Open Space -- A Quiet Revolution

[Harrison Owen]

I am not quite sure why I am writing this piece, although it way well have
something to do with the recent items from Chris and Michael about worldwide
OSONOSs. Or something. But I found myself reflecting on the 20 year journey
we have all enjoyed.

Every now and again, somebody on this LIST sets to wondering why OST isn't
more broadly used - or what I take to be pretty much the same thing - how do
we "sell" Open Space? Personally I have found that trying to sell Open Space
is right up there with teaching pigs to sing. Those of us who have made such
an attempt fully understand that doing so sounds terrible and also annoys
the pig.  But on the question of the spread of Open Space, that is a
puzzlement.

We all know on the strength of our experience that OST is fast, fun,
effective, cheap, and easy to do. Of course we do not have a shred of
scientific data to prove that and certainly not rigorously conducted
research. :-) But I am not sure any of that would change much - we would
doubtless be stuck with our experience. However, the question remains - if
OST is so good, why doesn't EVERYBODY use it? It seems like a total
no-brainer!

I take the point, but find myself wondering (wandering) in a different
direction. For me the really interesting question is why is Open Space used
at all? I guess that sounds like total heresy, but think about it.  First
off, OST contravenes just about every single principle and practice of
modern management, be that of meeting or organizations. By all rights it
simply should not work. And who on earth would want to try something that
virtually all prior experience and training tells you is impossible? And it
gets worse.

If OST did work (God forbid) much of what constitutes the core practice of
multiple managers, executives, facilitators, conflict "resolvers,"
organization designers, developers, and such like - would be open to some
question. I am sure that sounds pretty much off the wall, to say nothing of
egotistical and deluded. But consider this. Some years ago a vice president
of ASTD (American Society of Training and Development), who was responsible
for Professional Development, invited me out to lunch. He came with a young
associate, and I knew just what they wanted. They wanted to know about Open
Space - so I told them in simple, unvarnished terms. At that point I had not
made the connection between OST and self-organization, so I couldn't even
sound marginally academic and enlightened. I just had to tell it the way it
was. 

About half way through my description, the VP gently raised his hand. He
said, "Harrison you can stop right there. If what you are telling me is
true, and I do not doubt your sincerity, then something like 95% of what we
are currently doing doesn't need to be done." At that point his young
associate chimed in saying, "I think you (the VP) are heading in the right
direction, but I believe the number is closer to 99%." 

Right then and there I knew we were in serious trouble. If Open Space
somehow caste into question many (most?) of the activities and practices of
mainstream management, whole careers and reputations were in jeopardy. And
attempting to sell Open Space could obviously be quite hazardous to your
health, not unlike selling powerful space heaters to Ice cream factories. If
somebody actually bought the heater, and it worked - everything would melt.

I can't say that I ever thought about trying to eliminate Open Space, and
the truth of the matter is that I couldn't have done that if I had wanted to
- it wasn't mine to eliminate. But it did seem to me that keeping a low
profile might be useful. A quiet revolution, so to speak.

Harrison



Harrison Owen
7808 River Falls Drive
Potomac, Maryland   20854
Phone 301-365-2093
Skype hhowen
Open Space Training www.openspaceworld.com <http://www.openspaceworld.com/>

Open Space Institute www.openspaceworld.org
Personal website www.ho-image.com 
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