Trust the Process OR Trust the People?

Jack Ricchiuto jack at designinglife.com
Fri Mar 11 06:39:52 PST 2005


Harrison, full alignment here. Would it be equally accurate to say that in OS, we are trusting both the principles and the people? I ask simply from the observation, working with facilitators over the years, that for some, the lack of (what I would call appreciative) principles lead to more emphasis on managing the process.

Peace,

Jack

~~~~~~~~~~
jack ricchiuto
two.one.six/three.seven.three/seven.four.seven.five
www.designinglife.com / www.appreciativeleadership.org 


------------Original Message------------
From: Harrison Owen <hhowen at comcast.net>
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Date: Fri, Mar-11-2005 9:14 AM
Subject: Trust the Process OR Trust the People?
Several evenings ago I was invited to participate in a group considering
"Strategic Planning in a Self-Organizing world." The topic really interested
me and I was hoping for a great discussion. As it turned out, we had a great
discussion, but the focus turned to Open Space which I suppose was
understandable given my history. The conversation moved to a consideration
of the role of the facilitator, and several people in the group made it
quite clear that the notion of standing in the middle of a circle of 300
folks who may not like each other very much was very nervous making (at
least to them). Question: How do you do that? Answer: "Trust the Process."
And when that answer was given just about every one in the group nodded
their heads in agreement as if Truth had been spoken.

"Trust the Process" is, and has been, the mantra of group work for as long
as I can remember, and when the words were spoken, my head started to nod
along with all the rest. But suddenly my head stopped - mid-nod, so to
speak. Something seemed quite wrong and I found myself thinking - NO - it is
really all about trusting the people!

The people present were largely OD (Organization Development) practitioners
for whom the design of processes which enable groups of people to get useful
work done is their stock in trade. And running those processes with multiple
groups is how they make their living. I myself have been there and done
that. Trusting the process (especially when things got a little bit hairy)
is the standard mode of behavior and the accepted path to salvation when it
seemed that everything was falling apart. So what was my problem?

It suddenly dawned on me that we had been placing the process above the
people, and in that act had assumed a god like position of omniscience. For
the best of reasons (usually) we tacitly assumed that our infinite wisdom
would enable those poor benighted souls to rise to the level of Inspired
performers. With this new process - whatever it was - salvation was
definitely close at hand, and we were present to usher in that beatific
state. What an ego trip!  And of course - the way forward was, Trust the
Process.

But . . . you might reasonably ask - Isn't Open Space simply another example
of the same sort of thing? Just another "process."  I am sure that most
people who have heard about Open Space, and not a few who have actually used
it, might think so. These are the sorts of people who show up in every
training program I have conducted with the objective of "finding a new tool
for their toolbox." In most cases, before the program has concluded they
have either left early in frustration - or more likely have found their
minds twisted in some curious ways. If Open Space is a process, just like
any other process, it is definitely a very odd process. It was "designed" in
less than an hour on the strength of two martinis. For a successful
application, there are zero requirements for advance training for those who
will participate, no special steps to remember, no private language to
learn. The facilitator "does" next to nothing, and it always works provided
nobody (and most particularly the facilitator) attempts to "manage" the
process and/or take charge.

Of course, on some level Open Space is a process - but it is a process that
is totally internal to the people involved. There is nothing to learn, they
are already there - although it may be true that there is much to un-learn.
The role of the facilitator then becomes one of trusting the people to be
fully what they already are. And more often than not that is what happens.
Trust the People.

Some thoughts on a beautiful March morning here in little old Potomac.

Harrison





Harrison Owen
7808 River Falls Drive
Potomac, Maryland   20845
Phone 301-365-2093

Open Space Training www.openspaceworld.com <http://www.openspaceworld.com/>

Open Space Institute www.openspaceworld.org
Personal website http://mywebpages.comcast.net/hhowen/index.htm
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