This is pretty funny, clever and tender hearted. Much like its subject.
Chris > On Dec 8, 2015, at 9:47 AM, Jeff Aitken via OSList > <oslist@lists.openspacetech.org> wrote: > > This fun and touching poem for Harrison was just put on Facebook by Rodney B. > Plimpton. Enjoy. > > "A few old time friends gathered in DC to celebrate Harrison's 80th last > week, and toasted him with this: > > To Harrison H. Owen on his 80th Birthday > > On December Second, Nineteen Thirty Five, > Harrison Owen did arrive. > No way that his parents could have known, > The fruits of the seeds that they had sown. > Early on he seemed a normal boy, > Though he preferred catching skunks to playing with toys. > But then Seminary, a stint as a biblical scholar? > Clearly not chasing the Almighty Dollar! > Community Organizer, way down in Dixie; > Peace Corps in Liberia, where things were quite tricxy. > Then back to DC, NIH, and VA; > A strange game indeed,that he chose to play. > Biblical Studies and Bureaucracy in the heart of the Nation > Combined in his head as Organizational Transformation! > After hosting some conferences that were way too much work, > He woke up one day, and said “I’m such a jerk!; > While agendas and details all keep me awake > The things people come for are good coffee breaks!” > From that realization, however belated, > His famed Open Space soon was created > From a simple experiment, thirty years ago, > The phenomenon has continued to grow > Now, thirty years, and nine books later, > It’s world-wide success could not be greater. > Self-Organization is at its’ core, > But Harrison’s message says so much more: > We’ve all been taught that Management’s Role > Is to Plan, Organize, Direct, and Control – > That’s all wrong, said this radical boy > Envision, Engage, Empower, Enjoy! > The paradox is -- by controlling the least > You get both High Performance and a true sense of Peace. > Results speak for themselves, and by any measure, > Harrison’s thinking has become a World Treasure. > But what of the man whom we know as our neighbor; > Modest, laid back, full of stories to savor? > On high seas he commands the Ethelyn Rose, > But on land who commands nobody knows! > One thing is for certain, we love and adore > This world-famous guru -- our good friend next door. > > Congratulations, Harrison, on your 80th; you done good." > > _______________________________________________ > 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 > Past archives can be viewed here: > http://www.mail-archive.com/oslist@lists.openspacetech.org
_______________________________________________ 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 Past archives can be viewed here: http://www.mail-archive.com/oslist@lists.openspacetech.org