space Event from 28 April to 1 May2001 at Dharamshala, India

                       With Dinesh Chandra and Verna Allee

Advisors                                                          Co Conveners

Peter Block                                                    Anne Stadler                Karl Eric Sveiby                                              Michael Lindfield

FOUR PRINCIPLES OF OPEN SPACE

• Whoever comes are the right people

• Whatever happens is the only thing that could have

• Whenever it starts is the right time

• When it is over it is over

Perhaps the most striking aspect of today's world is the deluge of new arrivals, and the rapid expansion of the technological frontiers. The face of the world changes overnight, what to speak of markets and industries. This phenomenon has brought forward an ever-increasing demand on resources, which makes resource-optimization the crux of the challenge for managers of this decade. Needless to mention that the richest of all resources is the human resource - it is man who is responsible for the rapid advancements, the changing demands and the adversities; and in man alone lies the potential to rise above it all.

The term value too has undergone change. It has been defined, re-defined and its meaning extended to push open new dimensions. It can be said that almost anything possesses the potential to generate value. When applied to the human mind, this assumes an overwhelming dimension. The human mind continues to baffle us as much today as it did decades ago, in terms of the almost unfathomable potential it holds within itself. The human intellect stores that inexhaustible potential which has a generative as well as re-generative power. Its growth has no limits and neither does its capacity to yield value. It sets no boundaries for itself in its movement, driven by its own mystic energy.

Our workforce is nothing but an embodiment of this tremendous potential - the resources that do and will ultimately generate value, which will in turn re-generate them. It is therefore crucial to harness this human resource to its fullest. Therein lies the challenge in today's day and age. Reading and understanding an individual's exterior, which is essentially the qualifications and education, is as important as understanding the innate strength and interests which may be unknown to the individual him/herself. And the art of harnessing this huge potential is what today and tomorrow's corporate would have to learn. The essence of developing human potential lies in making individuals relate their senses to where they work, in helping their minds to see purpose in their daily activities and in assisting them to experience the joys of the fruition of their contribution.

At this Open Space, we shall try and explore issues such as these. We are inviting colleagues from around the world, from business, developed government, and non-governmental organisations. Our Open Space format gives each of us responsibility for creating an agenda of issues for which we have passion and commitment. The diversity of participants promises a rich opportunity to learn from each other.

The broad framework is such that all participants will meet twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. The agenda will be created in the first meeting where all participants will put forward the issues/ dilemmas/ questions they bring to this event. People with similar agendas will team up for small group discussions and assemble together in the morning and evening to dialogue on the insights they have gained. Participants are free to move from group to group. The Open Space Technology is a new, but tested, approach to the enhancement of group effectiveness. First in 1984, it has now been used all over the world with corporations, community groups, government agencies and churches. Participants have numbered from 5 to 500. The purposes have ranged from corporate redesign in the face of intense competition, to national redesign in the face of massive transformational forces as in South Africa. It is effective when a number of people must address complex and/or conflicting issues in a short period of time, with high levels of innovation, ownership and synergy.

Conventional wisdom says that organising an event of hundreds of people takes months of preparation and an army of planners and facilitators. However, the experience with Open Space Technology has been entirely different. Pioneered by Harrison Owen, and subsequently used by hundreds around the world, it has proved to be an effective tool in diverse business situations. It has been found that one could do incredible things without a planning committee, facilitators and conference management team. The concept gives people the option of creating their own time and space; there are no fixed agendas, no expectations to present papers. What emerges out of our environment is a deep sense of involvement with the issues as well as people, creativity at its best, a flood of thoughts and ideas and a new perspective.

The first such conference done in India in September 1989, called "FABRIC" (Fort Aguada Beach Resort Conference), had the theme "The Business of Business is Learning". It was a path-breaking event and radically changed the lives of its participants. Four outstanding books were born in the minds of the authors who were in Goa. Participants should therefore be ready for a very intense and stimulating experience.

The event is organised by 'The Foundation for Human and Economic Development (FHED)', an organisation created to catalyze action and provide a support structure to 'Clean and Green' businesses, in India and abroad. Planted as a seed by Anil Sachdev, Dinesh Chandra and Prasad Kaipa, the Foundation has already attracted quite a few leaders in various fields to actively participate and promote the cause. Our intention is that this event will multiply the membership and participation, and create the charter and future course for the Foundation.

Foundation - Current Status
The Foundation is registered in Florida, USA as a non profit organisation with a purpose of creating true wealth and values through and for human development.  

Location and Venue for the Event
The workshop is being held in the picturesque Himachal Pradesh, amidst beautiful forests of cedar, oak and rhododendron, at about 6300 ft above sea level in upper Dharamshala.
Dharamshala has been a centre of learning since ancient times, and is thus an ideal choice as a venue. Scholars and philosophers from all over the world come here in their scholastic pursuits. Its close proximity to the Dalai Lama Centre and the Chinmaya Ashram at Siddbari, both of which are centres for deep reflection and learning, makes it the perfect place for intense dialogue as well as personal reflection. The retreat will also provide an opportunity to visit the Ashram and the Centre.
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