At 12:34 PM 2/21/01 -0800, you wrote:
As long as people believe that change requires active involvement from the
top, this is true.
It is self-fulfilling because those not at the top have either consciously
or unconsciously given away their power to have an impact. And those at the
top either consciously or unconsciously accept that power as theirs to wield
as they see fit.
In practice, all it takes is one person living a different belief -- that
anyone can bring about change -- to begin the shift. Clearly change is not
static. Wherever it starts, it must move to others for a shift to take
place. Ultimately, that means the top gets involved. But contrary to
conventional wisdom which I think shuts off enormous potential, change can
come from anywhere.
Right On! Peggy. All Power to the People! And stuff like that.
Unfortunately, it happens to be true, at least in my experience. I have
never seen truly useful, evolutionary, adaptive stuff come from the top.
The Top-of-the-heap can stand in the way -- but it rarely creates. And I
think for good reason. Most folks reach the pinnacle for preserving the
status quo. Life begins in the depths and on the margins. Places like
swamps. Smell bad. Look weird. Not socially acceptable. But that's where
life begins in biology. And I think the same is true in the
corporate/organizational world. All heresy, I am sure.
Harrison
Harrison Owen
7808 River Falls Drive
Potomac, MD 20854 USA
phone 301-469-9269
fax 301-983-9314
Open Space Training www.openspaceworld.com
Open Space Institute www.openspaceworld.org
Personal website www.mindspring.com/~owenhh
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