doing self-organization, was unconf strikes again

Michael Herman michael at michaelherman.com
Tue May 22 15:23:50 PDT 2007


hi all,

catching up a bit here and glad to see our work leaking into the
mainstream press.

i have been thinking about a comment elsewhere, about
'self-organization' being the thing inside of open space as
process/method.

i've never been a fan of the self-org story.  it's always seemed so
academic to me, overly scientific, overly objective, and underly
subjective and personal.  i've read some of the requisite works on the
topic, but i've never felt like i could really make that story fly,
never make the case.

revisiting lately, i notice another thing that's missing for me in the
self-org story, as i know it anyway, is any instruction about what one
can *do* in the midst of it.  i guess this is why i've opted for the
'inviting' story for some years now.

i think it's interesting that in the wee small description included in
the article here, the two *doings* i noticed were "offering" and
"inviting."  i think these might be even closer to the heart of ost
than self-organization.  or maybe the thing that comes before
self-organization.  after all, nobody can make or do
self-organization.  we can only invite it.  can only offer our
invitations, as leaders, sponsors, facilitators, participants.

so i'm glad to see that this article does well to get that part of our
game quite right.

thanks all,

michaelh





On 5/13/07, Tree Fitzpatrick <therese.fitzpatrick at gmail.com> wrote:
> Harrison. . . . this stream of conversation seems like as good a place as
> any other for me to tell you that I love you, Harrison Owen, even though I
> don't really know you, and I am deeply grateful for the gift of open space
> technology released into the public domain.  As Chris said, OS is so far
> ahead of the curve, gosh. . . . .   I love to think about this curmudgeonly
> man out there in the universe doing his best to be a good person and do good
> work and he stumbles upon open space technology, much like Frodo stumbled
> upon the ring . . .
>
> gosh golly, I am glad you showed up, Harrison.
>
> And everyone reading:  I am glad you showed up too.
>
> And me.  I'm glad I showed up.
>
>
> On 5/13/07, Harrison Owen <hhowen at verizon.net> wrote:
> >
> > Kaliya -- having had some extensive contact with the press over the years,
> I
> > count it a good day when I am NOT quoted. With very few exceptions, they
> > always seem to get it "WRONG" -- and sometimes disastrously so. And then
> you
> > are left with the interesting task of explaining what you did NOT say. And
> > very quickly you find yourself caught in the "When did you stop beating
> your
> > wife" syndrome. Not a good place to be.
> >
> > But in fairness to my friends in the 4th Estate, there have been some
> > marvelous articles on Open Space. The New York Times did a superb feature
> > story, as did The Washington Post and a number of others. I am not sure
> how
> > much all of that is worth (outside of "historical interest") but it might
> be
> > useful at some point in order to help some of the "Unconference" folks
> > understand their roots.
> >
> > It is not about pride of authorship, or even pride of place. I just feel
> > sorry for these folks not being able to access the 22 year experience that
> > we all have shared. There will always be people who want to re-invent the
> > wheel, but they could save no small amount of pain and agony if they were
> to
> > check in on what came before.
> >
> > Harrison
> >
> > Harrison Owen
> > 7808 River Falls Drive
> > Potomac, Maryland 20854
> > Phone 301-365-2093
> > Skype hhowen
> > Open Space Training www.openspaceworld.com
> > Open Space Institute www.openspaceworld.org
> > Personal website www.ho-image.com
> > OSLIST: To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the
> > archivesVisit:
> www.listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
> >
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Kaliya Hamlin [mailto:kaliya at mac.com]
> > Sent: Sunday, May 13, 2007 2:25 PM
> > To: hhowen at verizon.net
> > Cc: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
> > Subject: Re: Unconferences strike again.
> >
> > Yes well.
> > they also failed to mention to of the women they interviewed who are
> > working closely with the men extensively quoted and referenced.
> > Just the business/tech media in action I suppose.
> > http://kaliyasblogs.net/unconference/?p=55
> > =Kaliya
> >
> > On Sunday, May 13, 2007, at 09:53AM, "Harrison Owen" <hhowen at verizon.net>
> > wrote:
> > >Seems like our secret it out! Or maybe the secret is that Open Space has
> > >gone under deep cover. See the recent Business Week
> >
> >http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/07_20/b4034080.htm?chan=search
> >
> > >
> > >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
> > >OSLIST: To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives
> > >Visit: www.listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
> > ><http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html>
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >*
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> >
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> > >
> >
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>
>
> --
> Love rays,
> Tree Fitzpatrick
>
> http://thecultureoflove.blogspot.com/
>
> . . . the great and incalculable grace of love, which says, with Augustine,
> "I want you to be," without being able to give any particular reason for
> such supreme and unsurpassable affirmation.  -- Hannah Arendt
>
> 1335 Montecito Ave Apt. 35
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-- 

Michael Herman
Michael Herman Associates
300 West North Ave #1105
Chicago IL 60610 USA

phone: 312-280-7838
email: michael at michaelherman.com
skype: globalchicago

http://www.michaelherman.com
http://www.openspaceworld.org
http://www.chicagoconservationcorps.org

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