ah, brian, i'll add a few of your fellow aussies into this mix... i
have always found fred and merrelyn emery's definition of "bureaucratic
hierarchy" most helpful. bh, they say is characterized by
"responsibility for the work (the taking care of things) resting or
being vested one or more levels above the level where the work is
actually done." this is why control is necessary. because the boss is
responsible but the people have to take care of things.
this sets up all kinds of things that the emerys spell out brilliantly
and simply (even though the also seem intent then on re-organizing
self-organizing systems... but that's for another time.) most important
here is just to note that this split between responsibility and care is
precisely what ost is healing in the org... and why it's so dangerous,
too. because the bosses are paid for their responsibility.
seems the ones who do best in ost are likely the ones who also have a
good measure of passion, so they don't feel left out when the little
people are suddenly running around with a newfound blend of passion and
responsibility. which all seems to suggest that it's easier to open
space if/when we can find and fan the bosses real passion. hmmm.
mh
Fr Brian S Bainbridge wrote:
Dear Chris's et al,
One of the things I have observed that the words Hierarchy" and
"Bureaucracy" hove gotten loaded with a lot of negativity and bad
baggage, one way or another.
That's perhaps rather unfortunate, even though it is true and deserved,
as I see it.
Because both concepts have a great deal of good about them in their
original meanings. And still, in today's organizations, they have a
real part and role to play and contribute.
Even in an Open Space event, there emerge proper hierarchies and
bureaucracies - who opens the space, the sponsor, the reporter in each
group, the IT personnel or coordination, the kitchen staff, the facility
management, and the list goes on - and people/participants play some
part or undertake some role in all of that, of course.
The miracle of OST is that these functions can and do change their role
as the situation changes and people become sensitive and responsive to
"Whatever happens.....".
So, for what it is worth, I suspect we are on the edge of seeing not
just the development of Complex Adaptive Systems but the place
"hierarchy" and "bureaucracy" and - dare I say - "management" actually
play in all of our wonderful new understanding of the way organizations
function.
The delicacy emerges when the players get these concepts out of kilter
and worship them as though they are Gods or something instead of
instruments for a greater good in our world and time.
My two penny worth in such abstruse discussions.
From a beautiful Melbourne Fall Easter weekend.
Cheers and blessings, BRIAN
Chris Corrigan wrote:
chris macrae wrote:
Chris- my view would be that its always possible that some
organisations
will get stuff done in spite of hierarchy's excesses
Beyond possible: I think it happens ALOT. In really rigid hierarchies,
like bureaucracies, my experience is that most stuff happens in spite of
the hierarchy. And when you look at how it happens, it's a network or a
matrix.
But I don't see why understanding of organisations hasn't got beyond
recognising that hierarchy is only one of several systems that a
thriving people-investing organisations needs to be structured around
Why not ask the triple accountability and design question applied to
the
relationship infrastructures that all organisations are:
What's the best of hierarchy how can this interface with the best of
self-organising and how can we mix this withy the best of networking
across organisational boundaries, we are wasting most people's working
lifetimes
I agree with you. I think maybe the reason this stuff hasn't caught on
is perhaps because people don't always link it to the bottom line. It
sounds like a nice abstract conversation, but until people can see it in
action AND that it makes as much money as the prevailing wisdom, folks
won't always be keen to adopt a change. And I think that stories about
successes in other places don't always convince people to try new ways
of organizing. The story has to come from one's own experience. An
Appreciative Inquiry-type of discovery approach does wonders in this
respect, inviting people to connect with optimal experiences in their
past and inviting design to arise out of that latent capacity. But it
also means some detailed introspection to link the experience of the
past in what might be a very different context, to the present
situation. Just how does my experience singing with a choir make this
company money again?
Since we have the methods of open space and organisational
transformation well worked out, my assumption is that the only thing
that could possibly continue to cause such a system blockage to
openness
is wrong measurement
Measurement uber alles is tricky because it immediately privileges the
quantifiable over the qualifiable. And certainly, we need to measure
things, but I'm leering of forcing qualitative experiences into
measurement-friendly formats. By necessity it strips what is most
important about the experience.
How do we measure the effect an OST meeting has on a person that has
suddenly seen the possibilities offered by truly self-organizing work
teams?
It seems to me it's a case of taking the arguments of wrong measurement
and open space together if we wish to sustain transformation through
any
conflict that traditional organisations are almost perfectly geared to
compound
Taking these things together gives a true picture of the organization.
Measure what you can measure, interpret what needs interpretation.
Include both as ways of generating understanding and making meaning out
of organizational endeavours.
Chris
--
CHRIS CORRIGAN
Bowen Island, BC, Canada
(604) 947-9236
Consultation - Facilitation
Open Space Technology
Weblog: http://www.chriscorrigan.com/parkinglot
Homepage: http://www.chriscorrigan.com
ch...@chriscorrigan.com
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Fr Brian S. Bainbridge
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Michael Herman
Michael Herman Associates
300 West North Avenue #1105
Chicago IL 60610 USA
(312) 280-7838
http://www.michaelherman.com - consulting & publications
http://www.globalchicago.net - laboratory & playground
http://www.openspaceworld.org - worldwide open space
...inviting organization into movement
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