outcomes

[Mike Copeland]

G'day Chris

I get this cynical stuff a bit myself:  "OST is just another theory or
gimmicky facilitation method."

I believe OST is not just a process or a new theory but possibly the way
humans work best when they tap into their inner most being and work from
there.  When one gets use to working from one's core (passion,
response-ability) after a while there seems no other way to be! Strange
thing is, because this way of being is soooooo... foreign to most people
they will say and do anything to avoid working from their inner self.  Its
part of the human journey:  "to slay the dragon upon whose every scale are
the words 'thou shalt!'" (Joseph Campbell)

I've come to realise resistance, criticism and cynicism are reflections more
of the people's relationship to themselves than any inherent flaws in OST.
My response is usually to accept their complaints and realise this is where
they are at and "the space is always open."(Helen Patterson)

I must admit to feeling that whenever people say there are faults in open
space they are still fixed in a "Thou Shalt" mode, still waiting for someone
to come up with the one, right, true way.  There is no such thing! "The way"
is within each of us.  There is nothing in open space that will tell you
what to do. The limitations are only as limited as your imagination.

I also here you about the one off nature of an OST meeting. I felt this
after our initial team meeting back in August.  No sooner had we finished
what was a memorable two days of talking and meeting, like I have never
experienced in our team before, than we all ferreted back into our little
cubby holes to get back to the 'real' work.

This "flash in the pan" experience is why we are trying OST as an
organisation wide practise. Some people want it, others are open, others see
it as some wacko gimmick. I'd say we are all at different levels of slaying
that dragon, and that's fine.  Whoever comes are the right people, Whatever
happens is the only thing that could have.


If open space is singing you as much as it has me, a one off meeting will
not suffice. Get out out of the frying pan and into the fire!

All the best
Mike Copeland

-----Original Message-----
From: chris macrae [mailto:wcbn007 at EASYNET.CO.UK]
Sent: Saturday, 29 November 2003 12:44 a.m.
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: Re: outcomes


You know how one cynic chains up with another! Any extra thoughts on how to
rebuff (perhaps the wrong word) this one (it seems to me quite a betrayal of
self-organisation to imply that people are being led up a specialist
facilitation path). Chris Macrae


Mike Chitty, Realise Development writes: "Stacey presents some interesting
criticisms of OST primarily that is based on formative rather than
transformative teleology - if I remember rightly.

I also know from personal experience that the one-off nature of many of the
OST processes leave tremendous challenges for 'follow-through'. They also
can create a culture where genuine dialogue only happens in specially
facilitated OST sessions and once back in the 'real' work situation the
'normal' rules apply.

I am not against OST in any way.  I think most interventions have their
upsides and downsides.  I do believe that sometimes the downsides of OST can
be lost."

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