Hi Daniel,
There are quite a few on this list that are either leaders in the Agile
community or know a fair about scrum and agile.
And then there are those who know very little.
What has been fascinating and exciting for me has been the amount of
synergy available between the two communities - and nothing has blown my
socks off more than what you are describing here. I *felt* & *sensed*
that Open Space was a critical way for organizations to move towards a
much better adoption of agile ideas. But you've described the essential
nature of the need here that gives words to my feeling about it. Open
Space is *the* core ingredient for successful agile adoption.
But why should the OST community care?
For the sake of those that know little about Agile/Scrum/Lean in the
world of software - perhaps this little story will convey it. I made my
way to Texas last year for the biggest annual Agile Software conference,
Agile 2012. It was at the Gaylord Hotel in Dallas, Texas. I was drawn to
the Open Jam, a space the conference organizers devote every year for an
Open Space like session area. It wasn't perfect, but it was popular and
I visited there often. The one session I put up on the board was an
"Ignite" or "Pecha Kucha". That would be 90 minutes of very short talks.
Even though I put it up, I didn't show up at the start time. But when I
did show up, there had already been about 10 talks already. One of the
talks I witnessed was by a traditionally geeky looking gentleman who
said that Agile was a "Liberation Theology". Those words resonated
deeply with me, both as truth, and as humor.
He didn't have to explain. I'd lived the oppression of the software
world before Agile Software ideas. Heavy pre-planned schedules that were
never accurate - usually involving warring specialized subgroups and a
forced death march at the end where developers and testers would work
massive overtime (often out of fear) in order to make unreasonable
schedules that they had little or no part in creating. It can often seem
like a dungeon, and the refreshing ideas of Agile often inspire
religious fervor. But the oppression unfortunately is perhaps still the
rule. EVEN IN THE MIDST OF ATTEMPTS TO PRACTICE AGILE/LEAN/SCRUM! But
the community continues to work at getting people to adopt these ideas
well, as opposed to badly. Dan is right. Open Space is a core piece that
can enable it to work well.
Again, why should the OST community care?
Most Open Space facilitators want to make a difference and they love
bringing that sense of engagement that can people can only choose for
themselves when they sense the freedom (and responsibility) to do so.
The way software is built, designed, and deployed continues to make
deeper and more profound impacts on our planet. It's like the mind of
the human race is becoming more and more tangible and even designable -
because of how code makes the processes of our thinking visible. And
makes it possible to consciously change and redesign it, to make it work
for everyone.
A deep bow to your work, Daniel. I will be seeing you in Tennessee at
Agile 2013 in 10 days or so. This is a great time to be awake to the
Spirit of Open Space, Agile, Scrum, Lean, and many of the profound
forward shifts that are beginning to collaborate in an invitational way.
I look forward to the party that we're all being invited to!
Blessings,
Harold
On 7/25/13 10:38 AM, Daniel Mezick wrote:
Good morning OST-List!
I am Daniel Mezick, probably someone you never heard of.
I'm an executive & Agile coach that seeks (and occasionally obtains)
work in that section of the USA between NYC and Boston. I live in CT.
I have a story to tell you...and an invitation...
Open and Agile
...about 4 years ago I start experimenting with Open Space, using it
inside public www.AgileBoston.org <http://www.AgileBoston.org>
conference events. I study OST more. In 2010 we at Agile Boston
innovate by getting the 80-page proceeding from a large public OST
event rendered to a PDF and shipped to all participants in less than
24 hours. (We employ a rapid transcription service to render the
per-session outputs to text and images, then create a WORD doc and PDF.)
I actually did not know what the hell I was doing. I just knew it was
a generally good idea to socialize Open Space in Boston.
Little do I know...
In late 2010, by Googling around I discover the free-download PDF of
the SPIRIT book by HO. Reading that changes everything for me. I
realize that OST is really about development and transformation in
organizations, NOT simply for public conferences and general
education. (This is how the "Agile community" currently uses Open Space.)
As a consultant to organizations, I realize that the SPIRIT book for
some reason is completely overlooked by the Agile community, and that
this book had the seeds of success in it. The "secret sauce". I begin
experimenting with bringing Open Space meetings into my Agile coaching
engagements. The basic hypothesis is that the introduction of change
(Agile in this case) creates alarming levels of anxiety and worry.
And, that Open Space might actually help reduce worry and fear.
From late 2010 to the present day, I begin experimenting with using
Open Space in service to rapid and lasting Agile adoptions. By diving
into this work with willing clients, I begin to realize the power of
Open Space... with them. We find that we can reduce the anxiety of
change via the power and mystery of "invitation." I begin to study and
build upon work from Ed Seykota ("testing for willingness"), Michael
Herman ("invitation"), Harrison Owen (the SPIRIT book), others.
In 2011 I do a few more experiments and begin pulling ideas from
cultural anthropology (Victor Turner), from positive psychology (Tony
Hsieh's application of Martin Seligman's work) and from the art and
science of game design (Jane McGonigal).
In 2012 I write THE CULTURE GAME (www.TheCultureGame.com
<http://www.TheCultureGame.com>), a book about how to help your
organization get smarter. At this point I have worked with OST in more
than a few organizations. In that book I write a chapter, chapter 21,
and give it the title "Open The Space". That chapter contains several
"easter eggs" which a few astute readers find and begin using. I start
to get emails from around the world about that chapter. In that
chapter I reference many of Harrison's works, I disclose some of the
Open Agile Adoption technique.In that chapter, I specifically provide
the link to the SPIRIT book.
By late 2012, I have confirmation of several hypotheses. The first is
that without engagement, we have nothing. That seems very obvious, yet
the current Agile literature has little or nothing to say about the
role of engagement in effective Agile adoptions. Second is that there
is no engagement without /psychological safety/ sufficient /_to_/
engage. Third, safety (and a general sense of well-being) is a largely
a function of creating an "inviting structure". By structure I mean: a
clear goal, or purpose...and a clear set of rules...and a great,
always-on feedback system and the big one..."opt-in participation".
I started ranting on Twitter and on my blog about how "mandated
collaboration" in Agile adoptions is at best misguided. How mandated
practices may be...harmful. Remember by this point I have my
experience and case data. I am speaking from some experience.
At first, no one seemed to hear me. But after a while, I start getting
ReTweets a lot. And people started talking back to me from around the
world and there is conversation. Questions. Insights. I start
connecting with all kinds of people around this idea. Some of the
ReTweets are from people with French names who Tweet in French AND
English.
So here I am with this more-than-pretty-good technique that
incorporates Open Space. And I am kind of feeding out provocative
questions about Agile coaching, and talking a lot about invitation,
and about the futility of mandates...I also make some radical
assertions. This goes on for a while.
Then I got this interesting invitation.
It's an invite to come and /keynote/ the Global ScrumGathering in
Paris France in September of 2013. The invite is from some of those
French people who ReTweet my Tweets. They tell me I can talk about
absolutely anything I deem important, and ask me to "come and play"
with them.
It takes me about 2 minutes to make up my mind. As soon as this
happens, I know it is one of these providential-type events that
becomes a defining moment. I gather up all my notes and start crafting
the speech. I also immediately contact Harrison Owen, and bring all my
work and notes up to his place in Camden to talk, and explain OAA with
Open Space to him, and seek his guidance. That was back in early July.
And so: here we are. I'm going over there to Paris to talk about Open
Agile Adoption with Open Space to six hundred Agile and Scrum
practitioners. Many of them are coaches. The OAA technique
incorporates OST, storytelling, play, and some ancient and proven
tribal patterns for managing change, specifically the /rite of
passage/ pattern.
There is a list of links at the bottom of this note, so you can get a
sense of what I am presenting. Over July and August I am planning to
explain the whole technique to you and everyone else, holding back the
case data and the toolkit until 9/24 in Paris, when I deliver the
actual speech. On that day, the toolkit and all the tools become free
to the world via an open source license and a free download. The
intent is to provide a body of work that others can immediately use
and more importantly, improve upon.
We know that people are only 25 or 30 percent engaged at work. (see
related link below.) Open Space is a profoundly useful way to double
or even triple engagement from there. The hypothesis of Open Agile
Adoption is that /a safe space is required for true group learning/ to
take root. And that Open Space is the primary tool for constructing
that kind of place.
The keynote address is designed to resonate before and after the
event. Before the event, INFOQ.com is publishing articles, videos and
interviews on Open Agile Adoption. During the event, the speech will
be transcribed, videotaped and recorded by the Scrum Alliance. After
the event these Scrum Alliance artifacts will be available to anyone
in the world via the Scrum Alliance. Also after the event I plan to
make the case data and Open Agile Adoption toolkit free to the world,
such that anyone with "a good head and a good heart" can do it and do
it well.
I'm taking a page from Harrison's playbook, and from his ethos,
choosing to make the entire body of know-how free to the world. I'm
hoping that Open Agile Adoption (and derivatives) become the standard
for implementing more rapid and lasting Agile adoptions...
...Not everyone is likely to be happy if this comes true. The Open
Space element has the potential to radically reduce the amount of
Agile coaching that is actually needed to get a rapid and lasting
Agile adoption. That reduces billable hours!
Further (and of far more interest to you) is the idea that skilled OST
Facilitators are required to execute well with the Open Agile Adoption
technique. This has the potential to open up new demand for those here
with deep OST skills and experience.
There is clear potential for a certain "changing of the guard" in
Agile adoptions worldwide. There is potential for disruption...and
maybe a little bit of chaos.
After the Paris Scrum Gathering, I plan to offer short, plain-talk
seminars in how to do Open Agile Adoption. I do not plan to teach Open
Space facilitation in detail, because others in this community are
already doing this very well, and also because there is more to Open
Agile Adoption that just Open Space. There are elements of
storytelling, elements of a passage rite, elements of gaming, play and
more. I plan to teach the overall OAA technique to people who want to
learn it. In France in September, I am teaching two ½ day seminars on
9/26 and 9/28 after the Scrum Gathering. When I return I plan to
continue teaching in the United States.
I am asking for help. Will you help me socialize the idea that Open
Space is essential for creating rapid and lasting Agile adoptions?
You can help in the following ways:
0/ Be playful, and help me refine and improve Open Agile Adoption with
others
1/ Learn more about OAA via the provided links below. Then, ask me
questions.
2/ Tell me if you offer Open Space training courses, and send me your
info, so I can promote your course to Open Agile Adoption
practitioners. If you are a Facilitator for hire, I want to talk to you!
3/ Examine the work, and provide feedback as I disclose it over the
next month.
4/ Sign up for the Facebook group Open Agile Adoption via this link:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/204037609756665/
5/ Help me get in front of Agile audiences to the extent you can. This
year I am speaking on Open Agile Adoption with Open Space at these
events (in date order):
8/7/13: session, Agile2013
9/24/13: keynote, Global Scrum Gathering, Paris
11/6/13: keynote, Agile Tour, Quebec City Quebec CA
I hope you like this story,
and I hope you want it to continue,
and I hope want to help write it.
I am inviting you to come and do that. Will you join me with others in
writing the next chapter of the Open Agile Adoption story?
I hope you will consider doing exactly that.
Kind Regards,
Daniel Mezick
www.DanielMezick.com <http://www.DanielMezick.com>
d...@newtechusa.net <mailto:d...@newtechusa.net>
203 915 7248
Related Links:
GALLUP Link on (dis) engagement
/$350 billion per year in lost productivity./
http://businessjournal.gallup.com/content/247/the-high-cost-of-disengaged-employees.aspx
SPIRIT Link (Harrison Owen book)
http://www.openspaceworld.com/Spirit.pdf
Open Agile Adoption Link
www.OpenAgileAdoption.com
Mandated Collaboration Link
http://newtechusa.net/agile/the-recipe-for-botched-agile-adoptions/
Scrum Gathering Link (click 'keynotes' and then click "right arrow"...
http://www.scrumalliance.org/courses-events/events/global-gatherings/2013/paris-2013
Agile2013 Link
http://www.agilequebec.ca/nouvelles/agile-tour-2013-keynote/
Agile Tour Quebec City keynote Link
http://www.agilequebec.ca/nouvelles/agile-tour-2013-keynote/
Open Agile Adoption Group on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/groups/204037609756665/
--
Daniel Mezick, President
New Technology Solutions Inc.
(203) 915 7248 (cell)
Bio <http://newtechusa.net/dan-mezick/>. Blog
<http://newtechusa.net/blog/>. Twitter
<http://twitter.com/#%21/danmezick/>.
Examine my new book:The Culture Game
<http://newtechusa.net/about/the-culture-game-book/>: Tools for the
Agile Manager.
Explore Agile Team Training
<http://newtechusa.net/services/agile-scrum-training/> and Coaching.
<http://newtechusa.net/services/agile-scrum-coaching/>
Explore the Agile Boston
<http://newtechusa.net//user-groups/ma/>Community.
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Harold Shinsato
har...@shinsato.com <mailto:har...@shinsato.com>
http://shinsato.com
twitter: @hajush <http://twitter.com/hajush>
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