Central Asia

Mon Aug 27 07:34:18 PDT 2001

Kenoli:

In response to your first question re implementation of FS event.  I always
advise clients (sponsors) in my initial introduction of the process, that
they will set their organization back about a decade if they go forward with
the conference and do not empower stakeholder action teams.  In fact, I have
now tied a two-day training session as part of the FS event to train
management and volunteer action teams how to successfully achieve their
goals of each action item.    I also keep in tough with the sponsors about
their progress.

After all, the whole issue, to me, is that we are dealing with potential,
which is quite intangible, and we must help the sponsors  and stakeholders
"muddle" through.

If I don't get the kind of commitment for such follow-up, I recommend
something of a more traditional nature until I can help the organization get
up to speed on being open.
----- Original Message -----
From: "kenoli Oleari" <kenoli at IGC.ORG>
To: <OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
Sent: Sunday, August 26, 2001 2:45 PM
Subject: Re: Central Asia

> Jo and Kerry --
>
> I just returned from Indonesia where two others and I trained 40
> Indonesian facilitators in Future Search methodology with the
> intention of leaving them with the skill to carry on the work in 41
> districts in Indonesia.  This work was done on behalf of UNICEF.
>
> Two of the questions that came up for us:
>
> 1.  We got similar results as you, Jo, as far as commitment to
> action.  We are wondering how to best support this without a
> continued relationship to the sponsor and, in particular, without
> assurances that (in our case) UNICEF will overcome its tendency for
> top down decisionmaking and ignore or abandon the action teams.  Do
> you have any agreements with the Red Cross?  Did you present the
> participants with any "givens" as far as expectations about continued
> support.  I know that there has been much discussion in the OS
> community about whether or not to put forth a list of "givens"
> (limitations on the influence of the group that can be realistically
> expected) to the participants so they will not have illusions about
> where their efforts stand.  We were concerned, because FS (as OS) is
> a model with the intent of empowering the participants to
> self-initiated action.  The relationship to the sponsor is critical
> in that if the participants are abandoned or ignored, it can be a
> very disillusioning and disempowering experience (of which most
> people have already had too many).  On another listserv, someone
> mentioned that he thought these kind of self-empowering methodologies
> should not be used in communities unless it is clear that the people
> there have the resources and support to really accomplish the goals
> they set out to accomplish.  It's important not to disempower people
> by assuming they won't be able to "muddle through" (as Harrison puts
> it) but it is also important not to set people up with unrealistic
> expectations.
>
> 2.  How will you handle followup from a distance? Will you stay in
> touch with these trainees?  How?  We know, for instance, that our
> facilitators will have to work with groups that don't all speak the
> same language or don't read or write any language.  In these cases
> they will have to adapt the process to meet these needs.  The
> advantage you have with Open space, is that it is a simpler
> methodology to facilitate than Future Search and wouldn't need as
> much adaptation in the cases I mentioned.  Even so, there are certain
> fundamental principles that need to stay intact for it to be most
> effective.  Like the issue of givens, for instance.
>
> It is fascinating to see these process models move into different
> social and cultural contexts.
>
> Kenoli
>
>
>
> >Dear Jo Toepfer
> >
> >You may have a first there but check with Elwin just to be sure.  I
> >am opening space in Yerevan, Armenia on 25 and 26 September,
> >hopefully leaving 10 people with enough training to be
> >self-sustaining.
> >
> >Keep up the pioneering work!
> >
> >Best regards
> >
> >Kerry Napuk
> >Open Futures
> >Edinburgh
> >Scotland
> >
> >www.openfutures.com
> >
> >*
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>
> --
> Kenoli Oleari, Horizons of Change, http://www.horizonsofchange.com
> 1801 Fairview Street, Berkeley, CA  94703   Voice Phone: 510-601-8217,
> Fax: 510-595-8369, Email: kenoli at igc.org (or click on:
mailto://kenoli@igc.org)
>
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>From  Mon Aug 27 11:22:13 2001
Message-Id: <MON.27.AUG.2001.112213.0500.>
Date: Mon, 27 Aug 2001 11:22:13 -0500
Reply-To: dwcox at astate.edu
To: OSLIST <OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
From: David Cox <dwcox at astate.edu>
Subject: Book Review
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Someone from the OS list recently mentioned Peter Block. Here is a copy of
the book review I did for amazon.com on a new book (just released in July)
by Peter Koestenbaum and Peter Block, Freedom and Accountability at Work:
Applying Philosphic Insight for the Real World

I definitely think this book would be of interest to OS facilitators
Koestenbaum and Block have put together a book that is head and shoulders
above anything I have read in the leadership domain in a long time. This is
a book with deep penetrating messages that go to the very heart of what it
means to be a human being and to bring our authentic selves to the
workplace. It's obvious that Koestenbaum has played a major role in Block's
philosophical underpinnings as a management consultant. The two scholars
share a special bond and admiration for one another that make for a special
book.

The book is organized into four parts with Block introducing each part
followed by chapters that are adaptations of Koestenbaum's 1970's writings
on existential philosophy. Then Block wraps up each part with implications
for the workplace in general and for leadership in particular. What makes
this book so special is its attention to the fundamental issues of human
existence: freedom (free will) and accountability (responsibility) (Part I),
anxiety (Part II), death and evil (Part III), and guilt (Part IV). The
concepts are integrated into what they call "philosophic insight" that make
for fully human organizations. Koestenbaum concludes the book with a
summation, reminiscence, and glossary.

This is a book that spoke to me on both a personal level and as a
professional educator. The insights are profound and get to the core issues
of leadership. My hunch is it will be a classic. This is a book I will savor
and read over and over again for many years to come. I will recommend it to
others, as I am doing now, every chance I get.

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<DIV><FONT size=3D2><FONT face=3DArial><SPAN =
class=3D004141516-27082001>Someone from=20
the OS list recently mentioned Peter Block. Here is a copy of the book =
review I=20
did for amazon.com on a new book (just released in July) by Peter =
Koestenbaum=20
and Peter Block, <U>Freedom and Accountability at Work: Applying =
Philosphic=20
Insight for the Real World</U></SPAN></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2><FONT face=3DArial><SPAN=20
class=3D004141516-27082001></SPAN></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2><FONT face=3DArial><SPAN =
class=3D004141516-27082001>I definitely=20
think this book would be of interest to OS=20
facilitators</SPAN></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<P><FONT size=3D2>Koestenbaum and Block have put together a book that is =
head and=20
shoulders above anything I have read in the leadership domain in a long =
time.=20
This is a book with deep penetrating messages that go to the very heart =
of what=20
it means to be a human being and to bring our authentic selves to the =
workplace.=20
It's obvious that Koestenbaum has played a major role in Block's =
philosophical=20
underpinnings as a management consultant. The two scholars share a =
special bond=20
and admiration for one another that make for a special book.<BR><BR>The =
book is=20
organized into four parts with Block introducing each part followed by =
chapters=20
that are adaptations of Koestenbaum's 1970's writings on existential =
philosophy.=20
Then Block wraps up each part with implications for the workplace in =
general and=20
for leadership in particular. What makes this book so special is its =
attention=20
to the fundamental issues of human existence: freedom (free will) and=20
accountability (responsibility) (Part I), anxiety (Part II), death and =
evil=20
(Part III), and guilt (Part IV). The concepts are integrated into what =
they call=20
"philosophic insight" that make for fully human organizations. =
Koestenbaum=20
concludes the book with a summation, reminiscence, and =
glossary.<BR><BR>This is=20
a book that spoke to me on both a personal level and as a professional =
educator.=20
The insights are profound and get to the core issues of leadership. My =
hunch is=20
it will be a classic. This is a book I will savor and read over and over =
again=20
for many years to come. I will recommend it to others, as I am doing =
now, every=20
chance I get.</FONT></P></BODY></HTML>

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