Invisible Leadersip

NigelSeys-Phillips nigel at fulcrum.com.sg
Mon Jul 23 18:15:32 PDT 2007


Michele - if you delve through my very basic website at www.fulcrum.com.sg
<http://www.fulcrum.com.sg/>  you will, with a bit of luck and perseverance,
find under OS some notes and photographs of working with street children in
Mongolia and Cambodia if that helps.and always happy to answer other
questions at any time

 

Best regards

Nigel 

 

Nigel Seys-Phillips

Fulcrum Business Management Solutions

30 Mount Elizabeth

#04-34 Highpoint

Singapore 228519

Tel: +65 9639 2510

E-mail:  <mailto:nigel at fulcrum.com.sg> nigel at fulcrum.com.sg

www.fulcrum.com.sg

 

 

  _____  

From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of Michele
Frankel
Sent: Friday, 20 July 2007 2:23 AM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: Re: Invisible Leadersip

 

You've got me hooked. What else can you tell me about working with large
groups of street kids. Are you based in America?

 

Michele

 

On 7/19/07, Harrison Owen <hhowen at verizon.net> wrote: 

Actually Michele I have worked with a number of groups of kids, and my
colleagues around the world have worked with many more - and every time it
was "standard" Open Space. In one case, Peggy Holman had the pleasure of
working with 1200+ street kids in Columbia. I know Michael Pannwitz
(Germany) has worked with dozens of groups, most of them in schools. From
their experience and mine it is very clear that kids take to Open Space like
ducks to water. And all groups take care of themselves. Just like with
adults. Not everybody in the Open Space community is in as much favor of a
nap as I am, but they certainly have the opportunity - which I always take
advantage of. And to date I have yet to be "sacked" - of course another way
talking about taking a nap might be "to be sacked" (as in "in the sack.")
:-) 

 

Harrison 

 

  _____  

From: OSLIST [mailto: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
<http://listserv.boisestate.edu/> ] On Behalf Of Michele Frankel
Sent: Thursday, July 19, 2007 7:31 AM 


To: OSLIST@ LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU <http://listserv.boisestate.edu/> 
Subject: Re: Invisible Leadersip

 

If you leave a group of school students for a nap - you risk getting
sacked!!!

 

Actors however don't really notice.

 

Al the best.

 

Michele

 

On 7/19/07, Harrison Owen < hhowen at verizon.net <mailto:hhowen at verizon.net> >
wrote: 

Michele - I just can't resist.. When the facilitator (Communications Skills)
leaves the circle all together and goes and takes a nap - that is Open
Space. By the way, I suspect you will find that reading will not get you
there. Just do it! 

 

Harrison

 

  _____  

From: OSLIST [mailto: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
<http://listserv.boisestate.edu/> ] On Behalf Of Michele Frankel
Sent: Thursday, July 19, 2007 4:53 AM
To: OSLIST@ LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU <http://listserv.boisestate.edu/> 
Subject: Re: Invisible Leadersip 

 

I don't know why I am drawn to Open Space. I have not read enough yet of
what it really is but on invisible leadership in a theatre and a
communication context I have a few experiences. 

 

Theatre

 

Bringing actors together to devise, they have in the past not only said 'we
did it our selves' but also we are going to carry one doing it - without
leadership. It was suggested on a panel at the theatre museum, that as a
feminist woman theatre director in the late 7O's early 80's ,  I was shy and
or uncomfortable with the notion of assuming leadership power. 

 

Communications Skills workshops with students.

 

The facilitator sits slightly out of the circle. The facilitator uses I
statements or emphatics ( nods, gestures, listening sounds) , research has
found, this encourages other participants to speak more and have more words
in each of their sentences. 

 

'The art is making it look like there is no art.'

 

Are there many/any speech therapists, involved with open space?

 

Michele

 



 

On 7/19/07, Pankaj Bhargava < <mailto:pankaj at people-builders.com>
pankaj at people-builders.com> wrote: 

Very true. And only such leadership builds institutions. Because when the
work is done, people say "we did it ourselves". Yet it is so uncommon to
find because the gratification for many comes from the thrill of being in
spotlight and being applauded for their charisma than the joy of having
built people and thereby an instituion. Yet all great companies have been
built by many invisible leaders. 

Regards

Pankaj

-- original message --
Subject:        Invisible Leadersip
From:   Harrison Owen < hhowen at verizon.net <mailto:hhowen at verizon.net> >
Date:           18th July 2007 3:32 pm 

A friend once said, the mark of a true leader is that you never notice
him/her. I think it was Gandhi who said something like, with a good leader, 
the people think they did it all by themselves. Another friend who was the 
director of a very large federal agency (and my boss for a period of time)
told me that every time he had to resort to an overt use of his position, 
power and authority, he had failed in some substantial respect. 

I know that we have been treated to the headliners on the conference circuit
billed as "charismatic," "inspirational," "aggressive" leaders. They 
probably have all of those characteristics, but I don't think any of them 
really make for good leadership. Those sorts of people tend to fill up
space, and hog the stage. It may look good under the klieg lights, but in my

own experience it is a real downer when it comes to individual and 
collective performance in an organization.

I doubt that anybody is ever totally present and absolutely invisible, but
that is not a bad ideal. It creates a lot of space in which good things can 
happen.

Harrison

-----Original Message-----
From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU ] On Behalf Of Craig
Gilliam
Sent: Wednesday, July 18, 2007 10:01 AM 
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU 
Subject: Re: Report from the field

Harrison wrote:
"No question that experience is a plus when it comes to the subtle art of 
doing nothing, being fully present, and totally invisible."

These three descriptive images struck a deep cord in me--1)  the art of
"doing nothing, being fully present, and totally invisible." 

I am not certain what I am asking, but here is a attempt to ask or invite 
conversation on this notion of invisibility.  I both love it and hate it!!!

My question is around the image of totally invisible.  Wow!  at the danger 
of revealing my own "stuff," that one is tough, but powerful.  Especially in


a "game or culture" where I believe invisibility is counterintuitive.  Some
of it or maybe a lot of it is ego, but does this word invisible mean 
different things in different situation or contexts?  If there is a 
difference, how does one separate unhealthy invisibility from healthy,
needed transparency, vulnerability and "not being seen"?

I like OS not only as a technology/methodology, but as a way of being and 
doing leadership in all contexts and as a way of learning about systems..
Does invisibility have a shadow side?  Is there sometimes when as a leader, 
invisibility, if not practiced artfully, whatever that means, can be 
counter-productive or a way of not taking responsibility?

The bigger question I am trying to get at is:  I would love to hear more
discussion about this notion of leadership and invisibility.  While it 
strikes deep, I am working to understand the implications and effect. 

Thanks,
Craig








----Original Message Follows----
From: Harrison Owen < <mailto:hhowen at verizon.net>  hhowen at verizon.net>
Reply-To: OSLIST <OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU 
Subject: Re: Report from the field
Date: Sat, 14 Jul 2007 08:16:53 -0400

Alan - I like what you are doing here! And yet I felt a cautionary flag fly
at some points. You said (the sponsor said), "I invite everyone to express 
your passion and responsibility for things you feel are important. Let's see
where Open Space takes us!"  Nice, and I also think it is worth while
remembering that Open Space doesn't take us anywhere. We do the "taking." 
Open Space, as a process, only invites us to do what we all can and do do,
naturally. Success for me occurs when we get rid of the middle man (OST).
And I find these thoughts take me further to consider the role of the 
facilitator. No question that experience is a plus when it comes to the
subtle art of doing nothing, being fully present, and totally invisible :-).
I think it is also true that anybody with a good head and a good heart (more

heart than head) can play the role very effectively - just as effectively as
someone with years of experience!  It is not only that Open Space is so
simple (which it is), it is also just natural, which is another way of 
saying that everybody has equal access, provided they choose to walk through
the door. The other day I got a note which said in part, "I was surprised to
find out that there was a hierarchy in the OST community and everyone having

a specific place to hold, voices are not equal and politics prevails in
certain circuits  Just the same old same old... I'm not sure this is what
you envisioned with OST." I have no idea what the specific circumstances 
were, and less interest in finding out. But presuming that we have the
creeping tentacles of elitism sneaking in - a good dose of the Law of Two
Feet and a clear recognition of the Universal License of Open Space 
(everybody has one by birth) should do the trick. Or something.



Harrison







  _____

From: OSLIST [mailto: <mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU ] On Behalf Of Alan
Stewart
Sent: Tuesday, July 10, 2007 3:47 AM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: Re: Report from the field



Harrison and All 



Picking up your focus on respect and how it emerges .



Tom Atlee, who you may be aware of,   < http://www.co-intelligence.org/>
http://www.co-intelligence.org <http://www.co-intelligence.org/> 

articulates very nicely the 'reason' why processes such as Open Space are so
critical to bringing forth a spirit of 'We are in this together.'



Or, in these words which I found when poking around in Jack Ricchiuto's 
<http://www.designinglife.com/> www.DesigningLife.com
<http://www.designinglife.com/>  , to help promote
awareness of



"Our behaviors change only if we decide to belong together differently.." 


                             Margaret Wheatley, author of 'A Simpler Way' 



Tom notes: "Co-intelligence, dialogue and democracy all flourish best among
peers. It isn't a matter of everybody being equal in every way. It is a 
matter of everyone having comparable power to influence the outcome of their

interactions and, most importantly, everyone giving each other respect.



This is, unfortunately, seldom the case. Most of us have deeply ingrained 
ways of not respecting each other -- sometimes without even knowing it. This

is one of the main reasons that we need "processes" and "facilitators" to
help us get good results from our meetings and conversations." 





As those of us who facilitate/host conversing processes know, the according 
of respect occurs spontaneously and naturally when conditions for self
organizing are in place. And that this happens (at least for now) in the 
hands of skilled and experienced process facilitators working with sponsors 
who intuit the potential value in letting go of control.



In the case of the group with whom Vivien Pau and I were working in Shanghai

last week:



The notion of 'circularity', which comes from cybernetics - the study of 
self organizing systems (or of how 'one thing leads to another') - may be
useful in understanding what transpired. 



Being treated with respect was not a novel experience for the participants
in this instance. For what was readily apparent to us was that the CEO (an
Aussie) habitually accorded respect and trust to his colleagues. This led 
him to take a 'risk' of bringing in OST for the company's deliberations even

though he had not ever experienced it. He did so at Vivien's suggestion,
whose professional judgment he trusted having engaged her services last year

with good outcomes. In turn the team of 40 people 'dived in' when trusting 
the process as their 'boss' - who they greatly respect - said it was OK.
None of these other people had ever heard of OST prior to the event. 



We supplied the form of words with which the CEO introduced the Open Space 
component. These concluded with:



"I invite everyone to express your passion and responsibility for things you

feel are important. Let's see where Open Space takes us!"



As I reported the process fitted very well with their existing ways of 
interacting with each other. And their consistent feedback at the closure 
indicated their delight that Vivien and I had accepted their invitation to
open space for them.



Now they have the language and the experience to carry them forward with 
greater vigor and awareness. 



And we are inspired likewise.



My observations on the role of young women as integral team members brings
this to mind:



If I were to wish for anything, I should not wish for wealth and power, but 
for the passionate sense of the potential, for the eye which, ever young and
ardent, sees the possible. Pleasure disappoints, possibility never..
Soren Kierkegaard



Go well



Alan

...









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

From: Harrison Owen <mailto:hhowen at verizon.net  <mailto:hhowen at verizon.net>
>

To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU

Sent: Sunday, July 08, 2007 8:15 PM

Subject: Re: Report from the field



Alan - the experience of respect in Open Space is a first for many people,
and may be the first step to renewal, creativity, and for some, healing. 
There seems to be a natural progression from respect to trust to hope. At 
least I have seen it play out that way on countless occasions. This
progression is most obvious (and most needed) in highly conflicted
environments. I guess it is most obvious there because people usually
experience so little respect that it comes as very much of a surprise. It is

a constant wonder to me that people can survive in situations bereft of 
respect and literally dripping with a level of pathology that for me is
incomprehensible. It is an even greater wonder (mystery) that these same 
people can consider this situation to be "normal." If the "situation" were a

concentration camp, that makes a certain amount of sense - but more often
than not we are talking about a "perfectly respectable" business or 
corporation. Then again, I guess it is not so strange for the standard 
organizational structure seems perfectly designed to limit, even eliminate,
essential human connection, to say nothing of respect. Folks are locked in 
boxes and deprived of information all in the name of efficiency, 
effectiveness and productivity. The name of the game is fear and control.
Nothing new here, and hardly a deep insight - but under the circumstances 
Open Space is definitely revolutionary, if only because people are invited 
to leave their cages. The greatest wonder may be that we are ever invited to
open space.



Harrison




  _____ 


From: OSLIST [mailto: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
<mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU> ] On Behalf Of Alan
Stewart
Sent: Saturday, July 07, 2007 7:54 PM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: Re: Report from the field 



Hi All



To resume the flow post July 4 holiday and Live Earth connectings (still
going strong in the Western hemisphere) ...



Here for your information is a brief report on a happening last week in the 
East which you may find helpful for your

purposes. This is slightly adapted from what I sent it initially to a
marketing agent here in Hong Kong.





"Am back after a very productive few days in Shanghai co-facilitating a 
workshop which featured an Open Space component for the senior management
team of a large international hotel company. This was with my friend and
colleague Vivien Pau.



They got Open Space in one. By this I mean there was no stopping the flow of

respectful interaction. For example, the CEO and the most recent recruits
talked to each other animatedly if they found themselves in a session which
they felt strongly about.



>From your barest soup con [small taste] experiencing of group conversational

processes you may have a glimpse that when all feel totally respected and
included remarkable outcomes are likely.



Among these are new found deeper relationships and associated questioning
from which emerge changed mindsets, creativity, innovation, collaboration, 
commitment. The overall result? $ and Joy.



The immediate outcome of the two day event was a clear set of strategies by
which to achieve defined goals by the end of next year.



And a request for me to change my flight so as to stay on to party with them

after the closure. <smile>



The 40 people present - from all around China - included several young
women, ie around age 30-35 (in my 'take') who were very articulate and who
contributed with great confidence. Wondrous to observe! 



You may be most heartened to know that organisations whose financial success
is based on such an open corporate culture exist in China. For others are
sure to follow when given the opportunity to notice what may happen when 
they engage the services of skilled facilitators."



With warm regards



Going well



Alan

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