[OSList] The 5th Principle - Why I think it is Important

[doug]

Friends--

A "standard" OST closing circle is just winding up. The person who
introduced everybody to Open Space says, "Oh, and one more thing. When I
told you there were 4 principles, I left out one. Now as you go out of
this circle, it might help you to know the 5th principle...."

			:- Doug.



On Sun, 2011-05-29 at 11:40 -0700, Peggy Holman wrote:
> 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
> peggy at peggyholman.com
> 
> 
> 15347 SE 49th Place
> Bellevue, WA  98006
> 425-746-6274
> www.peggyholman.com
> www.journalismthatmatters.org
> 
> 
> Enjoy the award winning Engaging 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? J
> >  
> > 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 L), 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
> > www.openspaceworld.com
> > www.ho-image.com (Personal Website)
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> 
> 
> 
> 
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