When it come to dealing with the interesting question: Why does Open Space Work? -- I have found the emerging theory and practice surrounding Self organization to be very helpful. Not the only help to be sure, but definitely on the short list. I also confess to a degree of frustration -- that to the moment, few in the larger scientific community have taken any notice or interest in Open Space. I think this is a lose/lose situation. We lose because their insights and questions might reveal aspects of Open Space that we have failed to notice. And I think they lose because, from where I sit, Open Space is a wonderful natural experiment over time and in the present. Over time, we have probably some 20,000 iterations of the "experiment" from which to learn. Since most of us were more interested in the practical results than "doing science" detailed accounts are hard to come by. but we do have a network, and it does have a memory. And what we may have lost as a matter of historical record can be replicated any time someone chooses to open space.
Anyhow, it may happen that the Plexus Institute becomes a useful intermediary. Those of you who were in OZ for OSONOS will remember Henri Lipmanowicz who is chairman of the Institute and came to OZ to find out about Open Space. The mission of the Institute is to discover and foster the application of principles of self-organization to the real world of human systems, particularly health care systems. Since OZ, Henri and I have had a number of conversations, and I attended a conference they sponsored in Austin TX -- which was most interesting and definitely neither Open Space nor self-organizing. But one thing is sure, Plexus did manage to attract substantive folks from multiple disciplines and some useful conversations have started. My conversations with Henri will continue, and hopefully move from talk to action. Which brings me to the point (at long last) of this note. What sort of actions, questions, explorations occur to you which might be pursued with Plexus. Henri, Curt (The president) and I will be conversing next week, and I will let you know the outcome -- but if any burning, passionate issues or opportunities jump to your mind -- let me know. Harrison Harrison Owen 7808 River Falls Drive Potomac, MD 20854 USA phone 301-365-2093 Open Space Training www.openspaceworld.com Open Space Institute www.openspaceworld.org Personal website http://mywebpages.comcast.net/hhowen/index.htm osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu Visit: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html * * ========================================================== osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu, Visit: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html