As usual, Artur's fine mind cuts to the chase. In a word, he doesn't mess around.
He says: Maybe it is also "half way" in another sense. Sorry to repeat this but the iniciator himself also created too many principles. The good thing is that he also said that "less is more" and that we must find "some other thing not to do". I have conducted quite a few OST meetings without refering the 4 principles AT ALL! It always worked. So, I am convinced that with the other "foundations" (including the law) it works ok and the principles are not needed at all. It is no surprise that OST works without mention of the 4 Principles and One Law - at least not to me. In the history of the beast, OS happened first, and the principles and the law emerged over time. Their emergence, however, was less a matter of my creation than the reflections of the community of practice. In a word, the principles and the law are not prescriptive but descriptive. This is not about telling people what to do, rather it is a matter of noting what seems to be happening anyhow. Of course, it might be asked - why state the obvious? If it is all going to happen anyhow, why bother to announce it? Very good point. The reason, I think, is two fold. First, Stating the Principles and The Law seems to be useful in terms of helping the participants adjust more quickly to a situation which might otherwise seem very counter-intuitive, and therefore uncomfortable. Secondly, and probably more importantly, the recitation of Principles and Law at the start, combined with their posting on the walls during the event is, in effect, an invitation to reflection. As the event proceeds, they (principles and law) provide sort of a check list of things to be noticed along the way. And, as a matter of fact, at the conclusion of a gathering I will often refer back to the principles and law, asking (for example) did anybody notice that the right people always seemed to show up? On a good day, as everything is coming to a close, it is not uncommon for some body, or some several bodies, to remark - that it seems that the principles and the law could be useful in everyday life. My response is a YES! At that point, I feel confirmed and justified in "wasting time" at the beginning with the formal recitation. I must confess that my hope for any group I work with is not only that they will have a "successful" meeting - but more importantly - begin to realize the application of their experience to their everyday life. This realization of application, as I see it, is the pathway from "event" to more effective organization (by whatever name Interactive, learning, high performing). I would agree with Artur that OST is not the method to create organizations of that sort - because I don't really think they need to be created. They are already there, albeit buried by layers of inappropriate structure, arbitrary controls, non-functional bureaucracies and the like. At this point, my major heresy or madness comes into play. I truly believe that all organizations are self-organizing, a fact clouded over by the fact that a number of well intended, but deluded people think they essentially created and maintained those organizations - and further that they are actually in charge. The major impact of OST is to enable us to see through the clouds! If there is any truth to all this, then a number of people are at risk in terms of their present employment, including many managers, executives, and professors of business. I have no desire that such folks should join the ranks of the redundant/unemployed, but I do wish that they might work their trade in a more useful and productive way. First of all they could stop doing what is probably going to happen anyhow (and better) - organizing, and start to lend their considerable talents to the task of enabling an already existing (self)organization to function at optimal levels. This would mean understanding the process and developing the appropriate methods and tools needed for the effective care and feeding of self organizing systems. Along the road I believe they would find OST to be helpful not so much as an effective meeting methodology (which it is), but more profoundly as a learning laboratory. I guess I have probably said it ad nausea - but the real kick for me in the OST experience is to have participated in a marvelous natural experiment. And last but not least, Artur, I do know of at least one Open (InterActive, learning) organization. It is us. This odd virtual organization now in business almost 20 years. And it is true that we do not have to recite the Principles and Law on a daily basis if only because I think we experience them face to face and virtually. I actually think we could learn a lot from looking at ourselves. Ain't perfect for sure, but OSLIST/OS Community has not done badly. Nobody organized it, nobody is in charge, and life goes on. . . . Whoever comes is the right people Whatever happens is the only thing that could have Whenever it starts is the right time. When it is over, it is over - but it ain't over yet And won't be, I think, as long as we remember the Law of Two Feet which amongst other things provides lots of space for our passion and responsibility Harrison Harrison Owen 7808 River Falls Drive Potomac, Maryland 20845 Phone 301-365-2093 Open Space Training www.openspaceworld.com <http://www.openspaceworld.com/> Open Space Institute www.openspaceworld.org Personal website http://mywebpages.comcast.net/hhowen/index.htm [email protected] To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives Visit: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html * * ========================================================== [email protected] ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of [email protected]: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist
