innovative organizations

Fri Apr 28 14:57:41 PDT 2006

Re: innovative organizationsWell, Mark - what can I say? What a gift!

I feel as though I've seen the shining treasure of a jewel that's reflected in your life, practice and heart!!   I hope I'm not too forward in saying that I'd love to roam about a bit in your head, heart and life.... Of course, I mean that in the most non-threatening, non-stalking, metaphorical sort of way ;-)   Thank you very much. 

Although I haven't nearly the pace, length or breadth of your intentional OS experiences, I still feel the resonances in my own personal and professional development.... and am heartened by your sharing (What was your 1st clue? lol)

Like you, over time I have been drawn to the level of collective consciousness....  I sometimes say 'evolution' rather than transformation because I'm personally a bit neurotic and fearful about falling into an old pattern of trying to 'change' things (which somehow I associate with the word transformation) and I simply like the suggestion of a natural process that the word 'evolution' evokes. 

I also use the term 'conscious evolution' alot - applied individually and collectively - which is what I believe OS naturally activates. And, as I perceive patterns and systems, I believe is profoundly related to the essence of life / spirit  / energy / intelligence / divinity. A fundamental element or law, or something... 

But perhaps it's more correct to describe what I mean as the 'conscious evolution of consciousness'... the next turn in our collective wheel, perhaps? Don't even get me started on the connection to story! :-) So now I'm just rambling when all I really wanted to ask was,
Would you be willing to speak a bit more about #8 below (Radiant Networking - Practices of Peace - Integral Wellness) and also its connection to #7 (Living in OS as an integral wellness practice for the transformation of consciousness - Self | Other | The Whole)?

I thank you for what you've already given,
Glory
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Mark R. Jones (AT&T) 
  To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU 
  Sent: Friday, April 28, 2006 2:22 PM
  Subject: Re: innovative organizations

  Hi Glory.

  The beauty of the work back then was that I was fully-embedded in organizations in senior management roles.  As part of a commitment Anne Stadler and I had made to exploring what it meant to "live our lives in Open Space", I had decided to experiment with leading and managing my organizations "in Open Space".  

  This meant that along with doing on average bi-weekly OS events for various organizations - for-profit and non-profits - I conducted my leadership teams, program and project teams, and Lean Kaizens (12 per week on average across my "span of control"), staffs, and work groups in Open Space.  I carefully and subtly trained my staff and organizations to function in Open Space.

  Some cool observations from the experiments:
    *  With teams conversant in trying to "Live in Open Space", I found that I and they could convene 
        profound and productive "spaces" as short as fifteen minutes, and as long as several months
        - yes, in corporate settings
    *  In 1997 I blended "Living in Open Space" with principles from Buddhist living to build a
        team (and set of organizations) that could eliminate a "$3million" a day production problem.  
        It took about six weeks for folks to really get it - and when they did, they not only solved the
        production problem but innovated a set of processes and tools that are still in use today
    *  In 2000, I tried the blended approach in the bowels of the US Government.  About three
        to four months into the experiment, a Government manager exclaimed that "we" had been
        doing that "Open Space stuff".  I had never used the term "Open Space" in that setting. 
        Apparently folks got curious about what they were experiencing in the daily life of the
        organization and started to research what it might be.  And discovered that in fact we had 
        been conducting our work in Open Space.  This came as quite a surprise to some of the "OD"
        folks who had  "made up their minds" about things like OST and AI - without ever (knowingly)
        participating in them.
    *  Working with the CEO (who was my boss) from my previous company, my job was to infuse
        and embody a ""Living in Open Space" practice into our work force, and particularly our
        executive decision-making processes (think "off-sites").  I watched as this contributed 
        to our financial success as an organization, and allowed me the financial option to "retire"
        from the "rat race" and explore living my life in Open Space in the service of the transformation
        of consciousness.  Which is what I do nowadays !

  In the seventies I spent five years living in an intentional community (7x24 residential community).  We did not "Live in Open Space" -- yet the experience profoundly positively shaped my life.  I had an extended family that had experimented with convening itself ala OS-like Law and Principles for a number of years.  Anne Stadler suggested that the next experiment should be an intentional community based on "Living in Open Space".  So she founded the "Spirited Work Community" in 1999.  With that, our focus (Anne and I) changed from predominantly organization-oriented OS to community-oriented OS.  And I drastically reduced the pace and my involvement in OST events.  This experiment led us to India in 2001, and later again in 2004 with an expanded configuration that included Peggy Holman.  The 2001 trip brought about the establishment of the Radiant Networking" experiment - which continues to this day, and shapes the work and participation of Anne, Peggy, and myself (individually and collectively).

  In the nineties, the "pace" was exciting and profoundly meaningful to me.  And eventually, I felt that I had pretty much "mined the goodies" - I was no longer being surprised and growing from the experiments.  The results were always positive and always the same - which was good - but I needed to find the next learning and growth edge.  I kept notebooks to track and map my experiments.

  My experimental trajectory regarding Open Space progressed from Item-1 to Item-8:
     (1)  OST for the increased effectiveness of individuals 
     (2)  Living in OS for the evolution and transformation of individual consciousness
     (3)  OST for the increased effectiveness of groups and organizations 
     (4)  Living in OS for the evolution and transformation of organizational consciousness
     (5)  OST for the increased effectiveness of communities 
     (6)  Living in OS for the evolution of collective ("Community") consciousness
     (7)  Living in OS as an integral wellness practice for the transformation of (individual and
           collective ) consciousness - Self | Other | The Whole
     (8)  Radiant Networking - Practices of Peace - Integral Wellness 

  "Pace" drove both Anne and I to our explorations of what I call "efficiency":
      What is the minimum necessary but sufficient gentle structure upon which we can hang things ?

  Harrison sometimes frames this as "what is one less thing to do?"
  Peggy sometimes frames this as "what is the basic underlying pattern?"
  Tom Atlee sometimes frames this as discerning "pattern languages" 
  Anne has taken this to the simple inquiry of "what is optimal . . . "

  Based on conversations that Peggy, Tom, Chris Corrigan and I have had - I suspect that the more one mucks - with intention and intensity - with Open Space, the more Open Space becomes a "life practice" for everyday living and community.  And one becomes even more appreciative of the experience - thus the more deeply and pervasively one mucks with it.  Nowadays, I rarely refer to Open Space Technology, for me Open Space has simply become a way of living.

  Thanks for the compassionate and inviting asking !

  Mark R. Jones
  Chief Executive Officer
  The Sunyata Group
  The Integral Wellness Group
  ----------------------------------------------------------------------
  PO Box 58788
  Renton, Washington
  USA 98058-1788
  Phone:      425-413-6000
  e-Mail:      sunyata at att.net <mailto:sunyata at att.net> 
  ----------------------------------------------------------------------

  On 4/27/06 6:41 PM, "Glory Ressler" <on.the.edge at sympatico.ca> wrote:

    Me too, Mark - I'd love to hear a story that reflects your experience/learning associated with the intense pace and # of sessions....

    Best wishes,
    Glory

      ----- Original Message ----- 

      From:  Tree Fitzpatrick <mailto:therese.fitzpatrick at gmail.com>  

      To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU  

      Sent: Thursday, April 27, 2006 9:21  PM

      Subject: Re: innovative  organizations

      Wow, Mark Jones, you did more than two open space events per  week one year!

      I am impressed.  

      Has anyone else on this  list had such a pace?

*
*
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