Dan said - "As Open Space Facilitators, we (and we alone) are in a position to maintain the sanctity of Open Space, and prevent it from becoming a tool of manipulation and control in Agile adoptions."
Dan - I hear your thought, and can't help but appreciate your concern. But I have to say, I think you are worrying needlessly. My reasons are two. First, I really don't think that "we" (individually or all of us collectively) can do a thing about the miss-use of Open Space if that is what some folks choose to do. And I would agree that there is a very high likelihood that they will try, if for no other reason than that "manipulation and control" seems to be a driving force in management behavior generally, so why not in Agile Adoptions? Speaking personally, I just can't bring myself to the point of worrying about something I can do nothing about. Such worry consumes massive amounts of time and energy that I would rather expend elsewhere. My second reason is that I believe we have a very powerful Secret Agent. Open Space itself. In every situation I have encountered, where people have tried to make Open Space something it is not...there is a very natural self correction. It may not occur in the moment, but somewhere, sometime people come to realize that whatever it was they thought they were doing, it surely wasn't Open Space. And of course, the real losers are the managers and organizations that attempt to do the dastardly deed. Sort of rough justice, but I never worry about the "sanctity" of Open Space. That critter is alive and well, been that way for eons, and shows no signs of quitting. I can't quite say the same for a lot of contemporary organizations and managers, but people do make their choices. As the saying goes...You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink. 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 www.ho-image.com (Personal Website) To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of OSLIST Go to:http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org From: oslist-boun...@lists.openspacetech.org [mailto:oslist-boun...@lists.openspacetech.org] On Behalf Of Daniel Mezick Sent: Saturday, April 26, 2014 9:59 AM To: oslist@lists.openspacetech.org Subject: [OSList] Agile Adoptions, Open Space, and control There is a fellow named Ed Seykota. He innovates. He has 2 pairs of models: a pair for 1-to-1 relationships, and a pair for group & system level relationships. His models confirm and align with the philosophies and assumptions which form the foundation of Open Space: . All systems are open . All systems are self-organizing The Models (1) intimacy-centric and control-centric models for relationships; In a control-centric relationship, the parties go for control. They use manipulation, force, threats, guilt, etc. to get each other to "behave" properly. In an intimacy-centric relationship, the parties go for connection. Every event becomes an opportunity to become closer and more intimate. (2) causal and system models for dynamic behavior. In the causal model, we have a cause and an effect. You flip the switch and the light goes on. In the system model, you have inter-relating elements that co-evolve as their effects on each other change. Some examples of systems are a thermostat that intends to keep the temperature in the room constant and a futures market that intends to find a price that balances supply, demand and other speculative interests. Politicians typically apply the causal model to economic situations so as to find a convenient "cause" that justifies expenditures on their pet projects. Now, what is interesting & concerning (to me) is the way the so-called Agile institutions tacitly support the control-centric model for relationships and the causal model for dynamic behavior, in Agile adoptions. Throughout the world. I am an Agile consultant. I choose to focus my attention on finding ways to reduce the number of coaching days, such that organizations can reach a state of self-sustaining, "freestanding" agility faster. And here is what I have discovered: to speed up the process of change, the people in the situation have to actually consent to the change. They must be willing. They must be choosing freely. High Performance in Agile adoptions is a function of opt-in willingness to proceed on the part of the people who actually do the work. Sound familiar? Typical Agile adoptions today are implemented as imposed and mandated process change. By "management". By "formally authorized leadership." This is the control-centric model for relationships. Typical Agile adoptions today are implemented as imposed, mandated process change. The assumption is that if we can just "make them do this or that", we can "cause" improvement in the organization. This is the causal model for system behavior. This is a very serious problem in our world, and one that the so-called Agile institutions are just not addressing. The Agile Alliance, for example, has various policy statements. Yet the Agile Alliance has no policy statement whatsoever regarding the harmful, mandated imposition of Agile practices. This amounts to a rubber-stamping of the control-centric, causal, imposed-Agile "status quo" that we see in the world today. Open Space can help with Agile adoptions, but only if the Facilitator is unwilling to implement the control-centric model for relationships, and only if the Facilitator is unwilling to implement the causal model for social-system behavior. Well-intentioned management often just does not see it that way. I'm concerned that we are entering a period where, absent any clear position statement on mandated-Agile from the so-called Agile institutions, we can expect trouble in the way Open Space evolves in the Agile-adoption marketplace. As Open Space Facilitators, we (and we alone) are in a position to maintain the sanctity of Open Space, and prevent it from becoming a tool of manipulation and control in Agile adoptions. Daniel Related Link: The Agile Imposition http://martinfowler.com/bliki/AgileImposition.html Related Link: Sample Agile Alliance policy statement on certification http://www.agilealliance.org/news/agile-certification-a-position-statement/ Control vs Intimacy Model for 1-to-1 Relationships; Causal vs System Model for Groups http://www.seykota.com/tt/workshops/examples.html -- Daniel Mezick, President New Technology Solutions Inc. (203) 915 7248 (cell) Bio <http://newtechusa.net/dan-mezick/> . <http://newtechusa.net/blog/> Blog. <http://twitter.com/#%21/danmezick/> Twitter. Examine my new book: <http://newtechusa.net/about/the-culture-game-book/> The Culture Game : Tools for the Agile Manager. Explore Agile Team <http://newtechusa.net/services/agile-scrum-training/> Training and <http://newtechusa.net/services/agile-scrum-coaching/> Coaching. Explore the <http://newtechusa.net/user-groups/ma/> Agile Boston 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
