Organizational Transformation Conferences (was: Re: [OSLIST] ODWS - Journey through time; suggestions please !!)

Tue Jun 1 14:13:04 PDT 2010

Hiya Susan.

Thanks for the information about the final OT conference, held in Milwaukee.

Is this the one that I had pegged as Chicago, convened by Sheila Isakson,
Bill Isakson, Susan Kerr, and facilitated by John Adams?

Thanks for your help.

Jack

Jack Martin Leith
Leith Co-creation
London, United Kingdom
email: jack at leithcocreation.com
Mobile: 07831 840541 (+44 7831 840541)
Skype: jackmartinleith
Professional website: www.leithcocreation.com
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On 1 June 2010 03:09, Susan M Kerr <susan.kerr at aurora.org> wrote:

> Dear Artur, Jeff, and All:
>
> Jeff, I'm sorry to contradict you but the last OT I attended did indeed
> take place in my home town of Milwaukee. It may have been OT 23 in 2005 but
> I don't keep up with dates and numbers very well. I had attended the year
> before in northern Scotland and fell in love with the people and the rich
> dialogue we had. There was richness to be found that following year
> in Milwaukee as well. I was (still consider myself to be) "new" to OS and
> thought that group was a kind of subset of this larger community and the way
> they stayed in contact was through this very list.
>
> Even though I was there for the last two, if indeed they were they last
> two, I didn't hear any news of one the following year, in London or
> elsewhere. So I cannot help you, Artur, with what happened after the one in
> Milwaukee. Perhaps someone else who attended but hasn't had an opportunity
> to chime in yet will be able to shed more light.
>
> Grateful for the learning,
> Susan Kerr
> Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
>
>
> -----OSLIST <OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU> wrote: -----
>
>  To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
> From: Jeff Aitken <magic.teams at hotmail.com>
> Sent by: OSLIST <OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
> Date: 05/31/2010 06:24PM
>
> Subject: Re: [OSLIST] Organizational Transformation Conferences (was: Re:
> [OSLIST] ODWS - Journey through time; suggestions please !!)
>
> Thanks for posting some history of the OT symposia Jack.
>
> I attended many in the US from 1991-1996, and the European OT9 in Hungary.
> I remember one participant convening a workshop that included burning money.
> To me, it was not outside the range of typical behavior with a few hundred
> 'transformation' oriented folks being together for three or four days in
> open space with a somewhat amorphous theme statement. There was a great deal
> of weirdness and intrigue. They were all very different events, and great
> fun and great learning for the most part. And I don't blame open space for
> any of the troubling parts.
>
> John Adams told me that the last OT symposium in Wisconsin did not take
> place because of lack of interest, about five years ago, and at that point
> there was the decision to discontinue.
>
> Jeff
> Mount Tamalpais
>
> ------------------------------
> Date: Mon, 31 May 2010 17:04:47 +0100
> From: jack at leithcocreation.com
> Subject: Re: [OSLIST] Organizational Transformation Conferences (was: Re:
> [OSLIST] ODWS - Journey through time; suggestions please !!)
> To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
>
> Thanks for raising this, Artur.
>
> I've pulled a couple of old web pages about the OT symposia from my very
> dusty digital archives, blown off the cobwebs, and uploaded them to www.leithcocreation.com/ot
> .
>
> Hope these are useful.
>
> In 1988, John Adams ( www.eartheart-ent.com ) wrote:
>
> *
>
> Sometime during the very early years of this decade [the 1980s], probably
> in 1981 or 1982, a large number of people began to use the term organisation
> transformation to describe their work. During the Spring of 1982, a few of
> these people recognized each other at a conference outside of Boston, and
> began to discuss their common interest in concepts like vision, purpose,
> spirit in the workplace and global perspective .
>
> *
>
> Could it be that the ideas highlighted in red are taken as read (sorry - no
> pun intended) these days, and that OD has - to some extent - morphed into
> OT, as you mention?
>
> The rest of the John Adams article can be found here: www.leithcocreation.com/ot
> .
>
> With regard to your earlier email, I agree that PC is rife in the Open
> Space community, and that it is not safe to raise certain issues - not only
> in these posts, but beyond OSList.
>
> Two years ago, Paul Levy and I announced a discussion session, Open Space
> 2.0: Beyond the Dogma. The announcement triggered some hostility and a heap
> of defensive responses. Paul received an item of what can only be called
> hate mail from a prominent member of the so-called OS community (perhaps
> more like what Scott Peck would call 'pseudo-community').
>
>
> Pseudo-community: Where participants are "nice with each other",
> playing-safe, and presenting what they feel is the most favourable sides of
> their personalities.
>
> Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community
>
>
> I've had similar responses to other posts, which is why I rarely post to
> this list these days.
>
> 25 years down the track, if they survive that long, most organisational
> concepts and tools have splintered and evolved. Open Space hasn't, and I'm
> not sure this is a good thing. It seems to reflect a degree of orthodoxy.
>
> I await howls of protest.
>
> Thank you again, Artur. These things need to be said.
>
>
> If some among you fear taking a stand because you are afraid of reprisals
> from customers, clients, or even government, recognize that you are just
> feeding the crocodile, hoping he'll eat you last. – Ronald Reagan
>
>
> Jack
>
> Jack Martin Leith
> Leith Co-creation
> London, United Kingdom
> email: jack at leithcocreation.com
> Mobile: 07831 840541 (+44 7831 840541)
> Skype: jackmartinleith
> Professional website: www.leithcocreation.com
> Personal website: www.jackmartinleith.com
> Facebook: www.facebook.com/jackmartinleith
> LinkedIn: http://uk.linkedin.com/in/jackmartinleith
> Slideshare: www.slideshare.net/jackmartinleith
> Twitter: http://twitter.com/jackmartinleith
>
>
> On 29 May 2010 19:19, Artur Silva < arturfsilva at yahoo.com > wrote:
>
>   Dear all
>
>
>
> Thanks for the map, Jack.
>
>
>
> The map, and some clarifications by Harrison, reminded me of a different
> thing.
>
>
>
> OST was born in the "Organization Transformation Conferences".
>
>
>
> In WOSonOS in Berlin, I met a lady (that I cannot remember the name and
> later have not seen her again to ask for the contacts) that told me that the
> last OT Conference was to be held in London, but there were insufficient
> registrations and it did not took place. Nor any other after that.
>
>
>
> In ancient mails, in the OSLIST Archives, I can see that OT22 took place in
> Scotland, in 2004, and OT23 was planned to take place in Milwaukee, in 2005.
> I also remember to later receive an invitation to London, and I even
> considered to go there (and profit to see my sister and my English family,
> in Brighton). But later I could not. But that exchange of mails is lost with
> a computer that crashed many moons ago.
>
>
>
> If there is anyone that can complete the story from OT22 to the last one
> that took (or not) place, I would be grateful.
>
>
>
> I would also like to understand why the OT Conferences died (without any
> trace that I could discover in the Internet).
>
>
>
> And why have the OT Conferences died if the distinction between OD and OT
> is IMHO more needed now than ever before?
>
>
>
> Maybe this can be somehow related with my previous post.
>
>
> If there is no longer a clear distinction between OD and OT, than OST and
> all the other "large group facilitation methods" belong after all to the
> same stream - OD.
>
>
>
> Interesting, don't you think?
>
>
>
> Regards
>
>
>
> Artur
>
>  ------------------------------
> *From: *Harrison Owen < hhowen at verizon.net >
> *To: *OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
> *Sent: *Thu, May 27, 2010 10:34:02 PM
> *Subject: *Re: [OSLIST] ODWS - Journey through time; suggestions please !!
>
>
>  Jack – I have always loved your “map” – if only because it provides me
> and  (indirectly I presume), and Open Space Technology with an impressive
> lineage which is at once colorful, although perhaps  undeserved. It is true
> that my first public foray into the realm of Organization Transformation
> happened at a regional conference of ODN (Organization Development Network)
> – I gave a paper. What is also true is that at the time I had no real clue
> what Organization Development might be, where it came from, or what it might
> be useful for. My inspiration, training and experience came from a rather
> different place, including but not limited to a layman’s understanding of
> the New Physics, a rather deeper understanding of the myth and ritual of the
> ancient near east, and an appreciation of a variety of (what now would be
> called) esoteric traditions. Strange things like Tibetan Buddhism, Sufi
> thought (Rumi), some deep learning at the feet of (West) African Shamans,
> the work of Joseph Campbell, Ken Wilbur  – and other assorted denizens of
> the Fringe. I wouldn’t claim academic expertise for most of this, but
> existential, on the ground experience for sure. Truth to tell, when
> Organization Transformation first reflected the light of day it was not
> viewed in a positive fashion by the powers that be (were) in the world of
> OD. Definitely heretical! Off the Wall! Out of Sight!! Some still feel that
> way, I am sure – but times change. And a lot of the people who found the
> idea of Organization Transformation radically abhorrent became friends. I
> can’t say we have always agreed – but we are friends.
>
>
>
> And then we come to Open Space Technology. It does not come from, nor is it
> part of the great tradition (lately created) of Large Scale Interventions.
> It began as it remains – The product of two Martinis (and before that the
> Big Bang)!  There was no careful research, no critical analysis of preceding
> efforts – just a little Gin and (much less) vermouth.  And with all that as
> ancestors, you got to keep it simple.  – Sit in a circle, create a bulletin
> board, open a market place – and Go to work. Hasn’t changed a bit ever
> since. But I am sure that our understanding of what happens has gone a lot
> deeper – which is not to say that we are getting anywhere near the depths we
> must achieve. But we are moving in the right direction, I think. And it is
> fun.
>
>
>
> Harrison
>
>
>
>
>
> Harrison Owen
>
> 7808 River Falls Dr.
>
> Potomac, MD 20854
>
> USA
>
> Phone 301-365-2093
>
> www.openspaceworld.com
>
> www.ho-image.com (Personal Website)
>
> To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu
> :
>
> http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
>
>
>
> *From: *OSLIST [mailto: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU ] *On Behalf Of *Jack
> Martin Leith
> *Sent: *Thursday, May 27, 2010 3:11 PM
> *To: *OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
> *Subject: *Re: ODWS - Journey through time; suggestions please !!
>
>
>
> Thanks for mentioning the map, Michael.
>
>
>
> I've just uploaded it to my server in case anyone wants to see it.
>
>
>
> Here's the URL: www.leithcocreation.com/documents/history-of-large-group-methods.doc
>
>
>
>
> It's a big file ... sorry ... I don't have time right now to make it any
> smaller.
>
>
>
> Jack
>
>
> Jack Martin Leith
> Leith Co-creation
> London, United Kingdom
> email: jack at leithcocreation.com
> Mobile: 07831 840541 (+44 7831 840541)
> Skype: jackmartinleith
> Professional website: www.leithcocreation.com
> Personal website: www.jackmartinleith.com
> Facebook: www.facebook.com/jackmartinleith
> LinkedIn: http://uk.linkedin.com/in/jackmartinleith
> Slideshare: www.slideshare.net/jackmartinleith
> Twitter: http://twitter.com/jackmartinleith
>
>  On 27 May 2010 15:05, Michael Herman < michael at michaelherman.com > wrote:
>
>
> i'll second jeff's recommendation of marv weisbord's 'productive
> workplaces.'  that was the first thing that came to mind here.  another was
> a map that jack martin leith did some years ago, showing overlapping
> development paths of various methods and leading practitioners.  jack?
>
> m
>
>
> --
>
> Michael Herman
> Michael Herman Associates
>
> http://www.michaelherman.com/
> http://www.ronanparktrail.com/
> http://www.chicagoconservationcorps.org/
> http://www.openspaceworld.org/
>
> 312-280-7838 (mobile)
>
>
>
>  On Thu, May 27, 2010 at 4:39 AM, VISUELLE PROTOKOLLE < mail at visuelle-protokolle.de
> > wrote:
>
> Dear Gerard,
>
> Our friend Jon Jenkins, who sadly died recently, said as the father of the
> IAF Method Database, that right now the three most important elements in our
> profession are VISUALIZATION, STORYTELLING and ONLINE METHODS.
>
> Greetings from Italy
>
> Reinhard Kuchenmüller
>
>
> VISUELLE PROTOKOLLE®
> www.visuelle-protokolle.de
> +39-0566-88929
>
>
>
>
> Am 27/05/10 08:16 schrieb "Gerard Muller" unter < gm at openspace.dk
> <http://openspace.dk/>>:
>
> Dear All,
>
> At the upcoming Organisational Development World Summit (see http://www.odworldsummit.org/
> , which is organised in collaboration with several organisations and
> communities - amongst which several who are on this list , we are organising
> part of the program as a special journey through the history of our
> profession, before we move into it’s future.
>
> I would like to ask for your help in identifying what you feel are the 2-3
> elements which deserve a place in this journey. This could be either in the
> history of the profession (a book, a bit of research,  the birth of an
> method or theory), or in the history of the society around (political,
> technological, ...).
>
> If you have a specific idea how to represent the elements which come to
> mind, that would be great.
> In the case of a publication, it could be the book itself, in the case of
> an event maybe the invitation,
> a poster, pictures. But we’ll also have space for filmclips and music.
>
> Please mail any ideas to my E-mail at gm at openspace.dk
> <http://openspace.dk/>, in the course of the coming week.
>
> Thanks for your assistance !!
>
> Greetings from Denmark,
>
>
>
>
> Gerard Muller
>
> Open Space Institute Denmark
> Phone: (+45) 21269621
> Mail: gm at openspace.dk <http://openspace.dk/>
> Skype: openspace1
>
> www.openspace.dk < http://www.openspace.dk/ >
>
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