leverage points & Control --I wish I had it

Wed May 25 23:10:33 PDT 2005

Once because I was tired and therefore more absent minded than usual, *I* 
left out the Law. 

It still worked.

Chris

On 5/25/05, Michael Herman <mjherman at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> sometimes when it seems that i have some extra time and space in
> myself or in the room when i 'm doing the opening briefing, i
> sometimes note for participants that the principles were not designed
> in advance, 'not prescription, but 'description,' i sometimes say,
> 'based on the experience of folks who'd been using this approach for
> some time.'
> 
> and yet it is also true that i am writing, scripting these posters adn
> principles before these people, my audience in taht moment, have
> actually had that experience. so easy it is for me to forget how
> strange these things must still sound to normal folks, 'real humans,'
> as harrison sometimes says. <grin> and if i didn't think they gave
> some shape to the space, then i might feel better about leaving them
> off. sometimes i do leave them off, but mostly i don't .
> 
> this also reminds me that not so long ago, harrison asked about not
> doing one more thing, and we spent some time stripping away the few
> bits that make open space 'a thing we do.' if i remember right,
> mostly we agreed that we could 'not do' just about everything, but we
> dare not leave out the Law.
> 
> michaelh
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On 5/26/05, Therese Fitzpatrick <therese.fitzpatrick at gmail.com> wrote:
> > I am sending you a comforting hush, Wendy. Nothing has gone awry.
> > Whatever has happened is the only thing that could or should. In the
> > next moment, something else will happen and then something else again.
> >
> > A thought experiment, of all things, does not have one right perfect 
> answer.
> >
> > On 5/24/05, Wendy Farmer-O'Neil <wendy at xe.net> wrote:
> > >
> > > Absolutely. After I posted I realized that prescription was the wrong 
> word
> > > and would probably twist my intention. I don't have the right word 
> yet.
> > > Will try again when I find it.
> > >
> > > Again, we seem to be issuing invitations that are going awry. My
> > > invitation was merely to engage in a thought experiment and see what 
> new
> > > learning or insight it might reveal...Ah, well...
> > >
> > >
> > > Thanks,
> > > W.
> > >
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: Harrison Owen
> > > To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
> > >
> > > Sent: Tuesday, May 24, 2005 5:39 PM
> > > Subject: Re: leverage points & Control --I wish I had it
> > >
> > >
> > > Wendy -- the principles were not (as is usually the case) worked out 
> in
> > > advance as prescriptions of what ought to happen. Rather they were
> > > observations by myself and many others as to what actually did happen. 
> The
> > > same would be true with the Law. Not an "ought" but an "is."
> > >
> > > Is this right? I don't know, but that is the way it happened. Whenever 
> I say
> > > Principles and Law -- I always smile, because I know it/they are not 
> what
> > > people usually expect.
> > >
> > > Harrison
> > >
> > >
> > > Harrison Owen
> > > 7808 River Falls Dr.
> > > Potomac, MD 20854
> > > USA
> > > 301-365-2093
> > > 207-763-3261 (summer)
> > > website www.openspaceworld.com <http://www.openspaceworld.com>
> > > www.openspaceworld.com <http://www.openspaceworld.com>
> > >
> > >
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: Wendy Farmer-O'Neil
> > > To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
> > > Sent: Tuesday, May 24, 2005 7:58 PM
> > > Subject: Re: leverage points & Control --I wish I had it
> > >
> > > Hmmm...this is interesting...
> > >
> > > I guess I made an assumption somewhere along the line here, that the 
> actual
> > > principles of OST were freedom, self-organization, responsibility, 
> caring,
> > > maturity, invitation, positivity, productive chaos, self-authorship,
> > > etc....And that the things we call "The Principles" and stick up on 
> the wall
> > > are actually just part of the container we create to hold chaos at a
> > > manageable level for productive self-organization. Let me clarify a 
> bit...I
> > > think I am seeing "The Principles" as what we use to inspire 
> confidence in
> > > the process for the participants...most of whom have never encountered 
> OS
> > > before and find it a bit unsettling at first. They need some 
> reassurance
> > > that what is happening is normal, okay and will work--in order to 
> relax and
> > > give it try. In this regard, I think a certain amount of prescription 
> would
> > > be okay, if not perhaps even necessary? I may be completely wrong.
> > >
> > > This leads me to wondering...How would things change if we just had 
> the Law?
> > > Not that i'm suggesting this at all...it just makes me go hmmmm....
> > >
> > > And yonder bi-furcated post-metamorphosis caterpillar with the 
> ricepaper
> > > fans causes updrafts of great significance in the Easternmost Orient 
> once
> > > again...
> > > Well...that is how Bi-Coloured Python Rock Snakes always talk.
> > > O Best Beloved...
> > > Wendy
> > >
> > > PS, Harrison: I'll bring my Kipling to Halifax if you'll bring 
> yours...;-)
> > >
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: "Masud Sheikh" <masheikh at COGECO.CA>
> > > To: <OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
> > > Sent: Tuesday, May 24, 2005 3:40 PM
> > > Subject: Re: leverage points
> > >
> > >
> > > > Harrison Owen <hhowen at comcast.net> wrote:
> > > >>Actually, I don't think it is as much of an "assumption" as a 
> blinding
> > > > flash of the obvious. Those who came are the only ones there! And 
> the
> > > > reason they are there is that they cared enough to come. That does 
> not
> > > > make all those who didn't come bad, immoral, or terrible -- but the 
> fact
> > > > of the matter is that they didn't care enough to come. Now maybe the 
> next
> > > > time they would feel differently -- care more. Make the necessary
> > > > arrangements, or sacrifices! But for this particular Open Space -- 
> those
> > > > who care came. And CARING is the sole criteria for entry. That alone 
> makes
> > > > them the "right people." No Caring -- no come...
> > > >>
> > > >>And why would this be true? Well, I think Open Space is all about 
> passion
> > > > and responsibility. And if you don't CARE -- no passion, and little 
> hope
> > > > of accepting responsibility. Who on earth would take responsibility 
> for
> > > > something they don't care about?
> > > >>
> > > > We have been through this before, Harrison. I find it judgmental 
> (being
> > > > judgmental myself, I know judgment when I see it :-)) How about 
> changing
> > > > it to: "Those who felt invited, came"?
> > > > Masud
> > > >
> > > > *
> > > > *
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> >
> > --
> > Warmly,
> > Therese Fitzpatrick, MSOD, JD
> >
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> 
> --
> 
> Michael Herman Associates
> http://www.michaelherman.com
> ...inviting organizations into action
> 
> Small Change News Network
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-- 

CHRIS CORRIGAN
Consultation - Facilitation
Open Space Technology

Weblog: http://www.chriscorrigan.com/parkinglot
Site: http://www.chriscorrigan.com

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