leverage points

Norman Pefley pefley at sprynet.com
Wed May 25 16:56:08 PDT 2005


I have enjoyed learning from this list since I was first introduced to OS
by Lisa Heft in 2003. I would just like to add my thoughts to this thread.
For me, the principle "whoever comes are the right people" is not about
judgment, but rather about a mindset.

For example, which group is likely to be more successful, one that takes
the view that "whoever comes are the right people" or one that believes
that "we don't have the right people here to discuss what we need to
discuss"? To me, it's clear that the former will be more successful, since
they start from the premise that they have the right group. And, through
discussion, they may determine that they need to find others. In other
words, we have the right people right now, and we may want to see if others
are interested.

All of this is not to say that, as Masud's comments indicate, efforts
should not be made to invite a wide spectrum of participants. It's just
that, in the moment, in the OS group, adopting the mindset that "whoever
comes are the right people" seems to me to be quite effective.

Warm regards,

Norman Pefley
San Francisco

> [Original Message]
> From: Masud Sheikh <masheikh at COGECO.CA>
> To: <OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
> Date: 5/25/05 6:25:05 AM
> Subject: Re: leverage points
>
> Therese Fitzpatrick <therese.fitzpatrick at gmail.com> wrote:
> >The principle "whoever comes are the right people" is, for me, the
> >most important principle in open space.  And beyond open space, I
> >believe it is an essential principle for the solutions to intractable
> >human problems to emerge.
>
> Therese, I understand what you are saying, and what Harrison has been
> saying. The principle has a lot to do with "self-organizing" and not
> enough to do with the "goals of the system". Harrison confirmed his
> judgment, when he said only those who CARED enough to come, came.
>
> Who comes depends on so many other things. Please have a look at the
> thread named "access" "access..to space" and related threads from April
> (and perhaps earlier). Yesterday, there was a wonderful example about
> access in Gerard Muller's "Story from the Field: talking stick", where
> there was access to disadavanteged people.
>
> Consider one simple point: To what extent do invitations depend on who is
> giving the invitations? This happens whether you invite someone out to
> coffee, to your home, or to an OS Event. Would it make a difference as to
> who came if the wording of the principle got changed?
>
> I find the word 'RIGHT" judgmental rather than value neutral. If we say
> instead "those who felt invited", that says something about both the
> host/s and the invitee/s. Re strangers, they would "feel invited" in some
> way, for them to participate. The invitation may be implicit rather than
> explicit.
>
> And now Therese, it is time to use my two feet, and leave this space for
> other list members - to contemplate, participate, or move on from
> Take care
> Masud
>
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