Time for Self-Organization

Gail West icataiw at ms69.hinet.net
Tue Nov 25 20:05:52 PST 2008


Peggy Holman reports on her work with the US government division 
concerned with the huge problems in the prison system and what 
opportunities may be opening up for self-organization in these times 
when nobody has the answers and none  of the old ways of working are 
functional.  Where is open space being called for in Taiwan?

Gail



>Harrison just spoke to something I've been mulling quite a bit as 
>systems are becoming more erratic.  Throughout the months of the US 
>presidential campaign, I must have heard the news media say, "this 
>is unprecedented" more times than I ever have.  And now it is being 
>said about the financial mess.
>
>This  is a very important time.
>
>I'm seeing some shifts in the types of requests I'm getting.  The 
>work with the National Institute of Corrections is an example.  They 
>came to me because they knew they wanted something "emergent".  They 
>were incredibly nervous about it all but stuck with it.  During the 
>last morning, as we prepared for the convergence work I described in 
>an earlier e-mail (10/10/08 Three action planning approaches in Open 
>Space - plus one more), the project director said something that 
>continues to ring in my ears.  People were trying to get clear about 
>what was being asked of them in identifying where the project should 
>focus its attention.
>
>The client told the group that his board was asking him questions 
>like, "what are you doing?" and "what do you expect to achieve?"  It 
>was clear they had him on the hot seat trying to get answers to 
>questions they were used to having clarity on before launching a 
>major project.  And he gave them an answer that made me cheer.  He 
>said, "We don't know.  We're making it up as we go along.  If we had 
>the answers, why would we go to all this trouble?"
>
>And just to put this even more in perspective, the head of the 
>agency, who launched this project to "transform the system of 
>corrections (prisons)", was appointed by Bush's Attorney General. 
> (I wonder if he'll be there after the transition to Obama?  I hope 
>so.)
>
>As systems are breaking down or not serving their purpose well, 
>people in unexpected places are looking for original answers.  And 
>because we are associated with self-organization and emergence, the 
>OS community could well be where they turn.  As Harrison says, we 
>know a lot about self-organizing systems.
>
>What does this mean for us as a community of practice?  For us as 
>individual practitioners?
>
>It is a good time to reflect on how we can best equip ourselves to 
>be of service during this fertile and likely rocky time of change.
>
>appreciatively,
>Peggy
>
>
>______________________________
>Peggy Holman
>The Open Circle Company
>15347 SE 49th Place
>Bellevue, WA  98006
>425-746-6274
><http://www.opencirclecompany.com>www.opencirclecompany.com
>
>For the new edition of The Change Handbook, go to: 
><http://www.bkconnection.com/ChangeHandbook>www.bkconnection.com/ChangeHandbook 
>
>"An angel told me that the only way to step into the fire and not 
>get burnt, is to become 
>the fire".
>   -- Drew Dellinger
>******************************************************
>
>On Nov 25, 2008, at 10:36 AM, Michael M Pannwitz wrote:
>
>>Could it be that it wasn't Obama that won the election but the way 
>>space was opened for unfolding millions of selforganized 
>>initiatives with all the benefits of broadened leadership and high 
>>performance?
>>If it does not let itself be controlled or shut down it might have 
>>the capacity to perhaps keep things going towards a more peaceful 
>>and productive ride...Obama and Congress will not be able to 
>>provide the transformation needed, selforganization will...
>>So, where does that leave us grand facilitators?
>>Greetings from Berlin
>>mmp
>>*****************************************************
>>Harrison Owen wrote:
>>
>>>I could be very wrong, but it seems to me that recently there have been a
>>>number of indications that people are finally taking self organization
>>>seriously.  The latest comes from a Washington Post Story dealing with the
>>>Obama campaign - which they note was massively self organizing. To see for
>>>yourself, go to:
>>>
>>><http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/24/AR2008112402>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/24/AR2008112402
>>>119.html  I think this uptick in interest and awareness could be 
>>>very important to
>>>this community. We know a lot about self organizing systems and living
>>>creatively with them because that is what OST is all about.  This knowledge
>>>and experience is something we can and should share.  If nothing else this
>>>sharing will enable us to break out of the "better meetings box," and join
>>>what I take to be the infinitely more important conversation about high
>>>level organizational function - which translates into efficiency,
>>>effectiveness, profitability - to say nothing of surviving and thriving in a
>>>crazy (self-organizing) world.
>>>Harrison Owen

-- 
Gail West
ICA
3F, No. 12, Lane 5, Tien Mou West Road
Taipei, Taiwan 111
8862) 2871-3150
SKYPE   gwestica

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