LS User Group In Seattle

User Groups Public Groups Within Organizations Purposes – Help advance practice – Invent new LS – Focus attention on shared challenges – Spread LS up & out

1 st Meeting Purpose-to-Practice (20 people, 75 minutes)

Purpose Why this work is important to you and the larger community We exist to invent and enliven a new form of organizing by pondering, practicing, playing, and pouncing together

Principles The must do and must not do rules we must obey to achieve our purpose Users must share ownership of and responsibility for the group Users must expect surprise, adapting to opportunities and discoveries as they emerge Users must maintain transparency and honor Creative Commons principles Users must maintain a practical “solutions focus” to group activities Users must not over-organize activities Users must continuously invite and welcome new users and novices into the group

Participants Who must be included to achieve our purpose Core group members (those to take responsibility for organizing activities) A larger community of LS users (local, regional, national, international users that participate in activities) Novices and new users (people invited to join activities by LS users) Influential experts and celebrity leaders not actively using LS

Structure How will we organize (both macro- and microstructures) and distribute control in pursuit of purpose? For now, Fisher and Keith will coordinate development activities and support infrastructure Leadership of meetings will rotate among user group members.

Practice What are we going to do? What will we offer to our users/clients and how will we do it? Four trial balloons are afloat: – A monthly face-to-face evening together in Seattle featuring use of LS to advance learning; – Occasional virtual confabs that include international users and special projects; – An annual Chautauqua/Open Space shindig; – And, a LS twist on the Community Consulting model () to help new users get direct experience with complex challenges (low or no cost services are provided to organizations via an experienced LS consultant and a team of less-experienced people that want to learn

Face to Face Meetings 3-Part, 90-Minute Meta Design Third Thursday of Each Month 1.Networking & Reconnecting Use LS to welcome new users, uncover opportunities, and share developments 2.Giving + Receiving Help Use LS to give and get help from other users 3.Expanding the Repertoire Debut a nascent or use an unfamiliar LS

Design Group (90 minutes) Volunteers from the last meeting + Fisher &/or Keith Over strong beverages, we chat until a theme emerges We select LS for each segment of the meeting Facilitators volunteer (people who want more experience) Networking & Reconnecting 30 minutes Giving & Getting Help 30 minutes Expanding Repertoire 30 minutes

Often, we create a simple storyboard Exploring Invitations ~ Inviting Exploration Agenda Item GoalLS Micro- Structure Why this LS?Steps / Timing Facilitator / Participants Welcome + Networking Intro our inviting theme & build new connections Impromptu Networking + AI Invites users to discover what works & what doesn’t through their own stories 3 rounds in pairs, 4 minutes each Marina Storytelling re: exploring & leading LS Reveal challenges of leading an exploration Dramatic reading, fast All 1-4-All draws out the lessons with self discovery… hand-in- hand with group discovery Story 10 min 1-4-All 5 min Kav, Marjean are readers Inviting Discovery & Exploration Define and sharpen LS offers to leaders 15%, Improv Prototyping Reveals better ways to invite discovery via LS and focuses on what can be done now 2 rounds of improv (2 mins each) & 2 rounds of re-plays a.Disinterested amusement b.A door opens…! Set up Keith, Marina & Marjean players, Fisher as observer New LS Shift away from a negative cycle Positive Gossip Flips the negative pattern and gives people a chance to practice Three 2-minute rounds + quick W 3 debrief Fisher, all to evaluate PG

Drawing Together mashed up with Impromptu Networking for the first time!

Additional Practices

Seattle Center LS Community Consulting ½ day session for ALL employees Facilitation offered pro bono by 4 LS users Focus on weaving LS into their Uplifting Service initiative Three ongoing initiatives emerged and are owned by frontline groups

Annual LS Gathering Where do we go from here? 90 participants from Microsoft, Nordstrom, Boeing, City of Seattle, hospitals, NGOs, UW Facilitated by 8 skilled LS users Focus: LS design skills