OST, OD, etc.

[Harrison Owen]

At 07:42 PM 9/27/2002 -0400, Meg Salter wrote:
>In truth, now that Iook back, I was feeling a bit snarly, so I should
>perhaps recant any unintended slights on other communities/ practices/
>approaches etc. I guess what really struck me - and still does - is how
>people are talking complexity/ self-organizing systems theory (and yes -
>this is conference talk, not client talk!)  and then still trying to
>organize systems. Or be experts. And how fundamental that is to our
>conception of the world - for so many. And how profound is the shift from
>that world view.
>
>As Martin said , many people "get" self-organizing as a cognitive concept,
>but then implicitly treat it as another tool. Which puts us right back
>into/ speaks from the "world as machine" worldview. It is fundamentally
>not about doing, but about being (which is maybe why OST is so 'easy' to
>do). It is much easier to pick up a new, sexy doing tool, it is much
>harder to re-configure your mentality to "get" that life/ self-organizing
>is all about being. (and yet, once done - so much easier - graciously
>spacious!).
>
>...........the pebbles continue to drop in the pools of my mind.........!

Meg -- you do have a way with words! ...........the pebbles continue to
drop in the pools of my mind......... and I love your blatant honesty --
"In truth, now that I Iook back, I was feeling a bit snarly, so I should
perhaps recant any unintended slights on other communities/ practices/
approaches etc."

It is quite clear to me that the central issue has nothing to do with "OD
vs OS." As Chris Kloth well points out -- OD is a lot of folks, all quite
different, and making any sort of a blanket statement is irrelevant. But
what is not irrelevant -- indeed becomes a very core issue for me -- is the
whole notion of "being in charge / control" -- at least the way we have
typically talked about it. The recent lessons have been painful for all of
us who thought we were in charge (or hoped to be) -- and I am pretty sure
that includes everybody, certainly includes me. I was trained in a day when
Control was definitely the "supreme good." We had endless discussions about
the "span of control," and about all the means for achieving greater
control. We went to school to learn how to do it all better, and some of us
got those wonderful initials after our name  - MBA. It was a whole way of
life, and for many -- it was life. And for sure if you were out of control,
you were out of a job.  Chaos, of course, was the enemy.

Then we got hit with a double whammy. First off, those damned
Chaos/Complexity Theorists tried to tell us that our beautiful, clockwork
world was an illusion. What did they know? Just Theory!!! Supported by such
gossamer wisps as flapping butterfly wings. Then theory became pretty much
our reality.The more we learned about the complex inter-relationships of
our world -- the less possible it became to think it -- let alone control
it. And the damn thing would not hold still! Just about the time we thought
we had it right -- things went off in a totally new direction. Talk about
control.

The illusion of control, as least control as I learned about it, obviously
persists -- despite the lessons delivered every day in the morning papers.
But it now takes on a pathetic quality. George (The Shrub) stamping his
feet, for example. Or some CEO, MD, or whatever, hiding behind his/her
supposed authority, as if that would be sufficient to turn the market
around. Out of control, for sure! For many this seems good and sufficient
reason for massive despair. And there is reason for this despair -- for a
whole way of life, and an understanding of life, is up for grabs. If this
happens to be your life, the impact is scarcely pleasant. And for all those
other folks who have made a living and a profession of teaching others how
to be in control -- it hasn't been a nice day either.

In this particular moment, I think those of us who have been privileged to
have experienced the freedom and productivity of being out of control in
open space have something to bring to the table. Our offering cannot come
from a place of condescension, nor be delivered by argument, although both
are very tempting. I think it is a matter of "being there"  doing what we
do-- a witness, so to speak.

Harrison




Harrison Owen
7808 River Falls Drive
Potomac, MD 20854 USA
phone 301-365-2093
Open Space Training www.openspaceworld.com
Open Space Institute www.openspaceworld.org
Personal website www.mindspring.com\~owenhh

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