Where does OS end, where does OD start?

[Gerard Muller]

Dear Catherine,

Thanks for a very interesting question - I would also place my bet on 
your having asked some good questions,
and the best way to find out why the project manager reacted this way 
is to ask - you probably crossed a
boundary, but I'd expect it is not the OS-OD one.

Thinking about your question, I found I am unable to define boundaries 
between OD and OS.
In the OD community I guess OS is seen by most as one of the methods to 
work with large groups;
a tool in your tool-kit as an OD-practitioner.

Having started as an OD-practitioner there is quite a lot which has 
changed in my work also when
not using OS, which may have significance to the question. Some of 
these are:

- I tend to think of/select methods where clients can solve problems 
themselves;
- when I sense that important knowledge or skills are missing, instead 
of trying to provide these
   myself or using collegues, I suggest to invite others in the larger 
system which could do this;
- in general I am more focused on what the client system would be able 
to do than what I can do.

In case of using OS, there are usually all kind of follow up 
opportunities where an OD practitioner
can do useful things. I have become rather more careful "helping" 
beyond a follow-up discussion.

But exactly the situation you are referring to, asking questions (in 
the preparation or) in a follow-up session
I actually feel I use all my OD-skills.

If I had to guess, I'd say the difference is there where you move into 
OD without respecting the Law and the principles.
And I guess one's intuition (like in both OD and OS) is the best guide.

PS	Beautiful products you are making


Greetings from the stormy North,




Gerard Muller

Open Space Institute
Phone: (+45) 21269621					Skype: openspace1
Mail: gm at openspace.dk







On Mar 1, 2008, at 10:05 AM, Catherine Pfaehler wrote:

> Dear friends
>  
> After a very successful OS with cancer patients last November, with 
> wonderful feedbacks from participants as well as from the top of the 
> organisation itself, I got the feedback this week in our last meeting 
> from the responsible project manager that I often acted in the field 
> of OD, which was not my task and sometimes felt as disrespectful. (I 
> will ask back in what details this was felt most – but for now, it 
> seems that the questions I asked in order to thoroughly understand the 
> way this well-established organisation functions were already going 
> too far.) From my work as administrative manager in our furniture 
> workshop www.wohngeist.ch, I am used to think in processes and terms 
> of organisation. This might cause my blind spot in this area.
>  
> I admit to have a shadow side of “need to know” and “need to control” 
> (thanks again for that great tool, shadows of the facilitator!). I do 
> want to make sure I understand the client and their environment well 
> so that I say the right things when I make my normal announcements 
> during an OS. But I also feel the need to be honest and clear about 
> the fact that OS WILL change the organisation (in connection to the 
> required openness to the results from my sponsor). How explicit do you 
> get on this point? What’s honesty, what’s telling too much?
>  
> And how do you separate OS from OD? Sometimes, when I find a committed 
> organisation not quite ready for OS, I help them get there by pointing 
> to what’s missing or needs further consideration, e.g. in formulating 
> the invitation – is that already OD? Sometimes, my way of support is 
> greatly appreciated and seen as part of the normal preparation process 
> where everybody flows towards the event and develops naturally – but 
> sometimes, as in the case above, it is seen as disrespectful. How do I 
> discern the two, where are the boundaries to be careful around?
>  
> Grateful for your inputs – Catherine
>  
> Catherine Pfaehler Senn
> lic.oec.HSG
> Open Space Begleitung
> Kellersriedweg 8
> CH - 2503 Biel
> +41-(0)32 - 365 68 41
> c.pfaehler at bluewin.ch
>  
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