[OSList] Welcome to the 5th principle in order to remain 4

Tue Jun 7 07:11:13 PDT 2011

Dear community

I would like to delve a little deeper on the idea that I have raised with the title "Welcome the 5th principle in order to remain 4”.

First, tell you I appreciate and value the open space is OSLIST virtual. I am basically a peripheral participant OSLIST. Very few times I've written something, but I am a legitimate peripheral to live in freedom and responsibility to participate from time to time on subjects that interest me. 
And this has been the case. The appearance of the reflections and comments on the 5 th Principle has interested me. I believe that the talks that have emerged on this new principle have been a great contribution to cultivate the spirit of the OS, for to flourish his essence.
The foundations for the incorporation of this new principle seem solid and have been exhibited with clarity by Harrison Owen and others. This new principle, - which has always been there-, makes me much sense incorporate it into the opening of OS, because it provides an essential distinction to the experience of the spirit of the OS. 

But it was his appearance that made me take a fresh look to each of the other Principles. I wondered what was the equivalent contribution of each one, which led me to review the focus and the ideas associated with each. 
The focus of the first principle is people. The recognition that whatever is done will be done by people who are there. In our practice as facilitators, with my dear friend Juan Luis, enunciated this principle as "somos los que estamos, estamos los que somos" an expression that our culture promotes the idea that those are the best people to carry out the task . This focus responds to the who / whom 
The focus of the second, the action is, what is happening, what people do, the experience of what I will do - we will do, I do - we do, I did – we did. The lived process, the successful product. It responds to what

For me, the focus of the third and fourth principle is only one, is time. Present as one principle helps to raise awareness of the relationship we have with time. From the experience of time to create, to learn. To start and finish. The title of this merger could be "when it starts, it starts, When it is over, it is over." This focus responds to when 

And there is the new principle, which brings the experience of space itself. The place of meeting, whatever, will always be an appropriate place. There is the worry about whether he could be in a better place, once there, this is the right place. Responds to where. 
That's how I came to wonder the idea of welcoming the principle 5 in order to remain 4. 
But also in terms of form, I like the idea of 4 to 5 Principles. I think four is more harmonious with the circle of the OS figure. Shape 4 shows key dimensions of life: the 4 cardinal points, the 4 seasons, the 4 basic elements and others. Finally, also, that less is more. 
But maybe I'm not seeing something important to justify the two principles associated with the time necessary and useful to present them separately. If so, please ask me what they indicate. 
OS has been effective so far as it is and I believe that the Principles are 4 or 5, does not add anything significant. In any case, try my idea in the next OS to provide. 

Finally, reflect on the subject I have found attractive, I recreated the spirit of OS. 
A hug for everyone and we hope in Chile, the right place for the next Wosonos. 
Jorge Amigo 

En español
Querida comunidad

Quiero ahondar un poco más sobre la idea que he planteado con el título “Bienvenido el 5º Principio para que sigan siendo 4”.

Primero, decirles  a ustedes que aprecio y valoro el open space virtual que es la OSLIST. Soy básicamente un participante periférico de la OSLIST. Muy pocas veces he escrito algo, sin embargo, me siento un legítimo periférico, en cuanto a vivir la libertad y responsabilidad de participar de vez en cuando en temas que me interesan. 

Y este ha sido el caso. La aparición de las reflexiones y comentarios sobre el 5º Principio me ha interesado. Creo que las  conversaciones que han surgido sobre este  nuevo Principio han sido un gran aporte para cultivar el espíritu del OS, para que florezca su esencia.

Los fundamentos para la incorporación de este nuevo Principio me parecen sólidos y han sido expuestos con claridad por Harrison Owen y otras personas. Este nuevo Principio, - que siempre ha estado ahí -, me hace mucho sentido incorporarlo en la apertura de OS, pues aporta una distinción esencial para la vivencia del espíritu del OS. 

Pero fue precisamente su aparición lo que me hizo mirar con nuevos ojos a cada uno de los demás Principios. Me pregunté cual era el aporte equivalente de cada uno, lo que me llevó a repasar el foco y las ideas asociadas a cada uno.

El foco del primer Principio son  las personas. El reconocimiento de que cualquier cosa que se haga será hecho por las personas que ahí están. En nuestra práctica como facilitadores, con mi querido amigo Juan Luis, enunciamos este Principio como “somos los que estamos, estamos los que somos”, expresión que en nuestra cultura potencia la idea que los que están son las personas idoneas para llevar adelante la tarea. Este foco responde al quién / quienes

El foco del segundo, es la acción, lo que ocurre, lo que las personas hacen, la vivencia de lo que haré-haremos, hago-hacemos, hice-hicimos. El proceso vivido, el producto logrado. Responde al qué

 Para mí, el foco del tercer y cuarto Principio es uno solo, es el tiempo. Presentarlos como uno solo Principio ayuda a tomar conciencia de la relación que tenemos con el tiempo. De la vivencia del tiempo para crear, para aprender. Para iniciar y terminar. El enunciado de esta fusión podría ser: "cuando comienza, se comienza; cuando termina, se termina". Este foco responde al cuando

Y está el nuevo Principio, que nos trae la vivencia del espacio mismo. El lugar de encuentro, que sea cual sea, siempre será el lugar apropiado. No es el punto preocuparse por si se pudo estar en un lugar mejor, una vez ahí, ese es el lugar correcto. Responde al donde.

Así fue como llegué a plantearme la idea de dar la bienvenida al 5º Principio para que sigan siendo 4.

Pero también en el plano de las formas, me gusta más la idea de 4 que 5 Principios.    Me parece que cuatro es más armónico con el círculo, la figura del OS. En forma de 4 se presentan dimensiones elementales de la vida: los 4 puntos cardinales, las 4 estaciones, los 4 elementos básicos y otras. Finalmente, también, por que menos es más.

Pero quizás yo no esté viendo algo importante que justifica que los dos principios asociados al tiempo sea necesario y útil de presentarlos por separado. Si es así, pido por favor me lo señalen. 

OS ha sido efectivo hasta ahora tal como es y yo creo que los Principios sean 4 o 5 no agrega algo significativo. En todo caso, probaré mi idea en el próximo OS que facilite. 

Finalmente, reflexionar sobre el tema me ha resultado atractivo, he recreado el espiritu de OS.

Un abrazo para todos y los esperamos en Chile, el lugar correcto para en el próximo Wosonos.

Jorge Amigo

  _____  

De: Jorge amigo [mailto:jorge at amigoconsultores.cl] 
Enviado el: miércoles, 01 de junio de 2011 01:59 p.m.
Para: 'World wide Open Space Technology email list'
Asunto: [OSList] Welcome to the 5th principle in order to remain 4

Dear community

I have followed with interest the conversations that have emerged from the reflections of HO to incorporate a 5 th principle. True, it is important to include since it adds an important dimension that has long been exposed to HO and others.

I want to take the opening of this debate on this 5 th principle, to propose another change that some time I turn around and I think it is appropriate to do so now. In simple and direct way, I have always believed that principles 3 and 4, which refer to the same phenomenon that is the time, may be mentioned as one principle.

The appearance of the 5 th principle I made it clear this idea. With his introduction, the principles now include the four essential distinctions for OS: people, time, place and action.

So then, welcome to the 5th principle in order to remain 4

The English translation is from google. Sorry

Jorge Amigo from Chile

Phone: 56-2-8391773

jorge at amigoconsultores.cl

www.amigoconsultores.cl

En español

Querida comunidad

He seguido con interés las conversaciones que han surgido a partir de las reflexiones de HO para incorporar un 5º principio. Es cierto, es importante incluirlo puesto que agrega una dimensión relevante que ha sido largamente expuesta por HO y otras personas. 

Quiero aprovechar la apertura de este debate sobre este 5º principio, para proponer otro cambio que hace tiempo me da vuelta y creo que es oportuno hacerlo ahora. En forma simple y directa, siempre he creído que los principios 3º y 4 º, que refieren a un mismo fenómeno que es el tiempo, pueden ser mencionados como un solo principio.

La aparición del 5º principio me hizo más evidente esta idea. Con su incorporación, los principios ahora abarcan las cuatro distinciones esenciales para un OS: las personas; el tiempo; la acción y el lugar. 

Así que entonces, bienvenido el 5º principio para que sigan siendo 4

Jorge Amigo

Fono: 56-2-8391773

jorge at amigoconsultores.cl

www.amigoconsultores.cl

  _____  

De: oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org [mailto:oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org] En nombre de Peggy Holman
Enviado el: miércoles, 01 de junio de 2011 10:03 a.m.
Para: World wide Open Space Technology email list
Asunto: Re: [OSList] The 5th Principle - Why I think it is Important

Harrison,

I'm laughing at little time bombs of enlightenment. 

Methinks only an old radical revolutionary could have come up with that one!

Peggy

Sent from my iPhone

On Jun 1, 2011, at 6:20 AM, Harrison Owen <hhowen at verizon.net> wrote:

Peggy – Somehow your note got buried :-( And I wanted to thank you for the comments. As to when the 5th Principle might be rolled out – that may have happened already, unless Doug was doing an imaginary OST. But for sure it will make an appearance in South Africa. I would expect that the initial and near term impact will be just about zero – pretty much in line with the previous “4”. When first heard I suspect that at best they create a small curiosity bump – Why on earth would anybody bother to “announce” such things? But they are “slow-burners.” Somewhere down the road, and not in every case – some passing event will open a little space in consciousness – and a mild Ah-Ha takes place. “So that’s what it all about… “Whoever comes is the right people.” The analogy is probably inappropriate, but I rather think of the Principles (1-5) as sleeping viruses in a computer system which spring to life given the right circumstances. Laying little time bombs of enlightenment, or something. Guess that is just the old radical revolutionary in me still churning about. :-)

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 Go to:http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org

From: oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org [mailto:oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org] On Behalf Of Peggy Holman
Sent: Sunday, May 29, 2011 2:40 PM
To: World wide Open Space Technology email list
Subject: Re: [OSList] The 5th Principle - Why I think it is Important

Harrison,

I love the passion and clarity of your voice in this thread!  You're not speaking the usual litany -- important and useful for sure, but still exercising the same old muscles.  This exchange is in a new place, requiring thoughts and words that travel on different terrain.  And I find it alive with your own curiosity for where it will go.  It contains an invitation that attracts me!

You said the fundamental reason for any Open Space:  To enable the participants, individually and as a collective, to more effectively navigate the self-organizing world of which we are part. 

Yes!  I am so with you!  That intent is at the heart of my own exploration.  As you know, I use the lens of emergence, which describes the dynamics of self-organization from the inside-out.  I hear variations of your intent from others as well. My variation on your fundamental reason for opening space is: how does self-organzation become so well understood that anyone and everyone can navigate this natural pattern of change with increased confidence and grace?  Not to mention compassion, creativity, and wisdom.  

Do we need to name a 5th principle?  For me the idea that we are always in Open Space -- which you have been saying for as long as I've known you -- points to the intent.  So does the way I've come to describe the law of two feet, which I see as the heart of Open Space: take responsibility for what you love.  It is an act of service.  When people operate from that assumption, it liberates them to more effectively navigate a self-organizing world.  

Like others, i've taken to heart the notion from you of one less thing to do.  So I am not called to naming another principle as a means of making it visible to event participants that self-organization is the sea in which they swim.  Still, if something increases the likelihood that people leave an Open Space event better equipped to navigate a self-organizing world, that's huge!  As far as I'm concerned, the more accessible the notions of emergent self-organization, the better!  

So I can't wait to hear what happens the next time you open space at an event somewhere and offer up a 5th principle.  More, what happens AFTER the event.

Ain't it great to be alive exploring the edge of what you know and what you don't know?

Love,

Peggy

_________________________________

Peggy Holman

 <mailto:peggy at peggyholman.com> peggy at peggyholman.com

15347 SE 49th Place

Bellevue, WA  98006

425-746-6274

 <http://www.peggyholman.com> www.peggyholman.com

 <http://www.journalismthatmatters.org> www.journalismthatmatters.org

Enjoy the award winning Engaging <http://peggyholman.com/papers/engaging-emergence/>  Emergence: Turning Upheaval into Opportunity

"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 May 29, 2011, at 7:40 AM, Harrison Owen wrote:

When something sneaks up on you as a Blinding Flash of the Obvious, it is not uncommon for it to take a while to understand what happened. Such is the case with the 5th Principle for me. I make no pretence that clarity has arrived, but I think I am getting somewhere.

I knew in the moment that it seemed like a  GIT (good idea at the time), I even had some inklings as to its use and purpose – but hardly more. True it created a nice symmetry: 5 Preconditions for Open Space (Real business issue, complexity…), 5 Principles, 5 typical results (High Learning, High Play…). And of course all that is easy to keep track of with the 5 Fingers on the hand – although you might need a third hand. Shiva, Where are you? :-)

The 5th Principle, like the preceding four is descriptive, not prescriptive. It does not tell anybody what to do or what should happen, rather it simply alerts people to what will be happening in any case. The reason we do this at the beginning of an Open Space is to provide a little forewarning that may (will) offer some comfort to people along the way. As we all know, OST can seem like a strange new world for 1st timers. Just about all of their presuppositions and practices regarding meetings will be trashed. No announced agenda, no Leader, a facilitator who is most apparent in his/her absence… All the normal Comfort Guides for the traditional (boring) meeting are disappeared. We know all that, and we also know that when venturing into strange territory, having a few advertisements of things to come can make it all a little more comfortable. The original principles do just that in terms of the people who might come, actions/happenings that might occur, the role of time – and of course, the ending of it all.

But what about space? Isn’t it odd that in conversation about something called “Open Space,” space/place is never mentioned? I am pretty sure that the reason it never occurred to me previously was that the venue (space) was simply a part of the logistical scene – rather like computers, magic markers and flip charts. All needed but hardly worthy of a Principle, if indeed there was any principle involved. No reason to even mention it for the comfort of those present. So what’s different now?

The key difference for me is a growing concern and interest in what might or could happen after the event. We have always been interested in the follow-on, follow-up of the key decisions and insights that may have emerged during a gathering – implementation, so to speak. But for me those specifics are of infinitely lesser import than an enhanced awareness that Open Space does not end at the venue’s doors. If a group of people leave an Open Space Event, well satisfied with their accomplishments, but believing that all of that was the product of a special, unique, and rarely to be repeated method or approach, I think they have been severely short changed. Such people might naturally think that the magic of their moment was due, in whole or in part, to the power of the design, the brilliance of its originator (that would be me :-(), and the consummate skill of the facilitator. How wrong can you get?!

There was no design, at least in a sense comparable to other “methods” (AI, Future Search, etc), which are all are carefully researched and constructed. Yes it is true that we “sit in a circle, create a bulletin board, open a market place, and go to work” – but none of that came out of years of research and practice in Group Dynamics, with a linage to Lewin and other greats in the field. It just happened as a result of what seemed to be a good idea at the time. Truthfully all of this has been the source of continuing confusion and embarrassment ever since the field of Large Group Interventions was identified by the likes of Billye Alban and Barbara Bunker. The opening chapters of their book described in detail the antecedents of the new methods – and then there was Open Space which was only included as a last minute addition, and simply doesn’t fit.

As for the brilliance of the originator, we know the story of that one! The inspiration was actually a desperation play fortified by two martinis! The originator was in fact so brilliant that it took him almost five years to understand that Open Space was interesting and potentially important. Slow learner!

Facilitator skills? Useful, but not necessary. The truth of the matter is that anybody with a good head and a good heart can “do it.” This does not mean, of course, that experience and practice don’t make a difference. But I think the major difference is a reduction of the facilitator’s anxiety level, but that difference has only marginal impact upon group performance. This seemingly odd phenomenon is due to the fact that the facilitator is not “managing,” “running,” or “doing” a process. The process “does” itself and is deeply ingrained in all the participants, whether they know it or not. The facilitator’s sole function is Invitation – to invite the people to do what they already know how to do. And then gracefully get out of the way. Making a graceful exit can take years of practice.

And now we come to a critical question, I think. Why do we do what we do? When we facilitate an Open Space what are the goals, objectives, purposes? The answers to this question may seem so blatantly obvious as to render the question meaningless. Of course, we open space in order to – solve a problem, build a building, create a plan, unstuck a dysfunctional organization…  And for the individual participants we open space in order to bring a little joy, inspiration and renewal to the folks. For ourselves, we open space because it is fun, challenging, exciting – and on occasion financially rewarding. These answers, and many others of a similar sort, roll easily from the tongue, and they are all quite valid. Missing from this list, however, is an answer which for me is perhaps the most important.

For me the fundamental raison d’être for any Open Space I am involved in is -- To enable the participants, individually and as a collective, to more effectively navigate the self-organizing world of which we are part. Along the way we will hopefully accomplish other good things: a new plan made, a community issue resolved, a building designed. And for the participants there should also be an experience of accomplishment, ownership, participation, inspiration, to say nothing of some real fun. However, if everybody walks out the door on the final day with only the completed plan or building design, albeit accompanied by some good warm fuzzy feelings – I do not believe the mission has been accomplished.

The Mission Accomplished sign will be displayed when participants walk through the venue doors with the understanding that everything they experienced on the “inside” may be used on the “outside.” Actually “inside” and “outside” is a misapprehension. It is all one thing! Everything is Open Space – or more accurately everything is self-organizing, despite the fact that there is a continuing delusion to the contrary. Strange talk? Indeed, such talk in itself, would appear to be delusional. After all we all know that somebody is in charge, and that our organizations are the creatures of our making. In such an environment, playing by the airy-fairy rules (principles) of Open Space is an iron clad predictor of failure.  That’s what it says in all the books, and is emblazoned on the walls of every “well managed” institution. Under such circumstances the average participant might be forgiven for a little skepticism.

But skepticism is a healthy thing, and after all we have been there before. I suspect that every single 1st time participant in all the Open Spaces I have been a part of, entered with some degree of skepticism, and in those instances where I actually asked, they all admitted that their confidence level for a “successful” outcome was close to zero. Nice idea, but it just couldn’t work! No amount of argument on my part ever convinced a soul, and for sure the recitation of the 4 Principles did little if anything to change their opinion. They remained confirmed skeptics UNTIL they had the experience. At that point, the 4 simple Principles became useful prods to their critical process. They help people to see, really notice – how the “impossible” became common place. From that point on, they had some real work to do – but they now had something to work with.

Now back to the 5th Principle -- which is simply an invitation to notice that all the marvelous things which occurred “in” the event needn’t stop at the venue door. In fact they can and do occur anywhere. “Wherever it is, is the right place!”

Will that Principle convince anybody? No, absolutely not – at least until they have had the experience. At that point, the 5th Principle will join its fellows as a simple statement of the obvious.

So I am stuck with the 5th Principle, not for reasons of symmetry or theory. In fact it messes up a whole bunch of great signs that have been make, to say nothing of all the books I have written. But what else is new?

Harrison

Harrison Owen

7808 River Falls Dr.

Potomac, MD 20854

USA

Phone 301-365-2093

 <http://www.openspaceworld.com> www.openspaceworld.com

 <http://www.ho-image.com> www.ho-image.com (Personal Website)

To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of OSLIST Go to: <http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org> http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org

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