Trust your team
"We can't do that."
"That won't work here."
"I don't trust the team to show up."
People won't say the latter outright. They'll point to something else, but the subtext is there.
But what if we did trust our teams? What if as leaders we…led? Leaders can help teams in a lot of ways. Sometimes that mean identifying the most important problems, giving people the space and tools to solve them, then getting out of the way. All of that takes trust.
So far, I've facilitated three Open Space Technology gatherings during in-person conferences with product development teams. With 30 or 100 participants, we've created space to collectively discuss large, complicated problems. In each session, participants' feedback highlighted the ability to build connections and learn from people on other teams—crucial in the world of remote work. The conversations that start in these meetings are just the beginning of broader initiatives.
But when I pitch the idea of using Open Space Technology to new groups, skeptics inevitably emerge.
How do we guarantee a specific outcome?
You don't. If you need a specific outcome, this isn't the meeting for you.
“The Open Space Technology format is particularly effective when no one knows the answer, and when a diverse group of people with different perspectives is required to find a solution.” (reference)
What if no one brings any topics?
That is a risk. It would signal that the theme didn't resonate with people or you need a stronger team culture.
You can help prevent the risk of this by choosing an impactful theme, discussing the gathering well in advance, and sending reminders in the weeks before. People want to solve problems that affect them. If engineering teams (with many introverts, myself included) can make this work, you can too. Trust your team to show up.
What if no one brings up a specific topic? What if they get off topic?
That's part of the event's magic. You don't know exactly what's going to come up or which direction the conversation will go.
The people who show up are the right people for the discussion because they chose to be there. People who care enough to show up are the right people to solve the problem.
As a leader, you'll get valuable feedback from your organization on topics that are most important to them. Whether something does or doesn't come up, you'll gain insights on how to use this information.
It takes work and skilled facilitation, but it's possible to get 100 people in a room and create momentum to solve complex issues in your organization. Other examples here.
