Friends-- A "standard" OST closing circle is just winding up. The person who introduced everybody to Open Space says, "Oh, and one more thing. When I told you there were 4 principles, I left out one. Now as you go out of this circle, it might help you to know the 5th principle...."
:- Doug. On Sun, 2011-05-29 at 11:40 -0700, Peggy Holman wrote: > Harrison, > > > I love the passion and clarity of your voice in this thread! You're > not speaking the usual litany -- important and useful for sure, but > still exercising the same old muscles. This exchange is in a new > place, requiring thoughts and words that travel on different terrain. > And I find it alive with your own curiosity for where it will go. It > contains an invitation that attracts me! > > > You said the fundamental reason for any Open Space: To enable the > participants, individually and as a collective, to more effectively > navigate the self-organizing world of which we are part. > > > Yes! I am so with you! That intent is at the heart of my own > exploration. As you know, I use the lens of emergence, which > describes the dynamics of self-organization from the inside-out. I > hear variations of your intent from others as well. My variation on > your fundamental reason for opening space is: how does > self-organzation become so well understood that anyone and everyone > can navigate this natural pattern of change with increased confidence > and grace? Not to mention compassion, creativity, and wisdom. > > > Do we need to name a 5th principle? For me the idea that we are > always in Open Space -- which you have been saying for as long as I've > known you -- points to the intent. So does the way I've come to > describe the law of two feet, which I see as the heart of Open Space: > take responsibility for what you love. It is an act of service. When > people operate from that assumption, it liberates them to more > effectively navigate a self-organizing world. > > > Like others, i've taken to heart the notion from you of one less thing > to do. So I am not called to naming another principle as a means of > making it visible to event participants that self-organization is the > sea in which they swim. Still, if something increases the likelihood > that people leave an Open Space event better equipped to navigate a > self-organizing world, that's huge! As far as I'm concerned, the more > accessible the notions of emergent self-organization, the better! > > > So I can't wait to hear what happens the next time you open space at > an event somewhere and offer up a 5th principle. More, what happens > AFTER the event. > > > Ain't it great to be alive exploring the edge of what you know and > what you don't know? > > > Love, > Peggy > > > > > _________________________________ > Peggy Holman > pe...@peggyholman.com > > > 15347 SE 49th Place > Bellevue, WA 98006 > 425-746-6274 > www.peggyholman.com > www.journalismthatmatters.org > > > Enjoy the award winning Engaging Emergence: Turning Upheaval into > Opportunity > > "An angel told me that the only way to step into the fire and not get > burnt, is to become > the fire". > -- Drew Dellinger > > > > > > > On May 29, 2011, at 7:40 AM, Harrison Owen wrote: > > > When something sneaks up on you as a Blinding Flash of the Obvious, > > it is not uncommon for it to take a while to understand what > > happened. Such is the case with the 5th Principle for me. I make no > > pretence that clarity has arrived, but I think I am getting > > somewhere. > > > > I knew in the moment that it seemed like a GIT (good idea at the > > time), I even had some inklings as to its use and purpose – but > > hardly more. True it created a nice symmetry: 5 Preconditions for > > Open Space (Real business issue, complexity…), 5 Principles, 5 > > typical results (High Learning, High Play…). And of course all that > > is easy to keep track of with the 5 Fingers on the hand – although > > you might need a third hand. Shiva, Where are you? J > > > > The 5th Principle, like the preceding four is descriptive, not > > prescriptive. It does not tell anybody what to do or what should > > happen, rather it simply alerts people to what will be happening in > > any case. The reason we do this at the beginning of an Open Space is > > to provide a little forewarning that may (will) offer some comfort > > to people along the way. As we all know, OST can seem like a strange > > new world for 1st timers. Just about all of their presuppositions > > and practices regarding meetings will be trashed. No announced > > agenda, no Leader, a facilitator who is most apparent in his/her > > absence… All the normal Comfort Guides for the traditional (boring) > > meeting are disappeared. We know all that, and we also know that > > when venturing into strange territory, having a few advertisements > > of things to come can make it all a little more comfortable. The > > original principles do just that in terms of the people who might > > come, actions/happenings that might occur, the role of time – and of > > course, the ending of it all. > > > > But what about space? Isn’t it odd that in conversation about > > something called “Open Space,” space/place is never mentioned? I am > > pretty sure that the reason it never occurred to me previously was > > that the venue (space) was simply a part of the logistical scene – > > rather like computers, magic markers and flip charts. All needed but > > hardly worthy of a Principle, if indeed there was any principle > > involved. No reason to even mention it for the comfort of those > > present. So what’s different now? > > > > The key difference for me is a growing concern and interest in what > > might or could happen after the event. We have always been > > interested in the follow-on, follow-up of the key decisions and > > insights that may have emerged during a gathering – implementation, > > so to speak. But for me those specifics are of infinitely lesser > > import than an enhanced awareness that Open Space does not end at > > the venue’s doors. If a group of people leave an Open Space Event, > > well satisfied with their accomplishments, but believing that all of > > that was the product of a special, unique, and rarely to be repeated > > method or approach, I think they have been severely short changed. > > Such people might naturally think that the magic of their moment was > > due, in whole or in part, to the power of the design, the brilliance > > of its originator (that would be me L), and the consummate skill of > > the facilitator. How wrong can you get?! > > > > There was no design, at least in a sense comparable to other > > “methods” (AI, Future Search, etc), which are all are carefully > > researched and constructed. Yes it is true that we “sit in a circle, > > create a bulletin board, open a market place, and go to work” – but > > none of that came out of years of research and practice in Group > > Dynamics, with a linage to Lewin and other greats in the field. It > > just happened as a result of what seemed to be a good idea at the > > time. Truthfully all of this has been the source of continuing > > confusion and embarrassment ever since the field of Large Group > > Interventions was identified by the likes of Billye Alban and > > Barbara Bunker. The opening chapters of their book described in > > detail the antecedents of the new methods – and then there was Open > > Space which was only included as a last minute addition, and simply > > doesn’t fit. > > > > As for the brilliance of the originator, we know the story of that > > one! The inspiration was actually a desperation play fortified by > > two martinis! The originator was in fact so brilliant that it took > > him almost five years to understand that Open Space was interesting > > and potentially important. Slow learner! > > > > Facilitator skills? Useful, but not necessary. The truth of the > > matter is that anybody with a good head and a good heart can “do > > it.” This does not mean, of course, that experience and practice > > don’t make a difference. But I think the major difference is a > > reduction of the facilitator’s anxiety level, but that difference > > has only marginal impact upon group performance. This seemingly odd > > phenomenon is due to the fact that the facilitator is not > > “managing,” “running,” or “doing” a process. The process “does” > > itself and is deeply ingrained in all the participants, whether they > > know it or not. The facilitator’s sole function is Invitation – to > > invite the people to do what they already know how to do. And then > > gracefully get out of the way. Making a graceful exit can take years > > of practice. > > > > And now we come to a critical question, I think. Why do we do what > > we do? When we facilitate an Open Space what are the goals, > > objectives, purposes? The answers to this question may seem so > > blatantly obvious as to render the question meaningless. Of course, > > we open space in order to – solve a problem, build a building, > > create a plan, unstuck a dysfunctional organization… And for the > > individual participants we open space in order to bring a little > > joy, inspiration and renewal to the folks. For ourselves, we open > > space because it is fun, challenging, exciting – and on occasion > > financially rewarding. These answers, and many others of a similar > > sort, roll easily from the tongue, and they are all quite valid. > > Missing from this list, however, is an answer which for me is > > perhaps the most important. > > > > For me the fundamental raison d’être for any Open Space I am > > involved in is -- To enable the participants, individually and as a > > collective, to more effectively navigate the self-organizing world > > of which we are part. Along the way we will hopefully accomplish > > other good things: a new plan made, a community issue resolved, a > > building designed. And for the participants there should also be an > > experience of accomplishment, ownership, participation, inspiration, > > to say nothing of some real fun. However, if everybody walks out the > > door on the final day with only the completed plan or building > > design, albeit accompanied by some good warm fuzzy feelings – I do > > not believe the mission has been accomplished. > > > > The Mission Accomplished sign will be displayed when participants > > walk through the venue doors with the understanding that everything > > they experienced on the “inside” may be used on the “outside.” > > Actually “inside” and “outside” is a misapprehension. It is all one > > thing! Everything is Open Space – or more accurately everything is > > self-organizing, despite the fact that there is a continuing > > delusion to the contrary. Strange talk? Indeed, such talk in itself, > > would appear to be delusional. After all we all know that somebody > > is in charge, and that our organizations are the creatures of our > > making. In such an environment, playing by the airy-fairy rules > > (principles) of Open Space is an iron clad predictor of failure. > > That’s what it says in all the books, and is emblazoned on the > > walls of every “well managed” institution. Under such circumstances > > the average participant might be forgiven for a little skepticism. > > > > But skepticism is a healthy thing, and after all we have been there > > before. I suspect that every single 1st time participant in all the > > Open Spaces I have been a part of, entered with some degree of > > skepticism, and in those instances where I actually asked, they all > > admitted that their confidence level for a “successful” outcome was > > close to zero. Nice idea, but it just couldn’t work! No amount of > > argument on my part ever convinced a soul, and for sure the > > recitation of the 4 Principles did little if anything to change > > their opinion. They remained confirmed skeptics UNTIL they had the > > experience. At that point, the 4 simple Principles became useful > > prods to their critical process. They help people to see, really > > notice – how the “impossible” became common place. From that point > > on, they had some real work to do – but they now had something to > > work with. > > > > Now back to the 5th Principle -- which is simply an invitation to > > notice that all the marvelous things which occurred “in” the event > > needn’t stop at the venue door. In fact they can and do occur > > anywhere. “Wherever it is, is the right place!” > > > > Will that Principle convince anybody? No, absolutely not – at least > > until they have had the experience. At that point, the 5th Principle > > will join its fellows as a simple statement of the obvious. > > > > So I am stuck with the 5th Principle, not for reasons of symmetry or > > theory. In fact it messes up a whole bunch of great signs that have > > been make, to say nothing of all the books I have written. But what > > else is new? > > > > Harrison > > > > > > > > > > > > Harrison Owen > > 7808 River Falls Dr. > > Potomac, MD 20854 > > USA > > Phone 301-365-2093 > > www.openspaceworld.com > > www.ho-image.com (Personal Website) > > To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of > > OSLIST Go > > to:http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org > > > > _______________________________________________ > > OSList mailing list > > To post send emails to OSList@lists.openspacetech.org > > To unsubscribe send an email to oslist-le...@lists.openspacetech.org > > To subscribe or manage your subscription click below: > > http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > OSList mailing list > To post send emails to OSList@lists.openspacetech.org > To unsubscribe send an email to oslist-le...@lists.openspacetech.org > To subscribe or manage your subscription click below: > http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org _______________________________________________ OSList mailing list To post send emails to OSList@lists.openspacetech.org To unsubscribe send an email to oslist-le...@lists.openspacetech.org To subscribe or manage your subscription click below: http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org