What I do — Strategy
An away day where the team sets its own agenda
Real strategic input does not emerge from a PowerPoint session. It emerges when the right people can have the right conversations.
Who is this for?
- You are a CEO, board member, director or strategy day coordinator
- You want all voices at the table — not just the dominant ones
- You have a complex challenge with no ready-made solution
- You want the outcomes of the day to be genuinely owned by the participants
Where this worked
I have facilitated strategic Open Space sessions for Flemish government organisations among others. See public sector and the full track record.
What Open Space does for strategy sessions
At a traditional strategy day, the agenda determines what gets discussed. The facilitator steers the content. Participants provide input on questions already framed for them.
With Open Space, participants themselves determine which questions are most urgent. The facilitator holds the process. What emerges is what is truly alive in the group.
That is more uncomfortable for the client, but it delivers more useful outcomes.
Preparation
A good strategic Open Space begins weeks before the day itself. I work with the client on:
- Formulating a question participants genuinely want to answer
- Determining the right participant group
- The logistical and psychological conditions for a safe space
- The harvesting strategy: how are the day’s outcomes translated into concrete next steps?
- Whether a combination with Liberating Structures adds value
Does another format fit your challenge better? See the choosing guide.
From day to agreement
An Open Space produces a harvest: everything participants wrote down themselves. A report is not yet a decision, and that is where large gatherings usually stall. So during preparation we agree who decides after the day, how, and by when. Groups that work with consent already have that form in place.
More on the preparation: the invitation is the design.
Frequently asked questions
What is an Open Space strategy day?
An Open Space strategy day is a facilitated session where participants themselves determine which questions are most urgent, rather than working through a pre-set agenda. The facilitator holds the process but does not steer the content. The result is outcomes that are genuinely owned by the people who created them — not imposed top-down.
How do you prepare a strategic Open Space?
A good strategic Open Space begins weeks before the day itself. Preparation includes: formulating a question participants genuinely want to answer, determining the right participant group, creating the logistical and psychological conditions for a safe space, developing the harvesting strategy (how outcomes are translated into concrete next steps), and deciding whether a combination with Liberating Structures adds value.
What challenges is Open Space suited for in strategy sessions?
Open Space is particularly suited for strategy sessions where the challenge is complex with no ready-made solution, where diverse perspectives (from board to frontline) are needed, and where buy-in for outcomes is essential. Examples include: strategic pivots, strategy development, merger challenges, organisational transitions, and cultural change.
How does Open Space differ from a traditional strategy day?
At a traditional strategy day, the agenda determines what gets discussed — often pre-set by leadership or a consultant. With Open Space, participants themselves determine which questions are most urgent. That is more uncomfortable for the client, but delivers more: outcomes that do not need to be communicated because the people who created them already own them.
What does Open Space facilitation cost?
I work with a day rate plus the preparation the challenge requires. With Open Space that preparation carries weight: the central question, the participant group, and the agreement about what happens after the day determine whether it works. Total cost depends on group size, number of days, venue and follow-up. You receive a quote after the thirty-minute exploratory conversation.