Second thoughts after being so serious! What I wrote above distracted me from the on-line 4-hour remedial on-line driving exam that I was doing to erase the points on my license from speeding -- going 50 miles in a 35 mile an hour zone. Oh the irony of it all!
Suzanne On Sat, Mar 30, 2013 at 4:05 PM, Suzanne Daigle <sdaig...@gmail.com> wrote: > Like a bumble bee, as I hover over this conversation and others, I find > myself reflecting out loud. I find myself wondering if what I am thinking > is too simple? > > Am I lazy or misguided? Am I too trusting or naive? Will it matter when I > look back on my life? > > Three combinations of thoughts: > > 1. Structure and action...too dominant and too quick everywhere we look? > So often it is the first question asked of a client or others when we speak > of Open Space, What will be the outcomes? What were the outcomes in > situations similar to ours? What actions were taken? What were the > results? Am I naive to trust that where there is something really > important, when there is passion, urgency, complexity and diverse people > who care deeply about the matter at hand, that actions and structure(s) > will emerge naturally from many or a few, the right action, the right > people taking the lead, the best actions whatever they may be. That the > wisdom from the group (s) will surface without predestining it to be so > before the journey has even become. And if I do predestine, will I not be > narrowing what may happen by putting this in the space ahead of time. Will > it not narrow the "expansive now" that might be possible? Will it place the > responsibility/leadership on the shoulders of some and not others? Will it > diminish the delight of people finding each other because I or others will > be encumbered by what I or we expect? If no actions happen, who says it is > so? When there are so many closed spaces in our lives and when we invite > open space with many experiencing this for the very first time, like a fine > wine that we wish to enjoy, is there not value to a bit of fermentation, a > savoring of what is unfolding? Is this not what I will remember and is it > not the case that the actions that will be invented in the immediacy or > perhaps a bit later, will have a special context, intensity, drive and > energy because somehow they will matter all that much more. Of course, > because our world reveres prediction, control and results, structures and > boundaries, it takes a bit or a lot to let go and let be. Am I lazy or > misguided, trusting or naive in thinking this is so? > > 2. Creativity and self-organizing -- a mighty pair. How often in our lives > do we have the opportunity to be creators with others, diving in and diving > deep, speaking with our own unique voice (what is buried there) with less > fear and with much heart/head care, hearing others with curiosity and less > judgment (tis truly difficult because often enthusiasm and passion for me > at least gets in the way). It is through Open Space that I have seen in > myself and others, the fertile ground that sprouts individual and > collective creativity and it all starts with a few simple rules, an amazing > law and then writing a few words on a piece of paper to which we have > signed our names as if on a marquee for all to see not the least of whom > ourselves. I have such reverence for this simple process. Like breath, it > truly is life giving. > > 3. Trusting and expanding our now! Open Space is something that invites > us to slow down and when we do, letting go the future concern for action > and structure, trusting that in an expanded now with nothing in the space, > these will truly emerge in the way they will. A slow down to go fast when > the time is right and ripe, happening over and over again. > > In our western world, we have been going faster and faster, working harder > and harder, doing more and more, with lots of emphasis and conversation > around structuring, planning and predicting. > > Yet history has taught us that the greatest inventions, the biggest > breakthroughs, have happened when we were doing nothing or next to nothing, > with some ideas scribbled on the back of a napkin or from a flash of > insight following a quiet lull when a single voice speaks out and is heard > or when we throw our hands up in the air in despair and then suddenly it > happens. Others times it's in the heat of the moment. Rarely it seems is it > in the busyness of doing, planning and structuring though certainly > "effective, efficient, purposeful and joyful" doing have their place. > > If truth be told, how much space in our life is accorded to opening space > and relishing that space. Being present, being grateful, being curious > without being encumbered too much about what comes next. Am I naive in > thinking that peace, productivity and high performance could emerge from > this? Am I closing space inside of me by believing this to be so? All I can > say is that I just can't let it go. > > Like the soft gentle breeze, the swishing of the waves off the white > sands, the warm sunshine, sea smells and azure blue waters, what would > WOSonOS2013 be if we embraced the "one less thing to do" as the major > invitational ingredient of our Open Space in May? > > What fine space it would be if we could *be* together in this expanded > space coming from *nothing* knowing it will lead to an *everything* that > will surprise and delight. > > Imagine if it could be so... such is our collective invitation! > > Suzanne > > > > > > > On Sat, Mar 30, 2013 at 12:50 PM, Harrison Owen <hho...@verizon.net>wrote: > >> Tricia wrote: “So, in consideration of these observations, how would you >> structure a forum for *ongoing* collaboration among a diverse and >> distributed community…”**** >> >> ** ** >> >> I would not structure it. I couldn’t. I’d just let it grow and add a >> little fertilizer as needed. Re-reading this (after I mistakenly pushed >> “send”), it struck me as flip and not all that helpful. So what I meant to >> say goes something like this…**** >> >> ** ** >> >> When we start an adventure such as you describe, it seems that our first >> thoughts automatically go to: How to Structure? The presumption is that you >> have to create the structure first before anything useful can happen. I >> just don’t think that is the case, and more to the point I find that >> predesigned structures tend to get in the way, and usually cause more >> problems than they could ever solve. There is either too much (usual case), >> too little, or just irrelevant to the emerging task at hand. In worst case >> scenarios I have seen people take out books on organizational design and >> then either create or borrow the whole enchilada – Board of Directors, >> Executive staff, rules of procedure, membership requirements, etc – The >> discussions are endless, heated, and divisive. And in the meantime whatever >> passion or desire that may have inspired the effort has dribbled off into a >> corner somewhere and disappears.**** >> >> ** ** >> >> There is a better way, I think. Just start… and invite anybody who cares, >> or might care, about the proposed Forum to come together by whatever means >> appropriate (electronically, plane, train, bus, feet). Form the circle >> followed by (guess what?) – Bulletin board, Market place and go to work. As >> we see every time we open Space, the emergent structure is virtually >> instantaneous and also appropriate to the people, the task, and the >> environment in which they work. Structure IS important, but to be effective >> it must be appropriate! **** >> >> ** ** >> >> Is that all there is? Maybe, but if the Forum is to continue some >> additional structural support will be helpful. But here I think less is >> always best – and my suggestion for how to get it right starts with a >> fundamental question: *What is the minimal level of structure required >> for our needs?* This is not the time for extraneous bells and whistles >> that somebody else might like. What do we need? What is appropriate in our >> situation? Nothing more, and less if we can get away with it.**** >> >> ** ** >> >> Maybe I am being a little too harsh but I have seen, and I suspect we >> have all seen, situations where structure just begets structure and more of >> the same. For a while it is kind of fun with all those committees, >> reporting lines, delegations of authority, flow charts, and organizational >> diagrams. But there does come a time, usually sooner than later, when we >> find ourselves consuming more time and energy “running” the business >> (Forum) than “doing” the business. Over time the wonderful structures >> simply overwhelm, and the business/Forum dies of suffocation. Ever been >> there? Unless I miss my guess, most folks find themselves in such a >> situation every time they go to work. Which is why they call it WORK, I >> suppose. And Work, by definition cannot be fun!**** >> >> ** ** >> >> By now there may be more than a few rolling eyeballs, if they haven’t >> already closed and moved on to the next item here on OSLIST. Harrison is >> off on one of his wild tangents that sound sort of nice, but never could >> happen in the REAL world. Oh? **** >> >> ** ** >> >> Tricia if you read over what you have written (“How would you structure a >> forum for *ongoing* collaboration among a diverse and distributed >> community that took into consideration the time/attention constraints of >> some members, such as investors, as well as the technology access >> limitations of others, who would benefit from announced/scheduled events?”) >> I believe you will see a perfect “system’s specification” for the “OS >> Community”– which we might have written 28 years ago when there was nothing >> but a few odd people drawn together in a common circle of concern. From >> that time until the present moment there has never been a speck of >> predetermined organizational design. No board, no specified procedures >> devised by some executive committee, no formal membership – but I do >> believe we have become the proof of our pudding, so to speak. It surely >> works, has for quite a while, and shows no particular sign of giving up and >> going away. And what happened (s) once surely can happen again. Just don’t >> try to “structure “it. J**** >> >> ** ** >> >> Harrison**** >> >> ** ** >> >> ** ** >> >> ** ** >> >> ** ** >> >> ** ** >> >> Harrison Owen**** >> >> 7808 River Falls Dr.**** >> >> Potomac, MD 20854**** >> >> USA**** >> >> ** ** >> >> 189 Beaucaire Ave. (summer)**** >> >> Camden, Maine 04843**** >> >> ** ** >> >> Phone 301-365-2093**** >> >> (summer) 207-763-3261**** >> >> ** ** >> >> www.openspaceworld.com <http://www.openspaceworld.com%20> **** >> >> www.ho-image.com <http://www.ho-image.com%20> (Personal Website)**** >> >> To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of >> OSLIST Go to: >> http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org**** >> >> ** ** >> >> *From:* oslist-boun...@lists.openspacetech.org [ >> mailto:oslist-boun...@lists.openspacetech.org<oslist-boun...@lists.openspacetech.org>] >> *On Behalf Of *Tricia Chirumbole >> *Sent:* Friday, March 29, 2013 5:53 PM >> *To:* World wide Open Space Technology email list >> *Subject:* Re: [OSList] Conversation with Tricia**** >> >> ** ** >> >> Thanks for your thoughts HO and Paul! Yes, I agree on circles and spirals >> - I am an exceptionally spiraly thinker and liver myself and appreciate >> this. Probably part of why OS appeals to me is that people often try to >> pin me down, line me up, and get me organized! which I don't like!**** >> >> ** ** >> >> So, in consideration of these observations, how would you structure a >> forum for *ongoing* collaboration among a diverse and distributed >> community that took into consideration the time/attention constraints of >> some members, such as investors, as well as the technology access >> limitations of others, who would benefit from announced/scheduled events? >> **** >> >> ** ** >> >> A big part of the motivation is to encourage a broad array of sectors and >> participant "types" to contribute to the discussion "before" ideas are >> seeded versus somewhere down the line when they typically get involved to >> review or vet or mentor projects - as well as to have a space where these >> different types can interact on a more dynamic and level playing field. >> ...even when there is discrete interaction during conferences or pitch >> events, it is very top down and not very collaborative - as you all know. >> **** >> >> ** ** >> >> Another prime motivator is to provide space where open sharing of ideas >> and cooperative models of executing initiatives is supported....my sneaky >> hope is that they would emerge in "real" life :)**** >> >> ** ** >> >> Does any of that make sense? I just worked this all up rather quickly and >> my messaging on those points is not very strong. **** >> >> ** ** >> >> Thanks :)**** >> >> ** ** >> >> On Fri, Mar 29, 2013 at 5:16 PM, paul levy <p...@cats3000.net> wrote:**** >> >> Tricia**** >> >> ** ** >> >> I'd also suggest people also go in spirals, they go backwards as well as >> forwards and they experience past and future too, not only now. It's messy >> and its wonderful. **** >> >> ** ** >> >> But most of all it is improvisation born of imagination, inspiration >> and intuition that opens space.**** >> >> ** ** >> >> And even space itself is a glorious mystery - it doesn't only open - it >> also involves, shifts, and dances.**** >> >> ** ** >> >> Practically this means that space opens not only for content but also for >> process. So, improvise by serving the community on the day and in the >> moment.**** >> >> ** ** >> >> Paul **** >> >> >> >> On Friday, 29 March 2013, Harrison Owen wrote:**** >> >> Tricia – I think your intentions are superb, but I wonder about the >> execution. My question comes from spending a lot of time watching a lot of >> groups seeking to engage their past, present and their future (NOW). My >> observations may not accord with everybody else’s, but I got what I got. >> **** >> >> **** >> >> The first thing I really “got” is that, even though we all like to think >> that we as individuals and as groups engage in discussion and exploration >> in a linear fashion (a first, second, third, etc) in fact we seem to go in >> circles, or maybe more exactly we do shifting circular search patterns >> which appear to be quite random. The effect is that it may appear that we >> do everything all at once, or perhaps you could say, we start anywhere, and >> go everywhere.**** >> >> **** >> >> When I think of my own thinking process (as in writing a book) – it is >> true that there is a page 1 and proceeding. But the thought process is >> anything but linear sequential. Something initially grabs my attention but >> where that “thing” actually ends up in the book is anybody’s guess. I >> suppose that is why some people find mind mapping useful – Personally I >> don’t if only because my mind seems to outstrip my graphic capabilities, or >> more probably I am such a dilettante with a very finite attention span that >> I just keep flitting about. And then there is the fact that some of my best >> thinking takes place when it doesn’t seem that I am thinking at all. Naps >> are so rich! And then there is the shower…**** >> >> **** >> >> All that may be my personal pathology, but I think I see the same thing >> in all the groups I am witness to. Folks go in circles, and circles in >> circles, around circles, etc. When things really get rich, it is massively >> messy – but fun. And mess and fun are two essential ingredients for a >> seriously creative group, I find. It is also the total antithesis of an >> “orderly program!” It does seem that a lot of stuff could get lost in the >> mess or overlooked in the fun, and probably it does. But somehow the really >> good stuff keep bubbling to the surface and streams of communication move >> at light speed, and somehow impact just about everybody. The presumption >> often is that if we don’t write something down (Make the record) it will be >> lost. I guess there is some truth in that – but the capacity of groups to >> process massively complex issues in an elegant fashion, at least in terms >> of the end product (forget how they get there) simply blows me away. And >> the whole business of “record keeping” by whatever means is only a very >> small part of that story.**** >> >> **** >> >> So where am I going with all this? Around in circles, for sure. But there >> may be a point. *Don’t fix it if it ain’t broke!* My experience, and I >> suspect our common experience, in Open Space is that amazingly >> dysfunctional, cantankerous, angry, disillusioned groups of people can, and >> often do, achieve truly elegant results. Not always, not everywhere … but >> personally I have never been really been disappointed provided: The people >> assembled because they cared to be there to engage an issue or opportunity >> they cared deeply about. From that point on it was pretty simple. Sit in a >> circle, create a bulletin board, open a market place, and get out of the >> way.* ***** >> >> * ***** >> >> There is a part of me that wishes all this wasn’t true, that it had not >> been my experience. To the extent that I “created” Open Space I can >> honestly say that is the last thing I ever intended to do. Yes I have had >> massive fun and met many great people, but -- it cost me a lot of money and >> no small amount of professional reputation. Billable hours went out the >> window, and talking the way I have just been doing is not the sort of thing >> that gets you a tenured appointment at a leading business school J But I >> love it!**** >> >> **** >> >> Harrison **** >> >> **** >> >> Harrison Owen**** >> >> 7808 River Falls Dr.**** >> >> Potomac, MD 20854**** >> >> USA**** >> >> **** >> >> 189 Beaucaire Ave. (summer)**** >> >> Camden, Maine 04843**** >> >> **** >> >> Phone 301-365-2093**** >> >> (summer) 207-763-3261**** >> >> **** >> >> www.openspaceworld.com <http://www.openspaceworld.com%20> **** >> >> www.ho-image.com <http://www.ho-image.com%20> (Personal Website)**** >> >> To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of >> OSLIST Go to: >> http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org**** >> >> **** >> >> *From:* oslist-bounces@lists. <oslist-boun...@lists.openspacetech.org> >> openspacetech.org <oslist-boun...@lists.openspacetech.org> >> [mailto:<oslist-boun...@lists.openspacetech.org> >> oslist-bounces@lists. <oslist-boun...@lists.openspacetech.org> >> openspacetech.org <oslist-boun...@lists.openspacetech.org>] *On Behalf >> Of *Tricia Chirumbole >> *Sent:* Friday, March 29, 2013 1:28 PM >> *To:* World wide Open Space Technology email list >> *Subject:* Re: [OSList] Electronic Open Space**** >> >> **** >> >> Thanks Harrison and Michael for the thought-provoking feedback! please >> send more :)**** >> >> **** >> >> Awesome story about the work in Nepal Michael! Do you think the AI >> framework added anything or would you have preferred to stay straight up, >> no rocks? **** >> >> **** >> >> My rationale: This is a rough, scratchy draft of thoughts and I was >> hoping for ideas! **** >> >> **** >> >> The desire is definitely to be open and user-driven, with all but one >> event being OS and the invitation for groups to branch off and do their >> thing throughout and offline. **** >> >> **** >> >> Use of AI reasoning: I chose an AI design for the first event to help >> people get in that appreciative mode of thought and set the tone. We are so >> used to doing things in a certain way and I don't think this perspective >> emerges as easily for some. **** >> >> **** >> >> The first event was also intended to help get everyone up to speed and on >> the same page in terms of larger trends that everyone may not be aware of >> and to provide a good launching pad for an Open Space with a primer in >> shared values and existing assets. **** >> >> **** >> >> I do see that shared values is something that comes through in an Open >> Space, but I was drawn to the very pointed approach of focusing on >> strengths and values exclusively before delving into what do we do, how do >> we do it, what's already happening, etc.....I guess alternatively you could >> turn it into an OS prompt. **** >> >> **** >> >> The structured event prompts using the AI "d's", as well as the shared >> docs, are intended to allow for a flowing pool of participants, where each >> event may have a different mix, but people can jump in and have a sense of >> where the flow was going.....it is true that the flow may go faster or >> slower or in a different direction, so the event prompts may be limiting or >> inappropriate...will have to think on that - perhaps have the community >> decide the prompt for the next event after each is completed as well as >> determine the frequency of the real-time events? I like that better - >> thoughts? **** >> >> **** >> >> that's all i've got for now - any other insights or illustrations are >> much welcome!!**** >> >> **** >> >> On Fri, Mar 29, 2013 at 12:44 PM, Michael Herman < >> mich...@michaelherman.com> wrote:**** >> >> harrison and tricia, your comments each remind me of some work we did in >> nepal about ten years ago. **** >> >> **** >> >> on my first visit we did half a day of open space with about 20 college >> students and instructors, followed by a long lunch and some time to talk >> about why it works. when i went back a year later, they'd organized a >> day-long event, for twice as many community organizer, ngo, activist types, >> to discuss "nepal 2020." during that day, i talked with as many of the 40+ >> participants as i could about what it might look like if we did a 4-day >> model i'd done elsewhere, two days of OS and two days of OS training. when >> i went back the next year, i thought that's what we were going to do. *** >> * >> >> **** >> >> what happened is that we had something more than 100 folks defy the >> travel ban imposed by maoist rebels to attend what was billed as the first >> national conference on peaceful development. the OS+training plan never >> saw the light of day. since something they were calling the nepal AI >> national network had officially convened the four-day meeting, it was to be >> OS and AI, and we were do it and train it. **** >> >> **** >> >> our four days looked something like the plan tricia posted here, four >> open spaces, each one of ours was on a different "D" of appreciative >> inquiry. the first morning was significantly eaten up by formal >> welcomings, but the afternoon was all open space. then next days openend >> with bits of open space training observations, followed by a new opening >> and agenda. the last afternoon was formal closings, presenting results to >> various government officials. at night, some did AI training. so we did >> and taught os and ai all at once, loosely shaped on tricia's outline, but >> also rather chaotically as harrison suggests.**** >> >> **** >> >> there was no formal reporting for this work but i wrote up my story. >> http://www.michaelherman.com/cgi/wiki.cgi?NepalConferenceJournal ...in >> the beginning, we also set up a simple blog for their work. it started in >> english and then dissolved into a number of organizations' websites, mostly >> in nepali.**** >> >> **** >> >> as the political turmoil proceeded, the rebels destroyed a 6000-year-old >> gate in western nepal, to which one of my colleagues (whose house was >> damaged in the blast) responded "we are starting to organize an open space >> on how to rebuild the gate." in the following years, they continued and >> extended the OS/AI work with more conferences. when the decade-long >> rebellion was resolved, the conversation shifted to how they were going to >> get the 600 members of the newly formed "constituent assembly" legislature >> together in an OS/AI conference. to my knowledge, that event never >> happened, but the main practices seemed to have taken hold and the new >> government is still in business.**** >> >> **** >> >> thanks to everyone who's been having and sharing this conversation.**** >> >> **** >> >> michael**** >> >> **** >> >> **** >> >> **** >> >> **** >> >> >> **** >> >> >> -- >> >> Michael Herman >> Michael Herman Associates >> 312-280-7838 (mobile) >> >> http://MichaelHerman.com >> http://OpenSpaceWorld.org**** >> >> **** >> >> On Fri, Mar 29, 2013 at 10:50 AM, Harrison Owen <hho...@verizon.net> >> wrote:**** >> >> Tricia – lot of good thinking here, but I can’t help feeling that you >> that you may just be working a little too hard. J I understand the >> pressures to describe a program (series of progressive/linked activities). >> Funders, etc like all that. But two things come to mind, or at least pop >> out of my experience. **** >> >> **** >> >> 1st No program ever ran the way it was “supposed to,” albeit a great >> deal of effort usually goes into trying, and then, after the fact, making >> it seem like everything “worked according to the plan.” **** >> >> **** >> >> 2nd Detailed Programs tend to take on a life of their own, regardless of >> what the emergent systems and the environment surrounding them are actually >> doing. It is called confusing the map with the territory – and is usually >> very frustrating and painful.**** >> >> **** >> >> The alternative? You might be surprised when I suggest – Just open space >> for anybody who cares about, “*development of feasible social enterprises >> *” and then support the emergent system as it grows (or not). That >> system will have its own internal resources and rhythms which cannot be >> known in advance, but as they emerge all can be supported with cheerleading >> and/or a little help as required. **** >> >> **** >> >> When you start with The Program, as opposed to emerging system, you >> almost inevitably get it wrong. For example, by adding bells and whistles >> which may be wonderful in themselves, but really just consume time, space, >> and energy accomplishing tasks that the system will create alternate ways >> of a**** >> >> >> >> **** >> >> **** >> >> -- **** >> >> Tricia Chirumbole >> US: +1-571-232-0942 >> Skype: tricia.chirumbole**** >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> 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**** >> >> >> >> **** >> >> ** ** >> >> -- >> Tricia Chirumbole >> US: +1-571-232-0942 >> Skype: tricia.chirumbole**** >> >> _______________________________________________ >> 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 >> >> > > > -- > Suzanne Daigle > NuFocus Strategic Group > 7159 Victoria Circle > University Park, FL 34201 > FL 941-359-8877; > CT 203-722-2009 > www.nufocusgroup.com > s.dai...@nufocusgroup.com > twitter @suzannedaigle > -- Suzanne Daigle NuFocus Strategic Group 7159 Victoria Circle University Park, FL 34201 FL 941-359-8877; CT 203-722-2009 www.nufocusgroup.com s.dai...@nufocusgroup.com twitter @suzannedaigle
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