Dear Tova:
Wonderful story! Powerfully told!
I wonder if you would write a little more about the process that was used on
day two to transition from the fifty four reports to the sixteen implementation
groups?
Thanks again
Winston
---- Original Message -----
From: averbuch
To: 'OSLIST'
Sent: Friday, February 27, 2004 4:13 AM
Dear oslisters'
Remember my call for help how to pick 150 out of 750?
I want to start with thanking, Gerard Muller, Chris Corrigan, Harrison, Joelle
and all of you' and here is my debt of story to you :
150 out of 750 – continued: the story of a two day OS with a division of an
Israeli high-tech global company
Tova Averbuch
As I was preparing for Practice Of Peace conference on Whidbey island on
November 2003 I got a phone call inviting me to consider working with a
division of an Israeli high-tech global company " to promote motivation" after
very hard three years in this business-market in general and for those people
in particular. Since I do not do "promote motivation" work I was trying to look
for the picture of the desired future the person talking to me had in mind and
we both became more and more interested in exploring working together. We met a
month later, when I was back from the US. They were eager and impatient to move
on. I was in the beginning.
The way I generally view my work with organizations is as short term
interventions with the intention of transformation. OS gathering is a very
powerful and preferred practice I incorporate in this process and the most
visible one. Because open space is about inviting and about choosing it is very
important for me to provide it both in my very being and in doing, so… after
meeting the HR people and the CEO and the management we moved from "promoting
motivation" to " creation of a division we would like to work in and be happy
to belong to.." They were ready to move on. My gut was that it was too soon. My
clear sense was that 'what OS actually is' didn't seem to get through and their
everyday culture was 180 degrees deferent. Another barrier was that this
management who, until recently, was a management of subsidiary company now
became management of a division, much more dependent on the mother company
feeling limited in what they can do by themselves and for themselves. Fallowing
my senses I insisted on the regular process we use: having a diagonal
preparatory committee as means of still questioning if OS is what they really
choose and distilling the unique way to do about it. Meet again with the
management team in an OS format (this I usually do not do) to learn more and
explore their issues and challenges as managers/management in this process and
particular situation.
In the preparatory comity people were very reserved, skeptical, cautious and
cynical. Sooner then latter – I was in the middle of a battle field with this
or that person from senior management in front of 20 other people (stirring or
steering? committee). Anxiety of letting go was very high, fear to raise
expectations and fail them was enormous so ideas like: "let the preparatory
committee be the OS event" or: "we can guide it a little, who said we have to
do it exactly the way you say?" were offered along the process. Let me tell you
I was defiantly bruised in this battle. For those of you who know me personally
this will not come as a surprise that I wished I was not so direct and I wished
I could shut up …neither the client nor I were sure we can make it together or
that we are a good fit but thanks god we stayed together long enough. Slowly
but surly too things emerged very clearly:
· No way a management can go to OS 'to see and get ideas' and then do
whatever they wish, regardless (not because I say so but because through the
preparatory committee and the talk about trust, management commitment etc. it
became very clear)
· One can confront high rank and stay alive (bruised but alive): maybe
everyone can choose to make a difference, after all.
People from preparatory committee decided they go for OS and "dare hope". They
created a remarkable process of invitation formulation and talks to inform
everyone in the deviation (750 people) in 2-3 days (50-70 every time with a
member of the committee who is not 'the boss' of those who listen and question
– it was the first time I had people create such a process). After the talk was
over the person who was in charge beautifully informed everyone else that had
still to go, of what were the challenges of the meeting and how was it
resolved. It was so lovely to be on their list and witness these little tips
and care. When they decided the OS will be for 150 people I had asked Avner to
join in with me and had the pleasure to learn again how beautiful and fun it is
to work together!
170 people from all departments registered and 180 showed up on the morning of
the first day. How shall I sum it up in "bottom Line" language? (We maid a joke
out of how they will report to those who chose not to come): "In the beginning
people were very skeptical!" ye' but what happened at the end? – "they were not
skeptical!"…
I opened the space asking them to do something revolutionary, something they do
not usually do – to take 3 breaths… (thank you Gerard, Harrison and Brigitt for
building in me the courage to actually dare start this very way with 180
people, technical people, mainly men…) Like taking a lid off a steaming pot 50
out of the 180 people, who were seating very quietly (too quietly) for the
first half an hour, jumped out off their chairs to create their agenda for 4
breakout sessions that day and one the next day. Wonderful energy of finding
one another again as people, after three years of survival mode on the personal
and organizational level, they began to shade prickly porcupine skin and try on
new, softer modes. 44 conversations, 44 summaries attended with care by the
evening and collected as a book of proceedings from 'everything-culture' to
'working patterns' in general and in specific. Trust… open, candid, genuine
words were spoken and heard. One participant put it beautifully: 'we had told
them every thing before this event. We talk it in the corridors, in 'round
table talks', everywhere! So what difference will it make'? Another, standing
by, said: (this could be a day of grace) 'you know what the definition of a
psychologist is: a person to whom you pay for hearing all the things your wife
has been telling you for so long …, maybe today it will sink in'.
Evening news with a shift: transparent, open to all public. Evening decision
meeting together (some traps we glided through) also added a pillar of trust
and transparency.
Most amazing was the depth of wisdom on day two (10 more groups added their
conversation proceedings in writing and orally (in 10 minutes, all together!).
All an all, 54 active and vibrant ideas merged into 16 implementation groups
who had their first session in the afternoon. That was just blooming energies –
seeding and harvesting work together. Being the action-biased people they are –
they came up with wonderful ideas, fun, appreciation, recognition, and programs
and it is on its way….!
Up in the sky Avner and I drove home
Knowing this is a very unique time in this industry, they are in a turning
point, seems they chose to turn.
Last one:
This morning the CEO called saying "thank you, you know I don't speak much and
I am very cynical but it seems to genuinely matter for many people; the sales
man's singing, in the closing circle, "you and I will change the world" (a
Hebrew song, like 'Imagine') was moving even for me.
We may have some challenges in the coming six months; we shall need a little
your help from you during this 'crossing the minefield'. And- if you need
recommendation I will be glad to do it. I didn't believe this phone call; he
hardly ever had the time (or preference) to talk one sentence to me…
Thank you for hanging there with me until now, there was a lot of learning on
my side and on Avner's side (he even came up with some computer and logistics
break through). A little bird told me Avner is going to say more…
Thank you all again
With much love
Tova
Tova Averbuch טובה אורבוך
34 Rabinovitz St. רחוב רבינוביץ 34
Holon 58672 חולון
Israel
972-3-5523476
averb...@post.tau.ac.il
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