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

ingrid ebeling ebus ie at institut-ebus.de
Mon May 31 03:29:26 PDT 2010


Dear Artur,

Between OT 9 in 1991 and OT 18 in 1998 I have been to seven OT-Confernces. After that I had a break and celebrated a lot of OS conferences as symposia with colleagues, with different companies and communities in Germany and UK.
 
Somehow I got into contact with John Adams, whom I met at OT and IODA conferences. He sent to me the invitation to OT 22 in Scotland. I didn't make it and - this I do not remember exactly - I thought it was in Scotland or in Milwaukee where he and the participants buried the OT conferences. He wanted to find a good end to these OT Conferences.

That is as much as I know the end of OT.

Warm regards

Ingrid

  
EBUS Institut für Entwicklungsberatung und Supervision
EBUS UG (haftungsbeschränkt) & Co. KG
Ingrid Ebeling • Am Alten Gehäge 6 • D - 30 657 Hannover
Tel.: +49-511-336 03 30 • Fax: +49-511-336 03 47
e-mail: ie at institut-ebus.dehttp://www.institut-ebus.de



Am 29.05.2010 um 20:19 schrieb Artur Silva:

> 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>:
> 
> 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, 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
> Skype: openspace1
> www.openspace.dk <http://www.openspace.dk/>
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