needing some advice

Sat Jul 28 06:19:25 PDT 2007

This is RIGHT ON!

I "sang from the roof-tops" within our organization for years with little to
no impact. I theorized and wrote "white papers" - Sent it to all of the
Powers that be . . . Excruciating experience because I was SO certain that
"my ideas" would make such a positive effect.

It was the day I threw my hands up and "went local" with it that things
started happening. Perhaps it becomes something along the lines of
"invisibly lead by example"

All I needed for the local effort was for the City and Regional heads to
agree to look the other way while we tested some notions . . . and get the
buy-in of our local leaders. The buy-in was easier than expected.

The time was right for this. Within a 6 week period, we got the buy-in
locally, developed and launched the concept (new structure and completely
"out-of-the-box" training techniques - ALL "Open Spacey"), and then we
started getting attention . . . The regional and national leadership began
asking questions. We told them we don't have time for all those questions as
we are in a very focused implementation stage . . . that we would report
back our results through our weekly and monthly "flash" reports.

3 days ago - The city leadership called all of the local market center
leaders together to explain to them that changes were coming with respect to
structure and training . . . a shift in the corporate philosophy . . . But
they did not know (yet) what these changes would be.

An essential key to this whole thing IS (As Harrison said) DO! It is through
moving Passion to action without regard for fame, fortune, recognition that
(in my experience) people rally and change happens. I like to call this
"proceed til tackled"

A 2nd key is "right time." I have learned that those at City, Region, and
National levels tend to have this problem seeing the trees for the forest.
They are so big picture, organizational disfunction at local levels isn't
visible . . . Whether this is denial or myopia, it is what it is. There is
no amount of shaking their trees (screaming, yelling, proselytizing new
ways) that will force them to acknowledge the need for change.

When a "band of brother" DOES great things on the local level and the effort
bears fruit, other notice - IMMEDIATELY! Because in any organization full of
components (Variety of units in various locations) - Each of these units is
watching the others for salves to ease their pain (new ways of doing things)
. . . The growth of the idea is now organic and the city, Regional, and
National Leadership suddenly find themselves riding a different wave :-)

No-where in this scenario is there "space" for anyone to "take personal
credit." I believe THIS is  creation of "Permanent Open Space" - The initial
"DOERS" Opened the SPACE with their DOING and the space just kept on opening
and opening and opening.

Unless I misinterpret - This sounds similar to Harrison's Health services
story . . . 30 years ago . . . 

Best,

b 

Website www.theowengroup.net
Visit my BLOG @ http://creatingspaces.blogspot.com/

Barry Owen
Principal Broker
The Owen Group
Keller Williams Realty - Green Hills Market Center
30 Burton Hills Blvd Ste 175
Nashville, TN 37215
Direct - 615.568.2123
Toll Free 866.375.0965
Fax - 615.523.2462
Skype - barryo06

Keller Williams Realty is a learning-based Training & Consulting Company
supporting our Real Estate Professionals by offering business models,
systems, tools, & support to Build Careers Worth Having, Businesses Worth
Owning, and Lives worth living . . . We are THE fastest growing, most
innovative real estate company in America. 

-----Original Message-----
From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of Harrison
Owen
Sent: Saturday, July 28, 2007 6:10 AM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: Re: needing some advice

Jon -- I think you "OD Intuition" is working splendidly. The strategy
proposed by "the opposition" is pretty obvious. They want you to create a
management team which they can control (overtly or covertly). But you must
understand, as I am sure you do understand, that this is an argument you can
never win. So don't argue -- Do! What I mean is don't get all philosophical,
focus on program and practicality. Specifically -- identify the concrete
programmatic needs/opportunities which involve everybody -- and open space,
after space, after space. Keep moving. Fast!! And each time you Open Space,
drive towards action. Create a website where action plans can be displayed,
conversations continued, and concrete results (presuming there are some)
celebrated. This really all about transparency. If you keep everything
public (not hidden in some "management committee") folks will quickly see
what is working and/or not -- and who is doing what, or not. 

I had essentially the same situation you are facing (I think) some 30 years
ago. My responsibility was to implement a (US) Congressional mandate
requiring the divisions of a very large federal (health) agency to
collaboratively pursue some new program directions that they had never seen
as part of their mission -- and had no desire to change. I had no budget, no
(official authority) and I was essentially brand new to the agency. My
advisors told me that I must immediately get some budget, claim authority
and force the action. I knew that would be ineffective -- but more to the
point -- suicidal. Instead I moved fast, usually below the radar and opened
programmatic spaces that challenged and excited people. As soon as the
action would start and take some definitive form I got out of the way. At
the end of the first year and a half, we had something like 100 million
dollars of other people's money committed to the new  collaborative program.
Now some 30 years later, the whole thing has become essentially a new
discipline with departments in most medical schools, a journal, and a
professional society. But you got to keep moving, open space, and get out of
the way.

Harrison

-----Original Message-----
From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of Jon Harvey
Sent: Friday, July 27, 2007 6:44 PM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: needing some advice

Hi all

I have a new job - where my role is to coordinate the collaboration of a 
number of independent but connected agencies - they share a common 
concern but are geographically distinct. But they (and the public they 
serve) would greatly benefit from closer working between them - either 
by creating new joint functions or harmonising their existing 
operations. This can and will increase effectiveness and efficiency.

At the moment - I have no team as such beyond a very capable PA and a 
chap who has been allocated to me - on a temporary basis. I am three 
weeks into this new role. I see my role as helping to create the 
conditions into which these sovereign agencies (with some very forceful 
people at their helm) feel able and trustful enough so that they cede 
some of their autonomy and establish some new (arms length) business 
units. To date (before my arrival) - a number of business cases had been 
produced for taking this strategy forward.

My dilemma is this (and your perspectives would be helpful): I am 
getting pressure from one (and one other) of the more 'pushy' agencies 
to recruit and establish a programme management team that would (in 
effect) wrest control of these embryonic collaboration projects away 
from the agencies themselves and place it under the mantle of the 
regional programme team. The argument being that only with this level of 
'support' and 'drive' would the projects come to fruition. My OD bones 
are telling me otherwise - as I think I want to keep the space open - 
and have the ownership of the projects resting very firmly with the 
agencies themselves - in other words I think they have to own their own 
collaboration initiatives (not the central / regional team).

So am I wrong to sticking with my OD intuition?

If not - what should be my arguments for going for a more facilitative / 
hands off and slimmer team - that works in an open and OD way? (We have 
a critical meeting next week - and I fear there will be attempts to 
bounce me into the more directive programme team model - before I have 
had the chance to test the water some more - as the other agencies may 
also be thinking the same....)

It's is a bit complex I know - and I know I have also talked in some 
oblique code for the sake of confidentiality (I am afraid) - but your 
insights would be valuable. I can't think of a bunch of wiser kindred 
people than you lot on the OST listserv - who might be able to offer me 
some helpful / cogent / challenging advice...

In advance - thanks.

Jon

*
*
==========================================================
OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
------------------------------
To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
view the archives of oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu:
http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html

To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs:
http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist

*
*
==========================================================
OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
------------------------------
To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
view the archives of oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu:
http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html

To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs:
http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist

*
*
==========================================================
OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
------------------------------
To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
view the archives of oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu:
http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html

To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs:
http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist