OS 2.f

[Larry Peterson]

Jack and Others in this conversation.  Here are some of my thoughts.
 
In the work and training I do, I make a substantial differentiation
between Open Space Technology and Open Space.  I think OST is a
particular technology for navigating in Open Space - which was
discovered by Harrison and has its own bells and whistles and rituals.
When I use that approach I call it OST.  Open Space (without the word
Technology), as Harrison said, is the nature of the Universe.  It can be
"evoked" by asking a simple question or using a variety of technologies.
I have led a number of processes with learning from OST that I do not
call OST or OS2.0.  So focusing on changing the "technology" to 2.0 or
3.0 or whatever when opening space does not change the basic insight
about OST for me.   Engaging consciously and skilfully with
self-organization processes to enable breakthrough results at a high
level (including but beyond the instrumental level) is great fun and I
find that OST does it for many.
 
Whole system change/projects in complex environments:  With colleagues,
we have been integrating OST or other forms of events with OS in a
variety of change projects in organizations.  Most times it enables the
relationships and collective awareness to accelerate projects.
Depending on the skills and experience of the folks involved, sometimes
they want and likely need help in how to take ideas and move them into
successful change projects.  Sometimes, the group has the skills and
experience to do that.
 
I've used the Principles and Law of OST for other kinds of processes,
like the fishbowl, with other "technologies".   I think there are other
processes like AI, fishbowl, etc that open some space for
self-organization.  I've not found anything that leads to the same level
of breakthrough as OST as I understand it.  I have found clients - more
these days, who sole focus is scientific results and processes who want
to make OST less "ritualized" and more in keeping with their own culture
which is often anti-religious (that culture is what is and fine with
me).  They sometimes see OST having too many features of what they call
"religion" or "spirituality" or "kum by ya" culture.  However, if they
loose the deeper possibilities with OST then they loose out (from my
perspective).  Unless, all they want is the instrumental outcome they
are seeking.  OST becomes one of the tricks in the trick bag for a
number of folks.  
 
Recently, I Opened the Space with an international IT association board
that included one person from one of the big (really big) IT businesses.
After a substantial two day OST experience - which led to higher
performance than he could believe - he said he had never experienced
Open Space like this.   It had only been an interesting way to generate
an agenda and get people into groups with flip charts.  Never had it
resulted in the kind of dynamic emergence of leadership that moved far
beyond the meetings and time frames - the principles and law did give
permission to get way beyond the agenda created at the wall and do what
was necessary and critical for the board.  (I recently reported on a
group of 150 that did much of the same.)
 
It is fun when that happens!
 
Larry
 
Larry Peterson
Associates in Transformation
Toronto, ON, Canada
416.653.4829
 
 <mailto:larry at spiritedorg.com> larry at spiritedorg.com  
 <http://www.spiritedorg.com> www.spiritedorg.com 
 

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