Harrison, I guess that's why the word Technology got tagged onto Open Space. Prescient perhaps ?!? Suzanne
On Fri, Jul 26, 2013 at 8:35 AM, Harrison Owen <hho...@verizon.net> wrote: > Dan – Great to see you here on OSLIST, and the story you tell is > marvelous! And...I can’t resist telling one of my own. Something like 20 > years ago, in a conversation with a techie friend, I said that whoever in > the software community first found and utilized the deep power of Open > Space would totally change the game. Game on! 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] *On Behalf Of *Daniel Mezick > > *Sent:* Thursday, July 25, 2013 12:38 PM > *To:* oslist@lists.openspacetech.org > > *Subject:* [OSList] The Open Agile Adoption story**** > > ** ** > > 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 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), 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 Scrum Gathering 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**** > > 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. > **** > > _______________________________________________ > 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
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