Hi Suzanne,

Thanks for your great and timely essay! I have 5 things to say about it.

1/ Self-organization does not SELL well. We must use a catchy slogan like "high performance" instead. We have to say "high performance" to company leaders, since they do not speak the language of self-organization and therefore do not care whatsoever about it. It means nothing to them.


We must  use MUCH less-evolved language when selling.


Think: "The way to efficiency is through the act of *self-organizing*. Proven methods like Open Space can help."

Say: "The way to efficiency is through the act of using proven *high-performance* methods. Open Space. can help."


2/ Open Agile Adoption is a high-performance sell. It does not try to sell self-organization. It DOES self-organization. Explaining all the theory does not get the business. I therefore do not discuss self-org, passage-rites and liminality etc unless and until they ask.


3/ There is an opportunity to artfully sell Open Space by selling "high-performance Agile adoptions." Open Space as a means to an end. I am using the phrase "rapid and lasting Agile adoption" and "high performance" interchangeably when talking to sponsors and it works.


4/ It's a huge leap to being Open Space mainstream in business, and reaching the larger goal is best done step by step. The obvious and open entry point for Open Space in typical orgs is Agile adoptions- ESPECIALLY the broken ones, and the landscape is littered with them. The entry point for OST in most orgs is the Agile-adoption entry point. That's the crack where the light gets in. We enter HERE. And then, see what develops in the wider context....outstanding results are hard to deny. We get them. From that place we can engage formal leadership in a real conversation about SELF ORGANIZATION.


Once we have their ear!!


5/ Broken Agile adoptions have many causes; the root cause is some form of "an unwillingness to let go and go all the way."


Mandates kill engagement. Mandates are the reciprocal- the opposite- of the Law of 2 Feet. Once the people are TOLD what to do and FORCED to do Scrum or whatever, the effort is dead on arrival. Dead! Lifeless. When that goes on for a year of more, imagine the tremendous energy being built up. The difference of potential. The VOLTAGE. The folks show up disengaged...dead and lifeless...resentful....is the term "zombies" to harsh? I hope not! Now, imagine a genuine and authentic Open Space event with all issues about the Agile adoption ON THE TABLE. And a clear path OUT of the morass. With management on committed to act on proceedings.


That unlocks and unshackles loads of latent energy. A broken Agile adoption is the PERFECT setup for introducing Open Space. The danger is that it will be implemented incompletely, without "all issues on the table" up front, and the commitment from leadership to act after the event. If that's what they ask for, I politely decline the opportunity to "serve" in that way. I tell them it is probably (is) NOT the time for me to be their coach. Maybe later; people (leaders) do after all change their minds. Keep inviting!


Now, to be clear: management is not going to come calling unless they are "out of aces" and the adoption is clearly a mess. Then they come looking for you, and make that call. It's a fantastically GREAT setup for Open Space: big huge important issue, loads of potential for conflict, and a time-for-action of yesterday. Perfect !


Daniel
www.DanielMezick.com
203 915 7248






On 2/8/14 11:24 PM, Suzanne Daigle wrote:
*So what do you think about all of that?*... asks Harrison at the end of his original post.

A loaded question to say the least.

Well I've been thinking about it....A LOT. Though really, there's no surprise in this plain talk--probably more plain talk than I've ever seen on this subject.

Plain talk about management and leadership, whether the definition of it, our view of it, our pursuit of it, or our conversations around it, which leads me to think about:

"When it really comes down to it, what is it that we are really promising management and leadership when they ask us about Open Space? What is it that they are really asking of us? What reassurances are they looking for? What is the implied promise that we are giving? Why is it so hard to find the right words to engage in a meaningful dialogue around what we are really inviting?"

Under the surface of it all, we know what management and leadership are asking for. We know they want that fix, the predictability, the reassurance of outcome, of high performance, of results and probably a return to the way things were or as they remember them to be...but was it really ever that way? And could it ever be that way again?

We all know that what the clients are asking for is not possible. How can we ever predict or plan the complex future we are living into with any certainty at all? It would seem that we have ample evidence of the futility of even attempting to do so or worse believing that we can. And yet we do, over and over again. Working harder and harder, searching for that next best model or system or structure or approach, spending hours and hours learning more and more, planning, predicting and forecasting and then later analyzing the gaps where we did not meet plan and spending more and more hours, explaining the variances. We massage our words, we try to describe in ways that will seem familiar and similar to the existing models to entice and reassure. By falling in the trap of promises, are we not also colluding with what we know to be true...that control doesn't work no more than predictability does.

And as we busily work on this, life is passing us by.

Harrison in an earlier post said:

"For the last several years I have been asking for, pleading for, begging for an extended and deep conversation which starts with the premise that this is a self organizing world, beginning, middle and end. Living fully and productively in such a world requires that we think some new, and (some would say) radical and heretical thoughts about management, leadership, the nature of organization, power...and much more. Good old OST gives us a good experimental base, but that is just the beginning. I think. And while some might see OST as a useful "tool" for the enhancement of organizations as we know them, in my view OST is a wonderful Trojan Horse, which, in a not so subtle manner, blows those understandings and ways of working quite out of the water. It clears some space for the new conversations to take place, while simultaneously offering some useful contributions to the content of those conversations."


I too year for these conversations...with the clients and others. What's more, we know that Open Space gives us the feeling and experience that something much bigger and better is right there under the surface. The SHIFT that people often experience is life-changing or could be if individuals trusted their experience and did not try so hard to talk themselves out of what felt so natural... simply because it does not match up with the good old predictability models of Leadership and Management.

It was this experience that ignited my passion and my courage to jump into life. I wonder now if it is not time to speak more clearly, more forthrightly about self-organizing, about one less thing to do, about chaos and order.

As Harrison yearns for extended and deep conversations on self-organizing, I yearn for more and more Open Space and *more plain talk* along the lines of "Folks, let's face it; it's just not working. Time to try something new or rather time to go back to something that's been lying there right under our nose all these billion years. It's everywhere, in nature, in our living systems: it's called self-organizing. It's our best teacher and the one that has withstood the test of time".

Along with the plain talk and inviting, I also want to wear my passion on my sleeve without holding back. I want to show how much I yearn for work and life to be more joyful, more fun and more productive because people are doing "one less thing of the stuff that is a waste to do" and "many more things that they enjoy and believe in".

I also see others wearing their heart on their sleeves, speaking clearly and with great conviction what they want to see in the world of work.

Harrison you said:

I think the bottom line may come down to: Move slowly with empathy, and be prepared to wait.


I'll admit that I can't buy into that. I feel too much urgency. Life may prove me wrong, doors may slam shut but I'm willing to take that chance.


But what I can buy into is this:

"At one level I will do the Open Space because I know that it will enable people to be more comfortable, powerful, sure of themselves. That's the easy part. But at another level I will do the Open Space in order to introduce anomaly... one more nudge towards Paradigm Shift." *
*


**

And perhaps if enough of us help nudge it towards that paradigm shift, we will start a real tipping point.

Suzanne

**










I


On Wed, Feb 5, 2014 at 2:41 PM, David Osborne <dosbo...@change-fusion.com <mailto:dosbo...@change-fusion.com>> wrote:

    Many thanks Harrison...very helpful.

    David


    On Wed, Feb 5, 2014 at 12:09 PM, Harrison Owen <hho...@verizon.net
    <mailto:hho...@verizon.net>> wrote:

        David, Listen to your words... "we're exploring the question
        of how can we have some structure and boundaries and  yet
        provide space for self-organization. It's hard to find models
        that enable both."

        I hate to say it, and you won't be surprised, but I think you
        are working much too hard. Sounds to me suspiciously like a
        variant of "organizing a self organizing system." Especially
        that part about "find(ing) models." The systems you are
        contemplating (your business and the Association) are their
        own best models. Nothing else will even come close because
        they are unique. And if self organization is anything like I
        think it is, one of its major activities is the creation of
        "structures and boundaries." That, by definition, is what self
        organizing systems do, along with a few other things. So the
        key activity for me would be to stop looking for models, and
        start paying careful attention to how your two self organizing
        systems naturally express themselves in structure and form.

        Initially your task will be complicated by all those "other"
        structures and forms that have been laid on, arbitrarily I
        would say, just because it seemed like a good idea at the time
        -- in accord with the latest "models," or "accepted practice."
        After all, we think we all know what an organization SHOULD
        look like.J

        But there is a way through the forest, I think, which is
        actually the "design principle" I employed in the development
        of Open Space Technology. You've heard it before. *Think of
        one more thing NOT to do*. Just keep striping away those forms
        and procedures that you thought to be essential for your
        organizations' function. Don't try to do it all at once, and
        start with what I might call the low hanging fruit. Those
        things that just get done, even though nobody can remember why.

        Then notice what happens. If something comes back, that is
        pretty good evidence that it was a natural form or structure,
        and your systems, in their own wisdom, felt the need. On the
        other hand, if it stays gone, just say bye, bye, enjoy the new
        space, and get on with your business.

        It is true, of course that some structures and forms are
        required by external authorities: Taxes, annual reports, and
        the like. In those situations, I have found it helpful to ask,
        "What is the minimal level of form and structure required to
        get the job done?" For some reason, people seem to make the
        simplest things unendingly complicated. /In extremis/ there is
        a presumption that if it is simple, it can't be any good. I've
        noticed this on more than one occasion with the public
        perception of OST, especially among those who have never been
        involved. I suppose this has something to do with the Expert
        Syndrome -- if you make it complicated enough you will surely
        require the services of an Expert to help you through. For a
        fee of course. And to be honest, we in the OS community
        sometimes seem to be guilty of the same thing.

        So there are some suggestions to get started. If you want
        more, and probably more than you want -- you might take a look
        at Part II of /Wave Rider/, "A Wave Rider's Guide to the
        Future." And for a slightly different slant see Part IV of the
        /Power of Spirit,/ "The Care and Feeding of the Interactive
        Organization." And just to be clear, an Interactive
        Organization is my term for a conscious, self organizing system.

        Harrison

        PS -- And for the record, all of the above are by yours truly
        and available from Amazon.com and the publisher, Berrett-Koehler.

        Harrison Owen

        7808 River Falls Dr.

        Potomac, MD 20854

        USA

        189 Beaucaire Ave. (summer)

        Camden, Maine 04843

        Phone 301-365-2093 <tel:301-365-2093>

        (summer) 207-763-3261 <tel: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>
        [mailto:oslist-boun...@lists.openspacetech.org
        <mailto:oslist-boun...@lists.openspacetech.org>] *On Behalf Of
        *David Osborne
        *Sent:* Tuesday, February 04, 2014 6:57 PM
        *To:* World wide Open Space Technology email list
        *Subject:* Re: [OSList] Management and Organization

        Harrison,

        I had to laugh at my own words as I re-read them.. /."support
        leaders in adopting approaches that move toward greater and
        greater levels of self-organization." /The system of course is
        self-organizing all the time !!!

        Opening space enables the system it to move closer and closer
        to high performance versus stuckness, stagnation, decline and
        death.  If I restate what I was trying to express, I think we
        can Open Space in big ways as an OS does and/or in small ways
        through the openness in leadership approaches that provide
        more space for passion, creativity, personal responsibility
        etc. This is working at the micro-level though versus the full
        paradigm shift you describe. I agree with your description
        whole-heartedly.

        You raise for me very pragmatic questions. Both in our small
        company, ChangeFusion, and in a global membership organization
        I'm involved in we're exploring the question of how can we
        have some structure and boundaries and  yet provide space for
        self-organization. it's hard to find models that enable both.

        I'd love to hear if others have suggestions of examples.

        David

        On Tue, Feb 4, 2014 at 2:54 PM, Harrison Owen
        <hho...@verizon.net <mailto:hho...@verizon.net>> wrote:

        Hello David O. and David S. I've re-titled to give the thread
        a new name if only because I think it is headed in some new
        directions with hopefully a long and useful discussion in
        prospect.

        This discussion may get a little difficult as we attempt to
        define and understand the words we are using, "Management,"
        for example. I had in mind the more common garden variety of
        Management's role in organizations. As Wikipedia (that source
        of all useful information) notes, "Despite the move toward
        workplace democracy, command-and-control organization
        structures remain commonplace as /de facto/ organization
        structure." (Wikipedia). Back in the old days a common
        definition of a good manager was one who, "Makes the plan,
        manages to the plan, and meets the plan." And we all know how
        that was supposed to be done. Single word: Control. Lots of
        Command and Control.

        David has moved in new, interesting and effective directions
        saying, "What I have found is that as I'm able to share the
        conditions that support self-organization and how they can be
        integrated into individuals leadership approach that the
        leaders move toward approaches that support greater and
        greater self-organization."

        I applaud the effort, but it seems to me it may be rather a
        half step. If I hear David's words correctly, the fundamental
        understanding of "organization" remains unchanged (predesigned
        structure and controls with Leaders/Managers in charge) and
        the new effort is to enable "leaders (to) move toward
        approaches that support greater and greater
        self-organization." Tactically I can certainly understand the
        approach, but what if organization is fundamentally,
        essentially, in totality -- Self Organizing? If that is the
        situation, "greater and greater self organization" makes
        little sense for a very simple reason. It is all self
        organizing to begin with! But I guess that is just splitting
        hairs, and for sure the heart is moving in the right direction.

        The revolutionary in me (and yes there is some of that J)
        would dearly love to shake the organizational world by the
        scruff of the neck saying something like, Move on, Wake up!
        You just can't get there from here. And for a certainty, such
        an approach would have no chance of success. There needs to be
        a change in view, I am sure -- but forced change, were it even
        possible, falls back on the old way which wasn't effective
        then and won't work now. And there is another way which
        unfortunately requires some patient waiting. But we may not
        have to wait that long.

        It is a very common lament -- that, "things just aren't
        working." What "things" and the nature of their dysfunction
        are often left unsaid, but the universal uneasiness is pretty
        clear. To date, the usual response has been to do more and
        more of what we've always done, but maybe with a different
        name (Quality Circles, Process Re-Engineering, Dialogue, maybe
        even AGILE when mandated etc.). The results have not been
        inspiring. Some would even include Open Space Technology as a
        new tool. But I don't think that works either if the intent is
        to fix the old system.

        As the lament continues, some strange things are happening.
        Every now and again something actually WORKS! And it works
        even when the plans are busted, the leadership is incompetent,
        the environment sour and threatening. Who knows how or why --
        but it worked. The Brits usually call this Muddling Through,
        which is what happens when everything goes a different way
        than it was supposed to -- but it all turns out fine. Phew!

        There is another name for this strange phenomenon. Anomaly.
        Anomaly literally means being outside the law (lawless) from
        the Greek /a/ (without) /nomos/ (law).  Anomalies cause one to
        scratch the head in wonder...How on earth could THAT happen?
        Most often, we just pass them by with a dismissive, "weird!" I
        think that is a mistake.

        Peter Vaill, an old friend and colleague, had a knack for
        seriously noticing anomalies. He observed that some
        organizations performed at levels of excellence that
        definitely blew away the competition. He called them High
        Performing Systems. The problem was, these systems broke all
        the rules of how organizations were supposed to work. As a
        Professor of Management, Peter could be accused of a flawed
        effort because instead of attempting to analyze how they
        worked, Peter contented himself with a delightful description
        of what they did, which he captured in a short paper (1977/),
        The Behavioral Characteristics of High Performing Systems/. I
        say delightful because he wrote in a totally colloquial
        fashion, and definitely not in the style of Academe, even
        though he was the (then) Dean of the Business School at George
        Washington University.

        Writing almost 10 years before Open Space Technology, Peter
        seems prescient, for his "Behavioral Characteristics" are a
        perfect description of the common behavior at every Open Space
        I have ever seen. Taking a tall leap in logic, I have argued
        (Wave Rider) that the link between Peter's High Performing
        Systems, and what we have experienced in Open Space is the
        phenomenon of self organization. Or put somewhat differently,
        High Performing Systems are well functioning self organizing
        systems. And in function and effect they are definitely
        anomalous for according to the accepted wisdom, they simply
        could not happen or do what they do!

        On the subject of Anomaly and the importance of same, the work
        of Thomas Kuhn comes to mind. Author of, "The Structures of
        Scientific Revolutions," Kuhn gave us that wonderful concept,
        "paradigm," as in Paradigm Shift. As an historian of Science,
        Kuhn describes how the scientific world grew in wisdom and
        stature, passing through several understandings of the nature
        of things, on the way to new (and presumably better) ones.
        That passage he called, Paradigm Shifts. According to his
        story, the scientific  or learned community held a certain
        view of reality for a period of time, which worked very well,
        and seemed to explain most, if not all, of the phenomenon of
        their experience. This view (paradigm) was taken as The Truth,
        and defended with ferocity. For example, everybody "knew" at
        one time that the Earth was the center of everything and those
        who disagreed were considered heretics, and often dispatched.
        Galileo, for instance. Then funny little anomalies began to
        show up as people observed the heavens. If the anomalies were
        not an illusion then Earth centeredness was false -- which
        everybody knew must be wrong, insanity, or worse. But the
        anomalies refused to go away, which made people more and more
        uncomfortable, to say nothing of angry. Then one shinning day
        the view shifted. Same old heavens as before but seen with
        totally new eyes. Paradigm shift. Very powerful and never
        comfortable.

        This brief sojourn into the History of Science can be helpful
        to our present concerns, I think, for we are facing a very
        similar situation in our understanding of organizations, as
        well as management. The traditional understanding of
        organization, and therefore management, has been around for a
        long time. As with all paradigms, it is taken to be The Truth,
        and those who challenge will inevitably be subject to
        dismissal at the beginning, changing to discomfort, and
        perhaps ending with anger. The reason is very simple. The
        investments in this particular paradigm are enormous, and
        include ways of life, ways of making a living, and for some,
        life itself. Messing with all of that cannot be done lightly.

        And yet the anomalies persist. Some are quite subtle and are
        perceived only as a growing sense that "things are not working
        as we expected." However, when the system/organization seems
        broken, it is clear that we must fix it and we think we know
        how. If the organizational process is screwy, then obviously
        we need Process Re-Engineering. But it didn't work. We try
        harder and harder, doing variants of what we've always done,
        and (surprisingly) we get what we've always got. But hope
        springs eternal, and someday we will find The Fix. Or so it
        says in all the books. Maybe.

        Other anomalies are not so subtle. Open Space Technology is
        such an anomaly. I believe it to be true that Open Space
        violates virtually all principles and practices of traditional
        organizational theory and management practice. To the extent
        that it (OS) works as we have experienced it working -- much
        if not all of current practice is called into question. My
        view is doubtless biased, but some 20 years ago, a senior
        official from the American Society for Training and
        Development (pardon the repeat) seemingly had the same
        impression when he told me, after hearing what happened in
        Open Space, "Harrison, if what you say is true, then 99% of
        what we are currently do does not need to be done." I would
        have been greatly relieved had I been able to argue with him.
        But I couldn't. I can't.

        So David(s) -- where does that leave us? Discretion might
        dictate picking up our toys and going home. Others might
        suggest heading for the barricades. Personally I don't think
        either possibility is very useful. I simply cannot deny what I
        have experienced in Open Space, nor can I resist the
        compulsion to share the experience in whatever way with
        whomsoever might show up. I think the bottom line may come
        down to: Move slowly with empathy, and be prepared to wait.

        And what would that mean for us and what we do...? At a
        practical level, it could mean something like this. Let's
        suppose that the Management of a very traditional Organization
        shows up on our doorstep. They are concerned that
        organizational function is dismal, the people seem to dislike
        each other and what they are doing, and profits have
        disappeared. The request is simple: Help!  Somewhere they
        heard about Open Space and believe (hope) it could fix their
        system, or at least make a start.

        It sounds like a marvelous opportunity, and a natural response
        would be, YES! At least that would be my response. All the
        essential preconditions for OS seem to be in place (real
        issue, complexity, etc) -- BUT ... There are some issues to
        consider. First, if by "fixing their system" the client means
        that the "traditional Organization" is going to be put back
        together as it once was, that is a real problem, I think. The
        reason is simple -- the root of their problems is precisely
        the system (understanding of organization) they were working
        under. Make it even stronger. Were I to design a system that
        would maximize separation and alienation, minimize creativity
        and collaboration -- I don't think I could do any better than
        the system they were operating under. Fixing, or restoring
        that system would only compound their misery. Secondly, Doing
        an Open Space in that organization is quite likely to increase
        the general dissatisfaction with how things are done. As one
        senior executive from a very traditional organization said to
        me following an Open Space we did, "You have ruined me for
        work in this place. I am not sure whether to thank you or hate
        you." Talk about being caught on the horns of a dilemma! If
        fully successful with my task (opening space), I will have
        failed the clients' primary expectations (fixing the system)
        and simultaneously raised the level employee dissatisfaction.

        All true, I think. And I would still do the Open Space, but my
        reasons could cause some problems unless very carefully
        explained, and that explanation itself is problematical. At
        one level I will do the Open Space because I know that it will
        enable people to be more comfortable, powerful, sure of
        themselves. That's the easy part. But at another level I will
        do the Open Space in order to introduce anomaly... one more
        nudge towards Paradigm Shift.

        I know full well that I can't shift paradigms for people. The
        same is true of Transformation, which has a lot to do with
        paradigm shift. Both will happen all by themselves...or not.
        But I can and will nudge when given the opportunity. After
        that it is all about waiting...

        So what do you think about all that?

        Harrison

        Harrison Owen

        7808 River Falls Dr.

        Potomac, MD 20854

        USA

        189 Beaucaire Ave. (summer)

        Camden, Maine 04843

        Phone 301-365-2093 <tel:301-365-2093>

        (summer) 207-763-3261 <tel: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>
        [mailto:oslist-boun...@lists.openspacetech.org] *On Behalf Of
        *David Osborne
        *Sent:* Monday, February 03, 2014 9:47 AM
        *To:* World wide Open Space Technology email list
        *Subject:* Re: [OSList] Trust

        I'm not sure I agree OS fails as a management
        tool.....Self-Organization has become the lens I look at all
        my work as an individual who supports groups and organizations
        in change and in my leadership and management development
        work. It's not an either / or for me os works or doesn't work
        as a management tool.

        Leadership is simply supporting an organization in moving
        toward its goals. The invitation in OS is the goal or issue
        that people care about. What I have found is that as I'm able
        to share the conditions that support self-organization and how
        they can be integrated into individuals leadership approach
        that the leaders move toward approaches that support greater
        and greater self-organization. This is not top-down,
        traditional leadership or management. As you propose in
        Wave-Rider Harrison, I believe the principles of OS /
        self-organization can be integrated as a leadership approach
        with great results.

        David

        On Mon, Feb 3, 2014 at 8:57 AM, Harrison Owen
        <hho...@verizon.net <mailto:hho...@verizon.net>> wrote:

        David -- I would totally agree that OS "utterly fails as a
        management tool." Then again I think that OS shares this
        fate/condition with all other "management tools," at least as
        I understand "management" and "tool" in the context of
        enabling effective human performance. And thereby hang the
        beginning of a long and useful discussion, I think.

        ho

        Harrison Owen

        7808 River Falls Dr.

        Potomac, MD 20854

        USA

        189 Beaucaire Ave. (summer)

        Camden, Maine 04843

        Phone 301-365-2093 <tel:301-365-2093>

        (summer) 207-763-3261 <tel: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>
        [mailto:oslist-boun...@lists.openspacetech.org
        <mailto:oslist-boun...@lists.openspacetech.org>] *On Behalf Of
        *David stevenson
        *Sent:* Monday, February 03, 2014 1:51 AM
        *To:* World wide Open Space Technology email list
        *Subject:* Re: [OSList] Trust

        Ho indeed Harrison! OpenSpace opens space for freedom of
        spirit and heart, choice and the weaving of our fates and
        destinies with that of our world, it does not achieve
        complience and so, at least to the extent that people are to
        be managed...

        On Saturday, February 1, 2014, Harrison Owen
        <hho...@verizon.net <mailto:hho...@verizon.net>> wrote:

        Brendan said: "And in my view , all germinating from that
        initial transfer of trust between mentor and sponsor" Right
        on! I don't think it makes a bit of difference how elegantly
        one "does" the Open Space. It is really all about TRUST. When
        I said that anybody with a good heart and good mind can "do
        it," that is just a long winded way of saying what I've always
        found to be true. Expertise is interesting. Integrity and
        Trust are essential. A new comer to the OS world, opening
        space for the very first time, muffing some lines, and
        forgetting others -- can do every bit as well as a 20 year
        veteran. The coin of the realm is Integrity, authenticity,
        trust. But none of that should be news, for that trio is the
        bedrock of all positive human encounter, I think. Which may
        just be another way of pointing out that OS is not some
        special process we do, it is just life lived well. Or something.

        ho

        Harrison Owen

        7808 River Falls Dr.

        Potomac, MD 20854

        USA

        189 Beaucaire Ave. (summer)

        Camden, Maine 04843

        Phone 301-365-2093 <tel:301-365-2093>

        (summer) 207-763-3261 <tel: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>
        [mailto:oslist-boun...@lists.openspacetech.org] *On Behalf Of
        *Brendan McKeague
        *Sent:* Saturday, February 01, 2014 12:57 AM
        *To:* World wide Open Space Technology email list
        *Subject:* Re: [OSList] Sponsor PreWork Conversation (long)

        A very interesting question Chuni Li...

        The sponsor was being mentored by one of my colleagues in our
        local Open Space community of practice (Wave Riders) who
        suggested to him that OS was the right method/model for the
        task at hand.  As his coach (the formal role as perceived by
        the organisation), my colleague encouraged the sponsor to get
        in touch with me to avoid any perceived conflict of interest.
        The sponsor researched OS for himself first and then engaged
        me to provide the specialist knowledge....Harrison often says
        that anyone with a good heart and head can open space - and I
        agree - while at the same time, I acknowledge that 'Open Space
        wisdom' is often helpful, if not necessary, in situations of
        increased complexity and potential conflict.

        After his initial attraction to OS in theory, and as part of
        his research, the sponsor then ran a mini Open Space within
        his own jurisdiction to see how it worked in reality - he
        wished to speak from his lived experience when engaging with
        his higher-uppers.  He also watched a few of the growing
        library of YouTube clips that are so wonderful for educating
        potential sponsors.

        Now totally convinced, the transfer of trust was complete at
        various levels....trusting the process (OST works) AND
        trusting the facilitator (who was aligned with the essence of
        OST - i.e living in it) AND trusting that both facilitator and
        process were 'fit-for-purpose' in this context.

        And in my view , all germinating from that initial transfer of
        trust between mentor and sponsor

        Hope this story helps

        Cheers Brendan

        On 31/01/2014, at 1:10 PM, chunili2...@yahoo.com
        <mailto:chunili2...@yahoo.com> wrote:

        Thank you Brendan for taking the time to organize and share
        this information - so precious and such a generous gift!

        I am curious about the sponsor who "put his neck out" to make
        the event happen.

        Had he experienced OST before? Did you have to "convince" him?
        What made him willing to "jump through the hoops?" Was it the
        OST process or was it you that he trusted?

        Chuni Li

        New Jersey

        *From:*Brendan Mc



-- David Stevenson
        Sent from Gmail Mobile


        _______________________________________________
        OSList mailing list
        To post send emails to OSList@lists.openspacetech.org
        <mailto:OSList@lists.openspacetech.org>
        To unsubscribe send an email to
        oslist-le...@lists.openspacetech.org
        <mailto:oslist-le...@lists.openspacetech.org>
        To subscribe or manage your subscription click below:
        http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org


        --

        David Osborne

        http://www.change-fusion.com/ChangeFusionLogo.jpg

        www.change-fusion.com <http://www.change-fusion.com> |
        dosbo...@change-fusion.com <mailto:dosbo...@change-fusion.com>
        | 703.939.1777 <tel:703.939.1777>


        _______________________________________________
        OSList mailing list
        To post send emails to OSList@lists.openspacetech.org
        <mailto:OSList@lists.openspacetech.org>
        To unsubscribe send an email to
        oslist-le...@lists.openspacetech.org
        <mailto:oslist-le...@lists.openspacetech.org>
        To subscribe or manage your subscription click below:
        http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org


        --

        David Osborne

        www.change-fusion.com <http://www.change-fusion.com> |
        dosbo...@change-fusion.com <mailto:dosbo...@change-fusion.com>
        | 703.939.1777 <tel:703.939.1777>


        _______________________________________________
        OSList mailing list
        To post send emails to OSList@lists.openspacetech.org
        <mailto:OSList@lists.openspacetech.org>
        To unsubscribe send an email to
        oslist-le...@lists.openspacetech.org
        <mailto:oslist-le...@lists.openspacetech.org>
        To subscribe or manage your subscription click below:
        http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org




    --

    David Osborne

    www.change-fusion.com <http://www.change-fusion.com> |
    dosbo...@change-fusion.com <mailto:dosbo...@change-fusion.com> |
    703.939.1777 <tel:703.939.1777>


    _______________________________________________
    OSList mailing list
    To post send emails to OSList@lists.openspacetech.org
    <mailto:OSList@lists.openspacetech.org>
    To unsubscribe send an email to
    oslist-le...@lists.openspacetech.org
    <mailto:oslist-le...@lists.openspacetech.org>
    To subscribe or manage your subscription click below:
    http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org




--
Suzanne Daigle
Open Space Facilitator
NuFocus Strategic Group

FL 941-359-8877
Cell: 203-722-2009
www.nufocusgroup.com <http://www.nufocusgroup.com>
s.dai...@nufocusgroup.com <mailto:s.dai...@nufocusgroup.com>
twitter @suzannedaigle


_______________________________________________
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

--

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

Reply via email to