Questions and links to Spiral Dynamics
Meg Salter
meg.salter at sympatico.ca
Mon Sep 11 09:46:19 PDT 2000
I read Spiral Dynamics a number of years ago, and agree with Larry that it
readily links up with Ken Wilber's work and Harrison's. And I am sure that
Open Space can be used as a transformative gateway to help move an
organization from one level to another.
What I am curious about is the use of Open Space with organizations (maybe
smaller, entrpeneurial) who are at the pro-active or resposive stage, and
need to move beyond that. One example I am thinking of is the
brilliant,tyrannical engineer type heading a high-tech start-up, who can't
give up personal control.In Harrison's training last year, he referred to
"giving up control" in moving beyond the pro-active organizational stage
(equivalent to orange meme?) It seems to me that Open Space would still work
here, even if what the organization needs to do is delegate control and
embed it more in the organization, not in the founder. (i.e. we're still a
long way from inter-active!).
Does anyone have any experience in this kind of situation?
Meg Salter
MegaSpace Consultants
meg.salter at sympatico.ca
----- Original Message -----
From: "Larry Peterson" <lpasoc at inforamp.net>
To: <OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
Sent: Sunday, September 10, 2000 2:31 PM
Subject: Re: Questions and links to Spiral Dynamics
> I have been exploring Spiral Dynamics for about a week now that I'm
reading
> "A Theory of Everything". Ken Wilbur is moving his ideas toward more
> specific application and he thinks "Spiral Dynamics" is right on to his
> image of nested holons. I'm going to explore it more and thanks for the
web
> site. Ken's article is pretty much what he put in the book.
>
> To me it is an elaboration of Harrision's (and Eric Trist's) Reactive,
> Responsive, Pro-active, Interactive, Inspired. Ken Wilbur's thinking
about
> stages and transformation has got my wheels turning about what
> "transformation" in organizations really means. There is transformative
> experience, which may or may not shift the organization to a new stage of
> consciousness or necessarily create the conditions for the new stage to
> become an ongoing trait. I agree with Birgitt that that the shift is
> turbulent and the formal leadership is citical to making it an ongoing
> trait. There is a translative task that has to "work--be grokked" for the
> leadership and the organization to sustain the shift. I'm working with a
> couple of clients in large systems now who have used enough Open Space
that
> I can begin to experience the dynamics there.
>
> Spiral Dynamics, as I understand it, helps to clarify metaphors for the
> coherent states.
>
> 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
>
> *
> *
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>From Mon Sep 11 15:17:12 2000
Message-Id: <MON.11.SEP.2000.151712.0400.>
Date: Mon, 11 Sep 2000 15:17:12 -0400
Reply-To: birgitt at mindspring.com
To: OSLIST <OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
From: Birgitt Williams <birgitt at mindspring.com>
Subject: Re: when a client hires Open Space Technology,
is this what she gets?
In-Reply-To: <4.3.2.7.0.20000903081323.00c38100 at pop.mindspring.com>
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Harrison wrote
So am I anti-convergence? Absolutely not -- but I find that the useful
criteria are "context and need." And both change with circumstances. So
what's right? It all depends.
Of course, one solution to the whole dilemma is that "we" (whoever "we" is)
offer some sort of formal certification in OST. But then we would have to
enforce it -- and spend a lot of time bringing the perpetrators of malignant
Open Space to the bar of justice. Actually, I would choose to spend my time
opening good space, and let the folks make their choice. At the end of the
day I suspect that Open Space (Technology) needs lots of Open Space -- and
it will survive -- or
not.************************************************************************
************************************************************************
Harrison,
I smiled. I know how you feel about certification and I of course feel the
same way. And certification doesn't imply competence and so on. And the
words of certification, I have found, mean different things in different
cultures. Nevertheless, as I think about this and put my own energies into
both doing as much good OST work as I can and taking many people through
learning journeys to wrestle with this Open Space Technology, I also wonder
if there couldn't be something that when a client hires Open Space
Technology, that this is actually what he/she gets. I don't see the solution
to this coming from linear thinking and tried and true but ineffective means
such as certification. What I was grasping for came out of what I think of
as a tradition of a medicine man or medicine woman mentoring someone to
learn their art and then taking them through an initiation/ritual to show
the sacredness of the honor and privilege and responsibility now bestowed.
OST, well done, is sacred work. I am opening space here, if anyone is
interested in wondering, creating, and being quite divergent in thinking
about this question that I am raising that I think is a valid one. So, let's
go from a "given" that says no certification, no judge, etc etc etc and see
if there is any interest in exploring this question of maintaining enough
"duplicability" of the "prototype" that is Open Space Technology, that we
are doing something important to maintain its credibility.
When I am handed a recipe for a cake by a trusted friend, I assume she tells
me all of the ingredients so that I can duplicate her creation. After I've
duplicated it several times, I may choose to use "fat free" ingredients
instead of the original recipe. This is fine. I at least made my decision
from a sound starting point. Likewise with OST, I think we owe it to people
who are learning to share the whole recipe. And if we are doing an OST event
that is not including the whole recipe, that we acknowledge this with words,
so that we paint a word picture of other things that are possible.
I think I have the ingredients. Which means, when I am doing an Open Space
Technology meeting inside of an organization, and the topic is about the
future, I would choose the ingredients that include a form of convergence
and intentional action planning. If I am doing an Open Space Technology
meeting, where people are invited for their own learning, maybe because they
intend to write a book and come to do research, I would not build in
convergence and may in fact not even build in the taking of reports for a
book of proceedings. I would however, acknowledge these decisions to the
group so that they know that there is other potential with OST. I would not
want people leaving the OST meeting that was done without reports,
computers, convergence, maybe even no walking the circle --going out and
repeating exactly this and thinking it was OST with all of the deliverables
that we list.
I see part of the answer lying in the story we tell of what OST is, in all
of its glory when we have a gathering of people. I think far too many people
are not getting the full story and then the spread of OST comes from an
incomplete recipe. I would like to see if collectively we have any wisdom
about this. Maybe I am the only one concerned about this. So be it.
For me, whenever I do an OST meeting, I tell the story of what it is with
all of its ingredients when action planning and fine attention to detail are
needed. We might not do it that way at that meeting, because the need is
different. And I have a handout describing OST. I do this because I want to
promote OST in the world by sharing the whole recipe.
Birgitt
Birgitt Williams
Make Genuine Contact!
Dalar Associates: organizational
effectiveness consultants
Striving for Success? Ready to exceed
your expectations?
Contact us for consulting services, training,
conference and meeting facilitation,
and keynote speaking.
www.openspacetechnology.com
Harrison
Harrison Owen
7808 River Falls Drive
Potomac, MD 20854 USA
phone 301-469-9269
fax 301-983-9314
Summer Phone 207-763-3261
Summer Address
189 Beaucaire Ave.
Camden, ME 04843
website www.mindspring.com/~owenhh
Open Space Institute website www.openspaceworld.org
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<DIV><FONT color=3D#0000ff face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D820032503-08092000>Harrison wrote</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#0000ff face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D820032503-08092000></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#0000ff face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN =
class=3D820032503-08092000>So am=20
I anti-convergence? Absolutely not -- but I find that the useful =
criteria are=20
"context and need." And both change with circumstances. So what's right? =
It all=20
depends. <BR><BR>Of course, one solution to the whole dilemma is that =
"we"=20
(whoever "we" is) offer some sort of formal certification in OST. But =
then we=20
would have to enforce it -- and spend a lot of time bringing the =
perpetrators of=20
malignant Open Space to the bar of justice. Actually, I would choose to =
spend my=20
time opening good space, and let the folks make their choice. At the end =
of the=20
day I suspect that Open Space (Technology) needs lots of Open Space -- =
and it=20
will survive -- or=20
not.*********************************************************************=
*************************************************************************=
**</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#0000ff face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D820032503-08092000></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#0000ff face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D820032503-08092000>Harrison,</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#0000ff face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN =
class=3D820032503-08092000>I=20
smiled. I know how you feel about certification and I of course feel the =
same=20
way. And certification doesn't imply competence and so on. And the words =
of=20
certification, I have found, mean different things in different =
cultures.=20
Nevertheless, as I think about this and put my own energies into both =
doing as=20
much good OST work as I can and taking many people through learning =
journeys to=20
wrestle with this Open Space Technology, I also wonder if there couldn't =
be=20
something that when a client hires Open Space Technology, that this is =
actually=20
what he/she gets. I don't see the solution to this coming from linear =
thinking=20
and tried and true but ineffective means such as certification. What I =
was=20
grasping for came out of what I think of as a tradition of a medicine =
man or=20
medicine woman mentoring someone to learn their art and then taking them =
through=20
an initiation/ritual to show the sacredness of the honor and privilege =
and=20
responsibility now bestowed. OST, well done, is sacred work. I am =
opening=20
space here, if anyone is interested in wondering, creating, and being =
quite=20
divergent in thinking about this question that I am raising that I think =
is a=20
valid one. So, let's go from a "given" that says no certification, no =
judge, etc=20
etc etc and see if there is any interest in exploring this question of=20
maintaining enough "duplicability" of the "prototype" that is Open Space =
Technology, that we are doing something important to maintain its=20
credibility. </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#0000ff face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D820032503-08092000></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#0000ff face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN =
class=3D820032503-08092000>When I=20
am handed a recipe for a cake by a trusted friend, I assume she tells me =
all of=20
the ingredients so that I can duplicate her creation. After I've =
duplicated it=20
several times, I may choose to use "fat free" ingredients instead of the =
original recipe. This is fine. I at least made my decision from a sound =
starting=20
point. Likewise with OST, I think we owe it to people who are learning =
to share=20
the whole recipe. And if we are doing an OST event that is not including =
the=20
whole recipe, that we acknowledge this with words, so that we paint a =
word=20
picture of other things that are possible. </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#0000ff face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D820032503-08092000></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#0000ff face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN =
class=3D820032503-08092000>I=20
think I have the ingredients. Which means, when I am doing an Open Space =
Technology meeting inside of an organization, and the topic is about the =
future,=20
I would choose the ingredients that include a form of convergence and=20
intentional action planning. If I am doing an Open Space Technology =
meeting,=20
where people are invited for their own learning, maybe because they =
intend to=20
write a book and come to do research, I would not build in convergence =
and may=20
in fact not even build in the taking of reports for a book of =
proceedings. I=20
would however, acknowledge these decisions to the group so that they =
know that=20
there is other potential with OST. I would not want people leaving the =
OST=20
meeting that was done without reports, computers, convergence, maybe =
even no=20
walking the circle --going out and repeating exactly this and thinking =
it was=20
OST with all of the deliverables that we list.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#0000ff face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D820032503-08092000></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#0000ff face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN =
class=3D820032503-08092000>I see=20
part of the answer lying in the story we tell of what OST is, in all of =
its=20
glory when we have a gathering of people. I think far too many people =
are not=20
getting the full story and then the spread of OST comes from an =
incomplete=20
recipe. I would like to see if collectively we have any wisdom about =
this. Maybe=20
I am the only one concerned about this. So be it.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#0000ff face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D820032503-08092000></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#0000ff face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN =
class=3D820032503-08092000>For=20
me, whenever I do an OST meeting, I tell the story of what it is with =
all of its=20
ingredients when action planning and fine attention to detail are =
needed. We=20
might not do it that way at that meeting, because the need is different. =
And I=20
have a handout describing OST. I do this because I want to promote OST =
in the=20
world by sharing the whole recipe.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#0000ff face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D820032503-08092000></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#0000ff face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D820032503-08092000>Birgitt</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2><FONT face=3D"Arial =
Black"></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2><FONT face=3D"Arial =
Black"></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2><FONT face=3D"Arial Black">Birgitt =
Williams</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Arial Black" size=3D2>Make Genuine =
Contact!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Arial Black" size=3D2>Dalar Associates: =
organizational=20
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Arial Black" size=3D2>effectiveness =
consultants</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Arial Black" size=3D2>Striving for Success? Ready to =
exceed=20
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Arial Black" size=3D2>your expectations?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Arial Black" size=3D2>Contact us for consulting =
services,=20
</FONT><FONT face=3D"Arial Black" size=3D2>training, </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Arial Black" size=3D2>conference and meeting =
facilitation,=20
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Arial Black" size=3D2>and keynote =
speaking.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Arial Black" size=3D2><A=20
href=3D"http://www.openspacetechnology.com/">www.openspacetechnology.com<=
/A></FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE style=3D"MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">Harrison <BR><BR>
<DIV align=3Dcenter>Harrison Owen<BR>7808 River Falls =
Drive<BR>Potomac, MD 20854=20
USA<BR>phone 301-469-9269<BR>fax 301-983-9314<BR>Summer Phone=20
207-763-3261<BR>Summer Address<BR>189 Beaucaire Ave.<BR>Camden, ME=20
04843<BR>website <A href=3D"http://www.mindspring.com/~owenhh"=20
eudora=3D"autourl">www.mindspring.com/~owenhh</A><BR>Open Space =
Institute=20
website <A href=3D"http://www.openspaceworld.org/"=20
=
eudora=3D"autourl">www.openspaceworld.org</A><BR></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BOD=
Y></HTML>
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