continuity and change

Larry Peterson lpasoc at inforamp.net
Thu Oct 29 16:42:41 PST 1998


I'm motivated to get in on the discussion even though it is hard to talk
about. Richard and Christine I agree that purpose is the invisible leader
and part of that which leads to "order". I don't see order and chaos as
intersecting circles. I believe (with A.N. Whitehead and few others) that
everything is in a process of becoming, every thing is becoming what it is
in every moment. In that way, everything is changing (or choosing to be
what it is) in every moment. What we see as order is really pattern in that
becoming. When there is no "predictable" pattern, we call it chaos
(although we now see meta-pattern in chaos). Both are part of the flow of
becoming. Order leads to chaos and out of chaos order emerges, some cycles
are longer or shorter. Intent or purpose do help, but so does
synchronicity, or grace or order for free, that is beyond our wildest
intent or purpose. The patterns, learnings, breakthroughs that emerge in
Open Space are partly related to the theme or intent but often the
surprises go far beyond (or far deeper) than that.

Larry

Larry Peterson
Associates in Transformation
41 Appleton Ave., Toronto, ON,
Canada, M6E 3A4
Tel:/Fax: 416-653-4829

lpasoc at inforamp.net
http://www.inforamp.net/~lpasoc


-----Original Message-----
From:   Richard Charles Holloway [SMTP:learnshops at THRESHOLDS.COM]
Sent:   Thursday, October 29, 1998 2:36 PM
To:     OSLIST at LISTSERV.IDBSU.EDU
Subject:        Re: continuity and change

Christine, I'm glad you brought "purpose" into this conversation.  After
"bumping" into a comment made by Mary Parker Follett that "purpose is the
invisible leader," and then applying that profound thought to the dynamics
of
open space and the issue of autonomy in the workplace, I've made it one of
my
guiding precepts.  Shared purpose is the invisible leader around which
people
organize themselves to accomplish organizational or community activities.
Mindfulness is the analytical activity through which we continuously
compare our
actions and words to our purpose so that we can align our walk and our talk
and
our purpose into a cohesive whole.  Attentiveness is the observational
activity
through which we are mindful.  This is a learning feedback loop that
supports
single-loop and double-loop learning processes and the tiny (and sometimes
large) behavioral changes by which we stay aligned with our purpose.  A
life
lived this way demonstrates a unifying theme--some might say a vision--that
defines that life (individual, community or organizational).

I sincerely believe that "purpose" integrates the three characteristics of
a
living system (pattern, process and structure).

Certainly, the use of the framing question in Open Space speaks to each
person's
passion or pain, fostering our coming together for a shared purpose: to
contribute to and/or find practical solutions to our common situation.

Again, thanks for your contribution.  I confess I did "twinge" a bit by the
description of "building" a vision, but that's because growing seems to be
such
a more valuable description (within the context of living systems and
beings).
The Newtonian paradigm is one of building...the Prigognine (or current)
paradigm
seems to favor "growing" metaphors.

walk in peace,

Doc Holloway

ps. for those of you interested, the Journal of Living Systems is in it's
4th
issue -- if you haven't visited it, you might enjoy reading this latest
issue
and articles from the back issues.  You'll find it at the Thresholds URL
identified below.

--
"People always ask, "Is change over? Can we stop now?" You've got to tell
them,
"No, it's just begun." They must come to understand that change is a
continuing
process, not an event." -John F. Welch

Thresholds <http://www.thresholds.com>
Meeting Masters <http://www.thresholds.com/masters.html>
Richard Charles "Doc" Holloway - P.O. Box 641, Long Beach, WA 98631
Voice 360.642.8487 ICQ# 10849650



More information about the OSList mailing list