SV: A Newbie...

[Thomas Herrmann]

Dear David
It was such a pleasure to meet you in Australia. Thanks for sharing your
story. It seems to be the same all over the globe, with exception for a few
islands here and there. Please let me know when you have got something that
you would like to share from all the material you gathered during OSonOS.
Best regards
Thomas Herrmann
  -----Ursprungligt meddelande-----
  Från: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU]För David Smith
  Skickat: den 18 december 2002 10:21
  Till: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
  Ämne: A Newbie...


  Hello, Open Spacers,
  This email is to introduce myself to the list.

  My name is David and I have been a research physiologist, TV
producer/presenter, author and museum exhibition developer. I gained
interest in Open Space through a period of intense frustration with
'conventional' management systems, especially within - but clearly not
restricted to - government.

  In November this year I video'd the OSonOSinOZ, at Marysville in
Australia, partly to discover more about what Open Space "is". I learned a
lot. You may have the chance to see my 4-minute distillation from 10
fascinating hours of tape...

  My first email to Birgitt Bolton/Williams is copied below to illustrate
something of where I came from.
  I found the Open Space in Australia uplifting and deeply moving. I can
explain more about that if anyone is interested. I look forward to dialogues
with open-minded, flexible, creative and positive minds.
  Best
  David

  Dear Birgitt,
  I heard you speaking on the radio when you were in Melbourne last year and
was impressed to the point of amazement.
  You asked - "Why is it that companies spend so much time and energy
selecting and appointing the best suited and most creative people and then
prevent them from being creative?"

  As a film maker and writer with a very strong drive to be creative, I find
myself shackled in my current position as a Program Director at Melbourne
Museum.

  Consider this: Last year was International Year of Elderly Persons. I had
established a great relationsjhip with staff at the National Ageing Research
Institute here in Melbourne. Together with our Outreach Services group I set
up a Public Forum on the theme "Use it or lose it!". My line manager chided
me for doing this, saying " But  it's not in the Business Plan, can't you
organise it for the following year?" This, quite frankly enraged me, though
I really felt very much alone with that reaction.

  Then consider this: I have on my desk an A3 form which sets out in
extraordinary detail the process required in order to produce a publication.
This chart has to be seen to be believed. It is in 10 point type, has five
columns of steps and there, right in the middle, is a single line "AUTHOR
WRITES BOOK". When this was tabled at one of our interminable meetings I was
the only one who laughed.

  Then I heard your interview and I felt immensely relieved that there were
other people - perhaps many other people around the world who smelled the
same big fat rat in the way corporations seemed to be stifling people while
espousing all sorts of lofty ideals in their mission statements etc.

  So I contacted Brian Bainbridge and began exploring your Open Space ideas.
I purchased The Rise & Fall of Strategic Planning which forms a wonderful
companion read to The Unconscious Civilisation. Then I learned that my
friends at Hamilton in western Victoria had worked very successfully with
Open Space.

  I mentioned my concerns and Open Space to one of our senior managers here
at the museum and he said he would be very interested in hearing more about
Open Space. (He's a rather unusual manager in this place in that he retains
a high level of flexibility - thinks right OUTSIDE the box). As I mentioned
to Brian, I would love to have Open Space presented to our management, but
I'm concerned that it be done really well from the outset - that's why I
asked whether you would be in Australia in 2000.

  Can you advise me how to proceed? I'd be happy to provide far more
information about the organisation and the sort of issues that concern me,
but really wanted to touch base first and get your initial reaction.

  I look forward to hearing from you!
  Best regards,
  David

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