Convergence for Group Consensus

Harrison Owen hhowen at verizon.net
Fri Mar 7 12:38:27 PST 2008


I really like the way this conversation has been going because it seems to
me that we have now gotten ourselves out of the old pickle of thinking
failure if consensus (usually meaning limited or singular approaches to
action) had not been achieved. My experience was that the drive for
consensus almost inevitably meant a drive to the lowest common denominator,
otherwise known as mediocrity. I understand the logic that says that
multiple paths forward can be confusing, as well as the sensitivity that
wanted to avoid conflict and make everybody to feel comfortable with the
decision taken. However, I have found that multiple paths can be richly
rewarding, and personal comfort needn't be a prime criterion. Indeed,
conflict itself is not a no/no.

One of the sheer joys of consciously working in a self organizing system
(which certainly includes Open Space as well as all other organizations) is
that there is no longer any need to shoot for "one right way." In every Open
space I have been a part of, there have always been multiple needs and
desires wandering all over the place. Occasionally they do get in each
other's way (conflict), but more often than not there is an easy and
graceful dance -- a real sense of flow. The drive for consensus too often
reduces that flow to a trickle.

The art, it seems to me, is to enable that complex dance. To be sure there
are moments when dancers collide and step on each other's feet. But that is
what usually happens when you are learning to dance. But when everything
comes together -- that is my idea of real fun! 

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 
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-----Original Message-----
From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of Diana
Larsen
Sent: Friday, March 07, 2008 11:13 AM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: Re: Convergence for Group Consensus

I'm late to the conversation, and this discussion of PASSION hooked  
me. I'm also skeptical of group consensus. Particularly with larger  
groups; i.e., more than ~10 people.

More and more often, in any kind of action planning (OS or otherwise)  
I have abandoned the idea of finding group consensus on the  
"important" issues. What's "important" is much too abstract and often  
involves what we think _other_ people, the proverbial "they" should  
do. So I don't ask about importance anymore.

Instead I've begun to rely more on the group asking itself two fast  
rounds of questions, about impact and energy:

First, each person votes on which issues would have the most "impact"  
if worked on further. That provides some additional data to the group.  
(I usually use some kind of stickers rather than colored dots -  
dinosaurs anyone? It just adds some fun. I also like the idea of  
tickets instead of dots here...I'll have to try that.)

Then second, I ask each person to put a small number of different  
stickers (1-3) on whichever issues they personally have the "energy"  
for moving forward (or if there is room, to stand next to where those  
issues are posted). We notice where the pattern of energy lies  
compared with their overall perspective on impact. And we follow the  
energy, which more or less equals passion.

After that, groups of people create action plans on anything someone  
has the energy to work on, in another round of OS-style sessions,  
complete with Law of Two feet, bumblebees, etc. And each group reports  
out 'first next steps'. Not the whole plan, just the first action or  
two, because we know the plan will necessarily change as people  
implement the first steps and learn more. In the Agile software world,  
we say "inspect and adapt" and "respond to change rather than  
following a plan." So that's the expectation. People will try a few  
things, learn more, adjust the plan, try a few more things, etc.

Diana

**
Diana Larsen
co-author: "Agile Retrospectives: Making Good Teams Great!"

Ask me about:
* "Secrets of Agile Teamwork: Beyond Technical Skills" *
April 21-23, Stockholm, Sweden;  June 3-5, Portland, Oregon

503 288 3550 www.futureworksconsulting.com/blog


On Mar 7, 2008, at 12:45 AM, Michael M Pannwitz wrote:

> After working for a while "by the book" and doing the 55 dots  
> convergence followed by action planning around the 7 most highly  
> voted issues I came to the conclusion that I, clients,the real  
> business issue at hand, the world, etc. dont benefit much from  
> consensus (especially by voting) but get real mileage out of PASSION.
> Since then I have successfully convinced clients/sponsors to move  
> directly from the divergent phase closed by reading the book of  
> proceedings to action planning.
> Open Space Technology from where I stand is an action orienting (not  
> "action oriented")process that runs on passion and responsibility.  
> Of course, following that course seems risky to many, lets have  
> consensus first. My repeated experience in OST events has been,  
> however, that regardless of what "consensus" processes produced,  
> action required needed passion and responsibility. Projects evolved  
> independent, outside of, in contrast to the "consensus" apparently  
> found in "convergence" and the issue with the highest number of dots  
> led to no direct action ...and that has to do with letting go of  
> control. So one of my suspicions has been that the call for  
> consensus is also fed by control needs that close space rather than  
> keeping it open.
> Greetings from Berlin
> mmp
>
>
> Harrison Owen wrote:
>> Marty said: Here are my two questions:
>> a)  In the Users Manual, you say that "with a sizable group (fifty  
>> and
>> larger), electronic tallying is infinitely preferred."  But in this  
>> email,
>> you say that "with small groups (<100) Sticky dots do the job."
>> b)  In the Users Manual, you recommend the use of 55 sticky dots  
>> per person,
>> but in your email, you recommend just 5.  In the quest for  
>> simplicity, it
>> seems you have removed about 5 per year!
>> My Answer --
>> Consistency was never one of my virtues. And when it comes to closure
>> (consensus or otherwise) I recommend Sniffy. Works every time, but  
>> you may
>> not be asked back! But I never was a real fan of consensus. Moving  
>> the
>> business seemed more important.
>> 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  
>> Martin
>> Boroson
>> Sent: Thursday, March 06, 2008 5:34 PM
>> To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
>> Subject: Re: Convergence for Group Consensu
>> Harrison
>> I checked the Users Manual (always next to my desk) on convergence,  
>> as you
>> suggested.
>> Forgive me for quoting you back to you, but there are a couple of
>> differences between what you said in the Manual and what you've  
>> written
>> below, and I'm really interested in understanding how your thinking/ 
>> practice
>> has evolved in the last ten years.  (I'm also planning a couple of  
>> 3-day
>> events where formal convergence and voting is very important to the
>> clients.)
>> Here are my two questions:
>> a)  In the Users Manual, you say that "with a sizable group (fifty  
>> and
>> larger), electronic tallying is infinitely preferred."  But in this  
>> email,
>> you say that "with small groups (<100) Sticky dots do the job."
>> b)  In the Users Manual, you recommend the use of 55 sticky dots  
>> per person,
>> but in your email, you recommend just 5.  In the quest for  
>> simplicity, it
>> seems you have removed about 5 per year!
>> :)
>> Many thanks,
>> Marty
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of  
>> Harrison
>> Owen
>> Sent: 04 March 2008 13:15
>> To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
>> Subject: Re: Convergence for Group Consensu
>> Pretty simple -- Sticky dots or voting. (Details all in the User's
>> Guide)With small groups (<100) Sticky dots do the job. Just give  
>> everybody
>> the same number of dots (5 works well) and invite them to past  
>> their dots on
>> the Issue(s) they love. They can place all the dots, a few or none.  
>> Then
>> count the dots or just eyeball it.
>> 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  
>> Kimberley
>> Willing
>> Sent: Monday, March 03, 2008 11:09 PM
>> To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
>> Subject: Convergence for Group Consensu
>> Does anyone have any experience or advice in 'converging' open  
>> space, in such a way that the emerging consensus of the whole group  
>> is identified?  Specifically, I have a 2 day event coming up - the  
>> purpose of which is to develop a best practice framework for  
>> reporting on the topic, and at least to develop a check list of  
>> issues to be addressed in preparing such a reporting framework. Day  
>> 1 could be spent diverging (in Open Space) and I am wondering how  
>> best to converge on Day 2, given that one outcome mine host would  
>> like to see, is an articulation of the level of agreement of the  
>> whole group on certain matters.
>> With thanks,
>> Kim.
>> *
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