After a long "professional" career of over 45 years in what seems to
have been "change" as student body organizer, coop organizer, community
organizer, union organizer, OD consultant, etc. etc. and more recently
15 years as facilitator of OS-events I am pretty sure that I did not
change anything and certainly nothing one might call sustainable change,
which, come to think of it, is a real oxymoron anyway.
What I managed to get a hold on is to drop all ideas around me creating,
causing, initiating etc. etc. change with the result of being much
happier and much more effective in what I think is a contribution I am
making. And it is not about enabling systems, either. Its simply
focusing on expanding the prerequisites for self organisation in systems
I am involved in.
When I say "its simply", I realize that "expanding the prerequisites for
self organisation" does work well in "structured" processes where I
touch base with various steps (contact meeting, planning meeting...and
after that its pretty much self-running).
One thing, for instance, that I never do is to write a proposal or a
formal offer for my services. I insist, yep insist, to have a contact
meeting with the system interested in working a business issue. No fee
for that. That insistence alone keeps about half of the potential
"clients" away. The contact meetings evolve into a contract about half
of the time (the potential client has come to the conclusion that
getting into the world of selforganisation is not his cup of tea).
So that boils down to 75% work saved.
As you all know I could go on forever on this...have a great day.
Greetings from Berlin...lets continue this discussion in length and
depth and face to face at other occasions as for instance at the WOSonOS
in Berlin this May
mmp
Harrison Owen wrote:
Christine has uttered the magic words... "change things." Somehow it would
seem that effort is required, given the way things are, and further, that
effecting that change is our god given right and responsibility. And we try.
Sometimes to no effect, sometimes to minimal effect, and sometimes to
counterproductive effect as when those awful "unintended consequences" show
up. But we tried, and at least we should be given credit for that. Or should
we?
Of course we should, for hasn't all of our education and training prepared
us for that moment? And more to the point how would we get paid if we didn't
do all that?
Then again it may be the case that the change required is not ours to
supply. Doing so exceeds our power, knowledge and capacity. Perhaps our
difficulty lies in the notion that we (as individuals) are the agents of
change. After all Change Agent seems to be a recognized title and
profession. Just supposing the task and the role is rather different?
Supposing it is not our job to be Change Agents, but rather to enable the
systems of which we are a part to effectively evolve such that they fit with
the emerging world? What sort of skills and attitudes would that require?
What can we dispense with?
Harrison
Harrison Owen
7808 River Falls Dr.
Potomac, MD 20854
USA
Phone 301-365-2093
www.openspaceworld.com
www.ho-image.com (Personal Website)
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-----Original Message-----
From: OSLIST [mailto:osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu] On Behalf Of Christine
Whitney Sanchez
Sent: Wednesday, February 17, 2010 10:07 AM
To: osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu
Subject: Re: Self Organising System at Work
Many thanks for posting this, Alan. Not only does this book excerpt
from "Switch: Don't Solve Problems--Copy Success" highlight the power
of self-organizing systems, but also the power of maintaining an
appreciative, "bright spot" focus...
"...if you're trying to change things, there are going to be bright
spots in your field of view. And if you learn to identify and
understand them, you will solve one of the fundamental mysteries of
change: What, exactly, needs to be done differently?"
I'm cross-posting this on the Appreciative Inquiry list. Thanks for
sharing this at the perfect time.
Warm wishes from a sparkling Phoenix morning,
Christine
Christine Whitney Sanchez
Collaborative Wisdom & Strategy
480.759.0262
www.christinewhitneysanchez.com
www.promiseusa.com
Skype: christinewhitneysanchez
http://www.facebook.com/ChristineWhitneySanchez
On Feb 16, 2010, at 4:57 PM, Alan Halford wrote:
Hi,
I came across an interesting book excerpt which may interest the
list,for me a good example of self organising system for higher
performance!
http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/142/switch-how-to-change-things-when-cha
nge-is-hard.html?partner=homepage_newsletter
Cheers
Alan
Alan Halford & Associates
Business & Management Consultants
Mediation and Conflict Resolution
Open Space Technology Aficionado
www.alanhalford.com.au
0421 475 252
skype: alanhalford
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--
Michael M Pannwitz, boscop eg
Draisweg 1, 12209 Berlin, Germany
++49-30-772 8000
mmpa...@boscop.org
www.boscop.org
Check out the Open Space World Map presently showing 391 resident Open
Space Workers in 66 countries working in a total of 139 countries worldwide
Have a look:
www.openspaceworldmap.org
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