doing self-organization

Thu May 24 00:32:14 PDT 2007

Hi Michael,

To me Open Space contains within it many polarities and tensions. One is that whilst the space is
open, the time is closed; this directly the reverse of normal life, where space is closed and thus
time is open (i.e. it takes ages to get this done effectively within existing org. structures!) -
Thank you Jennifer Palumbo for that wonderful insight.

The other one that I did not appreciate until I experienced facilitating, is that between the
system that Open Space is occurring for and the facilitator. Have a look at this post:
http://facilitator-journey.blogspot.com/2007/04/loneliness-of-self-discipline.html

When you say "but then what?  powerless?  adrift?  unsupported?" I confess I'm not quite sure who
you're thinking of with this question. But to me as facilitator a sufficient explanation at
present is to be in that tension between self-organisation of the system and the self-mastery of
the facilitator. If you are referring to the sponsor, or everyone other than the sponsor in the
system, then what happens? How do we explain it? What works for me, is that I think of the system,
that is at a particular point in its journey, and one sign of life will predominate.

I do still find myself thinking - on some level - that whether it is self-organisation or the
re-creation of an elephant is immaterial; and that the only thing that we as practitioners care
about is executing the method to the client's satisfaction, and in some case when we are advising
the organisation, getting to the point where the invitation can be made. However, not having a
name for it makes it kind of hard to explain to others what you envisage. Which is possibly why
some of my friends thought I'd joined a cult after my first Open Space experience... I just didn't
have a way of relating all that I had experienced.

Andrew

--- Michael Herman <michael at michaelherman.com> wrote:

> thanks, harrison.  this helps put some things in context for me.
> never thought or meant to say Invitation and Self-Organization in
> opposition.  just that self-org was also a 'halfway' story for me.
> necessary but not sufficient, if you will.  because it's not really a
> half-way story, but an all-the-way-in-the-other-direction story.
> control on the one hand and self-organization on the other.
> 
> control is, as you say, illusion/delusion.  maintained to a point, but
> essential not true.  self-organization, on the other hand is
> absolutely true.  and yet, i've never been able to be clear about what
> to *do* about, or coach other would-be leaders or helpers to do about,
> the truth that self-organization is everywhere already at work.
> 
> so self-organization is halfway for me because it *un-do-es* habitual
> control-based view.  but then what?  powerless?  adrift?  unsupported?
>  i think not.  Invitation is the thing i can still *do* with passion,
> power, full energy... without running afoul of the truth of
> non-control.  i can *do* invitation, and be full and inviting, without
> in any way imposing control on anyone else.  in open space, we invite
> leaders to invite others to invite others.  nobody in control of
> anybody else and everyone in control of their own invitations and
> responses to invitations.
> 
> so for me, open space and invitation work not because
> self-organization is true, but because we live in between some sense
> of control and some reality of being swept along in a self-organizing
> world (and even more disturbing, a largely self-organizing body, as
> well).  the active, conscious practice of Inviting is the only way
> i've been able to explain how open space works, surfing the edge
> between elusive/eroding control and self-organizing chaos.
> 
> what matters in open space, i think, is that we invite and practice
> two things at once.  i'm told that, as of some years ago, only
> something like 16% of the population (of somewhere, america, world, i
> dunno) could maintain awareness of at least two states of reality
> simultaneously.  parent/child, learning/contributing,
> passion/responsibility, giving/receiving, 4 principles/one law,
> control/self-org, order/chaos, me/you.  for me, Space really opens
> when I let the two sides of one of these pairs be both true and both
> still distinct.  when i let even just one other being be as real to me
> as i am to myself.
> 
> so no opposition and more to the story than self-organization.  every
> invitation at once a solid piece of practical, even orderly, work and
> also a simple call/prayer to the god(s) of self-organization,
> simultaneous and still distinct.
> 
> m
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On 5/23/07, Harrison Owen <hhowen at verizon.net> wrote:
> > Michael -- Not a doubt about it. Invitation is critical. From the first
> > moment I ever saw and/or thought about OST a key for me was what I called
> > Voluntary Self-Selection. In a word, people are present because they care to
> > be present -- and to insure that essential condition, Invitation is the only
> > way. Command and control doesn't do it. Assignment won't make it. Only when
> > people are there of their own free will do useful things happen. So I
> > totally agree. Invitation is the critical first step towards real open
> > space.
> >
> > But I must confess that I am having a little difficulty in seeing Invitation
> > and Self-organization as being in opposition, as some sort of either/or. In
> > my experience, truly effective self-organization at the level of human
> > systems always begins with invitation.
> >
> > Now it is quite true that self-organization, (I believe) is a fundamental
> > force in the cosmos, not unlike gravity -- and the last time I checked, all
> > human beings were part of the cosmos. So in this sense, you are right, we
> > don't have any choice about self-organization or not-self-organization, for
> > exactly the same reason we have no choice about gravity. It simply comes
> > with the territory. We do have, however, and enormous range of choices when
> > it comes to how we appreciate self-organization, align ourselves with it,
> > and perhaps even learn to use it to our advantage.
> >
> > It seems that a large number of people choose to ignore it completely, or
> > (what amounts to the same thing) presume that they are in control. I suppose
> > this works up to a point (the illusion/delusion can be maintained) but at
> > the end of the day such a choice is self defeating and at the very least it
> > leads to very ineffective and possibly destructive behavior. (See George
> > Bush et al)
> >
> > The connection between OST and self-organization originally occurred for me
> > for admittedly academic reasons. The fact that Open Space works as it does
> > was frankly inexplicable from any other theoretical base. According to
> > tradition organizational theory, OS simply cannot work! But it does. And my
> > curiosity bump got the better of me -- so I guess that makes it academic :-)
> >
> >
> > Can I prove the connection? No, but if the connection is not present I then
> > need to find some alternative explanation -- and so far I haven't come up
> > with one. Maybe somebody else will??
> >
> > But I guess the real question is -- does the connection between OST and
> > Self-Organization make any real difference other than assuaging my academic
> > interests? For me the answer is a resounding, yes. And it has everything to
> > do with the personal, the subjective, what has heart and meaning for each
> > one of us.
> >
> > It occurs to me that much of the pain and anxiety present in our selves and
> > our world comes from a deep estrangement from our true selves and also from
> > the fundamental flow of the natural world. There are many ways to talk about
> > this, but a most powerful one, in my view, is to see the point of
> > estrangement occurring when, as, or if, we think we are in charge of things.
> > In control! Why we do this is interesting. Perhaps we do this simply because
> > we think we can. And lot of times, I think we do it because we don't see any
> > alternatives. Somebody must be in charge, and it might as well be us. And if
> > nobody is in charge thing would definitely get out of control. Very Bad!
> >
> > In Open Space, we experience reality in a very different way. Nobody is in
> > charge, and wonderful things happen! More than that, it really feels good,
> > and lots of folks have remarked that somehow being in Open Space is like
> > coming home. And I think that is Right On. It is coming home to what we
> > truly are -- self-organizing critters, along with all the rest of the
> > cosmos.
> >
> > And of course if that is true, Open Space is not some strange new state of
> > affairs, it is simply the way things are 24X7. And the great relief we
> > experience (coming home) is simply that we have finally gotten with the
> > program.
> >
> > For a long time I have referred to OST as a "halfway technology" --
> > something we can do until we are ready to do the real thing. Chris Corrigan
> > has put this much better, I think, when he talks about OST being training
> > wheels -- something which is very useful for a starter, but also to be
> > removed when we really learn how to ride. I like that.
> >
> > And it all beings with invitation! A real invitation, which we can refuse or
> > accept. We can choose to remain in estrangement. We can choose to come home.
> > But the invitation is open and it is personal. I think.
> >
> > 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: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of Michael
> > Herman
> > Sent: Tuesday, May 22, 2007 6:24 PM
> > To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
> > Subject: doing self-organization, was unconf strikes again
> >
> > 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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> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > 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
> > > Mountain View, California 94043
> > > (650) 967-9260 * *
> > > ==========================================================
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> > > unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of
> > > oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu:
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> > > http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist
> >
> >
> > --
> >
> > 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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> 
> 
> -- 
> 
> 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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>From  Thu May 24 07:48:23 2007
Message-Id: <THU.24.MAY.2007.074823.0400.>
Date: Thu, 24 May 2007 07:48:23 -0400
Reply-To: hhowen at verizon.net
To: OSLIST <OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
From: Harrison Owen <hhowen at verizon.net>
Organization: HH Owen and Co.
Subject: Re: doing self-organization
In-Reply-To: <LISTSERV%200705231731481623.5EC3 at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
MIME-version: 1.0
Content-type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit

Raffi Wrote: " Might offering just the self-org theory as the *only* likely
story of os close the space a wee bit for other likely stories?"

Raffi -- I supose you could be right if I had said in some fashion that
Self-organization theory was the official dogma -- none other allowed. But
such a statement would be 180 degrees from my intention and and totally
contrary to everything that I think, believe, and (hopefully) live. 

The first thing to understand is that it (SOT) is a theory, a likely story
of how things work. As the theory has emerged under various names (chaos
theory, complexity theory, complex adaptive theory) in the past several
decades it has grown infinitely deeper and richer -- which is to say that it
has been in constant change, but it does seem to be headed more or less in
one direction. My statement was that FOR ME self-organization theory
represented the best theoretical structure in which I could make sense out
of what happens in OS. Could there be others? Of course. Will there be
others? Absolutely. And all of that will emerge over time as part of an
ongoing conversation amongst those who care -- which includes lots of people
who have never heard of OS. But I think we have some unique contributions to
make to the conversation, because we have been part of what I can only call
the Open Space Experiment, in which (as I would see it)we have consciously
and intentionally lived and worked in a self-organizing mode.

So my real intent was invitation -- invitation to the conversation about
what we are doing, what it means, how it works, and why. As with all good
conversations, I think it should be pursued with intencity -- which on
occasion may be perceived as certainty. But that certainty/intencity, so far
as I am concerned, is only part of the story telling / theory building
process. Wimpy story telling does not go very far -- but every good story
teller always knows that the story can be told differently, and the best
story tellers are constantly searching for better ways to tell it. 

We are all pretty new at this both in terms of Open Space as well as the
theory of self-organizations, so it is sometimes instructive to see what
happens in other areas, for example Physics. Physicists tell their stories
with great intencity and much passion. And if you listen to any moment of
the conversation, it may sound like pure dogma -- but it is actually an
ongoing invitation to make the stories better. At the moment it seems like
we have three stories (at least): Newtonian, Quantum, and String Theory. To
ask which one is true is miss the point. Theories are never true or false,
in some absolute sense -- they are always just ways of talking about things.
They become "good theories" when they are descriptive and predictive -- they
accurately describe what is going on, and help us to understand what might
happen in the future. But it is all part of a conversation. 

About this time you might be wondering whether we really have to go through
all this stuff. Why not just "do" Open Space? That works too, in the same
way that cold beer and the refrigerator works. To get a cold beer, I simply
have to open the door and pop the top. Viola -- Cold Beer! Do I really have
to understand (talk about) all of the intricacies of refrigeration
mechanics, fluid dynamics, the botany of beer making? No! Unless I want to
make better beer. . .

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
archives Visit: www.listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html

-----Original Message-----
From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of Raffi
Aftandelian
Sent: Wednesday, May 23, 2007 7:32 PM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: Re: doing self-organization

Harrison,

When Michael writes he isn't a fan of the self-org story, I think about
keeping the creative potential in keeping space open for our understanding
of open space. Self-org is a very convincing story. And our as our world is
changing very quickly so will our understanding of open space. 

Might offering just the self-org theory as the *only* likely story of os
close the space a wee bit for other likely stories?

Who knows what those other likely stories might be, but I'd bet that in the
next 10-20 years we're going to hear some other pretty compelling ones.
Guess we'll have to stay tuned...to the bass note <silly grin> ?

[Hi to all in Kiev/Kyiv! I guess if  you're nervous, Jo, that must be a good
sign!]

Warmly,
Raffi

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