needing some advice

avner avnerh at zahav.net.il
Sat Jul 28 07:29:37 PDT 2007


In terms of organizational structure, your recommendations, which I like, 
lead to the notion that an agency should not be looked only as "them" - it 
includes individuals who might be the most appropriate ( out of passion and 
responsibility) people to lead efforts across agencies.
The people who lead these efforts could meet and get the support of an 
across the agencies managerial forum.
This process can loosen the boundaries (and ego) of each agency, and help 
strengthening the individuals, the core mission of each agency and the 
`common good` of the whole.

Avner Haramati

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Pankaj Bhargava" <pankaj at people-builders.com>
To: <OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
Sent: Saturday, July 28, 2007 8:29 PM
Subject: Re: needing some advice


> That's an interesting way to look at it. In practical terms would I be 
> right in understanding that Jon needs to identify a team willing to act, 
> get them going, share the outcomes publicly and then move on to the next. 
> And keep doing this till it is a critical mass.
>
> Regards
>
> Pankaj
>
> -- original message --
> Subject: Re: needing some advice
> From: Harrison Owen <hhowen at verizon.net>
> Date: 28th July 2007 7:10 am
>
> 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
>
> __________ NOD32 2426 (20070727) Information __________
>
> This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system.
> http://www.eset.com
>
> 

*
*
==========================================================
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



More information about the OSList mailing list