I’m extremely sceptical of Open Space Technology. I’ve been to too many group training exercise things that seem to be awesome and cool while you’re there buzzed up on coffee and being rewarded for every good idea that you have etc… only to find that nothing comes of it and when you think back on it, there was no point to any of it. But it makes the CEOs feel good and that’s what counts and feeds into their popularity (i.e. the CEO gets to see all his employees looking like they are busy and engaged so mistakes this for a functional organisation). On the other hand, encouraging groups of people to get together and talk is good for morale so I’m sure it all works out in the end.

I can see how the formation program is pretty weird for you. Kind of like going to high school twice. There’s always lots to learn and people to get to know but in terms of the experience: why do it twice?