Trust the Process OR Trust the People?

Fri Mar 11 14:29:48 PST 2005

Diane Wrote: "So trusting the principles includes trusting the people and
vice versa."

How about "trusting (knowing) that the people embody the principles even if
they don't know it, and most especially - even if they would rather not
(embody the principles)." Our job then becomes one of providing sufficient
space so that what is already inside may emerge. Nothing added, nothing new
- just be yourself and you will be surprised how much fun it is, and how
productive you will become. Or something.

ho

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
OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU 

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-----Original Message-----
From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of Diane
Gibeault
Sent: Friday, March 11, 2005 11:34 AM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: FW: Trust the Process OR Trust the People?

Hi,

I think trusting the principles includes trusting the people and trusting
the people leads us to behave according to the principles. 

This may be a question of the chicken and the egg. It may not really matter
which comes first as long as they are understood.

I was explaining OST in an OD meeting last night and when came the moment to
point out how OST was different from other processes, the feeling and
thoughts that came to me were someting like this: 

- the fundamental values, attitudes or something of that nature on which OST
is based and operates is trusting people and fostering openness and
"positivity" (looking at things from the perspective of possibilities -
Whatever happens, whoever is there, etc) 

- and the behaviour of letting go which is coherent with these "values".  

All of which are reflected in the OST principles.  

So trusting the principles includes trusting the people and vice versa.

Diane Gibeault 

-----Original Message-----
From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU]On Behalf Of Jack
Ricchiuto
Sent: March 11, 2005 9:40 AM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: Re: Trust the Process OR Trust the People?

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 <http://www.designinglife.com/>  /
www.appreciativeleadership.org <http://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

OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU 

To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives Visit:

http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html

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