Causing Trouble

[Scott Willard]

I'm really interested in this thread of conversation.  I wonder about the "need" for admin to control.  With organizations changing so rapidly, one would think that the models of Complex Adaptive Systems and Adaptive Leadership would really catch on and drive a new openness to the impact of complexity theories on management.  Yet, our human nature when confronted with rapid change is to dig our heels in the ground, bare our teeth and charge in to control what we can.  Regardless of the quiet whispers that tell us that all living systems reside outside of our "control."  The system will hit a bifurcation point and new life will emerge or death will occur.  Our western business culture is so afraid of death.  Why?  Death makes possible new opportunities.  I'll take a breath now.
 
Scott Willard
Affinity Consulting Group
affinity-scottwillard.com 



----- Original Message ----
From: Tenneson Woolf <tenneson at berkana.org>
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Sent: Thursday, March 22, 2007 7:41:29 AM
Subject: FW: Causing Trouble


Thank you for voicing this. It has helped me to name something that I have seen many times and has made my skin crawl each time, without knowing why.
 
A prevalent management strategy seems to be “how to create obligation.” I contrast this with the simple invitation to “co-create.” The former feels like a never ending job that continues to require more and more effort, but in a way that will never accomplish the most possible (or even more). It is three parts manipulation, perhaps cajoling, perhaps retention of power, and one part human to human synergy. The latter feels calls deep down to the core of the human spirit, without even needing to be too funky, which seems to enliven us through its simplicity. 
 
OK, maybe it isn’t all that simple. And yes, many approaches work to some extent in many circumstances. But this fundamental distinction – obligation vs invitation to cocreate – speaks volumes for me.
 
Thanks all.
 
Tenneson 
 
 
 
Tenneson Woolf
 
The Art of Hosting
tenneson at berkana.org
www.artofhosting.org
801 376 2213
 
Dyer Institute for Leading Organizational Change
tenneson_woolf at byu.edu
www.dyerinstitute.byu.edu
801 422 2665



From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of Harrison Owen
Sent: Thursday, March 22, 2007 5:27 AM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: FW: Causing Trouble
 
From: Uwe Weissflog [mailto:Uwe.Weissflog at t-online.de] 
Sent: Thursday, March 22, 2007 6:28 AM
To: hhowen at verizon.net
Subject: Re: Causing Trouble
 
Dear Harrison ,

what you say resonates with my experience and my heart. After numerous Open Space events in high-tech businesses and universities I have come to similar conclusions. Humberto Maturana's says in one of his books: "... but creating and managing are basically different. I co-create, by consciously living in the Now, making life more harmoniously - without enslaving other people". But this, apparently is the dilemma we face when opening the space: the self-organising and co-creating power of people becomes obvious and collides with the desire of some who want have power over people.

I had cases, where after very successful Open Space events (for example one, which resulted in 3 patents) higher management simply stopped it because the structure did not fit the "normal way of life" in the company - what a waste of possibilities.

I'm now very careful when and how to use Open Space - sometimes it seems better to say no - for the sake of the people involved.

-- 
Uwe Weissflog
Pathway Guidance - Europe(TM), GbR
www.pathwayguidance.eu
uwe.weissflog at pathwayguidance.eu
Rinnengärten 1
D-34516 Vöhl-Marienhagen , Germany
+49 5635 99 11 97 (fon)
+49 5635 99 39 34 (fax)
+49 175 521 76 56 (mobile)
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