OST and OSO - a personal perspective

[Artur F. Silva]

Dear Colleagues:

Some of us are more able than others to tell a story in an objective
way, detaching them from the story. I am afraid I am not one
of those ;-((   And some are able to tell a story in a synthetic way.
Again, I am afraid that is not my style ;-((

I was trying to answer to Birgitt's superb mail, and part of my story
was always interfering with it. But there are situations where objective
story (or comments) must be separated from personal history. So
I decided to concentrate here the personnel part (no one is obliged
to read) and make my comments in a separate mail.

I know that some of you consider themselves (or the part of your lives
you dedicate to OST) as "event facilitators". Some others consider
themselves as "trainers". I consider myself to be a "consultant".
Of course, I do training and I do event facilitation - but that IS NEVER
my objective, it is part of a larger assignment.

For many years I have considered myself an IS consultant. Then I
discovered that I was an "organisational change consultant",
namely - but not exclusively - trough IS/IT, helping my customers
(always companies or organisation) to change or transform.
I have also discovered that I should consult more on process
than on content and hence I become to call myself a "org
change facilitator" or "enabler" (sometimes a coach). But never
an "event facilitator". I am stressing that to show that "event
facilitators" and "org consultants" (or "org change enablers",
or "org transform facilitators") have different perspectives and interests.

Then in 1988 I have discovered that my job was closely interconnected
with organisation learning, and I have discovered (from de Geus, not
from Senge) the concept of the learning organisation. But from the
stories I could come to know, no real organisational transformation
was happening, neither any LO was being created :-(((((

In the LO-list, I have known about OST and this list and I have subscribed.
Immediately after I ordered HO's OST Guide. I thought it was so clear,
I could immediately apply it. Was I an event facilitator and I would have.
But I wasn't. As a consultant I was not so much interested about
the immediate effects as I was about the "durable effects". Reading the
OST Guide I liked very much Chapter XIII, "What Next?", namely the
part on "organisation Interventions" and LOs. And I have hand-wrote a
note on the book saying: "what are the experiences of REPEATED
OST events in the same organisation? what are the results about
long term effects of OST use?  Are there any Open Space
Organisations?" Those were the things that FOR ME would make
a difference.

Then I bought and red ALL the other books from Harrison (yes, I am
very persistent) but I couldn't find any sign of what I was searching for.
Except - but only partially - a story from Birgitt Bolton in "Tales". From
a small phrase there "We are an alive being" (that could have been written
by de Gues) I understood I was after something. But in relation with
repeated use of OS, the Story was unclear and no concrete examples
of repeated OST's were described and the suggestions given
(Storytelling, Permission, The Chief leader, Spirit, Chaos, Language,
Appropriate Structure) were things I could find in any other management
story.

In Berlin I signed up for many of Birgitt's sessions (namely on OSO,
CEO, and some others), because I was more interested in "continuous
transformation" that at "even facilitation". The OSO session was good but
it was not - and it couldn't be - a detailed story.

So I have received "My story with OSO" with a great enthusiasm.
FINNALY some of my questions would be answered. It was big,
I know. And I also know that many people don't like big mails. For me
a mail is like a novel or a poem - some are short, some are long;
and the time to read is not an indicator of quality.

So I have printed it and wait until I had time to read it. It took me
3 hours today.

My opinions? You will see them in my next mail ;-)

Regards

Artur

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