[OSList] Beginnings, Middles and Ends... Where are we?

Koos de Heer koos at auryn.nl
Fri Nov 23 00:26:18 PST 2012


Beautiful Mikk, Thank you!

Made my day.

Koos

At 17:57 22-11-2012, Mikk Sarv wrote:
>I think opening space is also creation of structure.
>The structure is like a body, where Spirit can live.
>When the body gets old, it dies and Spirit leaves the body.
>But Spirit needs the body or structure.
>
>Long moments of silence at the beginning are like pain of birth.
>After OS event everybody often feels like newborn.
>People, who like Structure, might feel Spirit as 
>something evil, what destroys everything.
>People who like Spirit may feel the Structure as evil.
>But they both are just sides of the same dance.
>Opening Space is giving birth. It offers for 
>Spirit a new body/structure to go on with dance.
>
>With greetings,
>
>Mikk Sarv
>
>
>On Nov 22, 2012, at 4:45 PM, JL Walker wrote:
>
>>Dear Arno,
>>Anticipating the response of HO, I can take the 
>>risk to say that the structures of management 
>>are always part of the map and the structure of 
>>the principles and the law of OS is always part of the territory.
>>Make sense for you this?
>>Hugs,
>>Juan Luis
>>
>>De: 
>><mailto:oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org>oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org 
>>[mailto:oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org] En nombre deArno Baltin
>>Enviado el: jueves, 22 de noviembre de 2012 4:51
>>Para: World wide Open Space Technology email list
>>Asunto: Re: [OSList] Beginnings, Middles and Ends... Where are we?
>>
>>Dear Harrisson!
>>
>>Could you please elaborate on the difference 
>>between creating a structure and opening space. 
>>When facilitating OS meeting I also create a 
>>structure by setting the space and introducing 
>>the rules and law (isn't it?). And at the end 
>>of OS I leave the space opened as inviting to 
>>take the structure (of mind - some attitudes 
>>based on the OS experience, ther rules and law) with.
>>
>>Be well,
>>
>>       Arno
>>
>>Narva mnt 25, 10120 Tallinn
>>            Eesti Vabariik
>>
>>
>>
>>2012/11/21 Harrison Owen <<mailto:hhowen at verizon.net>hhowen at verizon.net>
>>Juan Luis – Always nice to hear from you! And 
>>my answer to your question is something like 
>>this: Only create structure when you have to, 
>>and then create as little as you possibly can. 
>>Structure is useful in organizations, but it 
>>certainly can get in the way. So don’t overdo 
>>it. Ask yourself, “What is the minimal amount 
>>of structure necessary to get the job done.” It 
>>is always easy to add if you need it, but once 
>>some structure is created (committee, 
>>procedure, etc) it seems to stay around 
>>forever, even when nobody can remember what it was for

>>
>>Harrison
>>
>>Harrison Owen
>>7808 River Falls Dr.
>>Potomac, MD 20854
>>USA
>>
>>189 Beaucaire Ave. (summer)
>>Camden, Maine 20854
>>
>>Phone <x-msg://1038/tel:301-365-2093>301-365-2093
>>(summer)  <x-msg://1038/tel:207-763-3261>207-763-3261
>>
>><http://www.openspaceworld.com%20>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>http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org
>>
>>From: 
>><mailto:oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org>oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org 
>>[mailto:<mailto:oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org>oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org] 
>>On Behalf OfJL Walker
>>Sent: Wednesday, November 21, 2012 1:53 PM
>>To: 'World wide Open Space Technology email list'
>>Subject: Re: [OSList] Beginnings, Middles and Ends... Where are we?
>>
>>Many thanks Harrison. Just now I could give me 
>>time to read everything about your email slowly.
>>Makes me much sense for the moment that we are 
>>living here in Chile with our CDIC project 
>>(Centro de Desarrollo de la Inteligencia 
>>Colectiva), when we started to give us account 
>>that would be necessary some structure.
>>The question is how we can move forward without 
>>that decays the Spirit and what could be the 
>>structure that would allow that purpose?
>>Hugs,
>>Juan Luis
>>
>>De: 
>><mailto:oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org>oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org 
>>[<mailto:oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org>mailto:oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org] 
>>En nombre deHarrison Owen
>>Enviado el: lunes, 19 de noviembre de 2012 21:27
>>Para: 'World wide Open Space Technology email list'
>>Asunto: [OSList] Beginnings, Middles and Ends... Where are we?
>>
>>I’ve been thinking about us, or should I say OS
.
>>
>>It seems to be a truth of life that everything 
>>(us included) has a beginning, middle and an 
>>end. The separation between beginning and end 
>>can be quite various (longer or shorter), but 
>>one thing is for certain. For every beginning, 
>>there is an end. Along the way it is inevitable 
>>that people ask, how are they doing, and what next?
>>
>>What is true for life in general seems to be 
>>true for organizations of all sorts, including 
>>ours, by which I mean the Good Old OS 
>>Community. Perhaps you never thought of the OS 
>>Community as an organization, and certainly if 
>>you understand organization to be what might be 
>>called The Standard Model (The Leader, Board of 
>>Directors, and all the Rest) the OS Community 
>>doesn’t qualify. On the other hand, were you to 
>>look at what OS Inc. has done, that assessment 
>>changes, I think. As a matter of fact there are 
>>loads of Standard Model organizations that 
>>don’t even come close to our accomplishments. 
>>First of all we have been around for 27 years 
>>with thousands of “members” all over the world. 
>>Each year “we” produce global gatherings in 
>>multiple places, along with training programs 
>>and consultations. And when it comes to the end 
>>product, Opening Space, the numbers get a 
>>little mind boggling. Not bad at all – just 
>>don’t look too closely at how it all gets done. 
>>J So how are we doing? Well past the Beginning 
>>for sure, but what now, and where next?
>>
>>Quite a while ago, I found myself thinking and 
>>writing a lot about the natural life cycle of 
>>organizations (“Spirit: Transformation and 
>>Development in Organizations” and “The Power of 
>>Spirit”). Beginnings, middles and ends were 
>>pretty central to this – but there was more. 
>>All about what seemed to be happening along the 
>>way, and what, if anything, we might do about that.
>>
>>To represent my understanding of the natural 
>>history of organizations, I came up with a 
>>simple graph which, for lack of a better term, 
>>became known as The Spirit Chart. Unfortunately 
>>we cannot do graphics here on OSLIST, but the 
>>graph is simplicity itself, and so I am sure 
>>that you can quickly draw it, or imagine it in 
>>your mind’s eye. The vertical axis is titled 
>>“level” and the horizontal axis is “time.” On 
>>the chart, there are two lines, one called 
>>“Spirit” and the other “Structure.” At Time 1 
>>(the beginning) Spirit is high and Structure is 
>>low. Over time (moving from left to right) the 
>>lines cross in the middle, and at the end -- 
>>Spirit is low, and Structure is high. And there 
>>you have it: Beginning, Middle, and End.
>>
>>As you might suspect, I did not gather masses 
>>of data in order to construct my chart. Indeed 
>>I really can’t imagine precisely what that data 
>>might be or how to gather it. All that said, 
>>common sense and experience supports the story 
>>that the graph seeks to tell
 All organizations 
>>start out with High Spirit(s) – and virtually 
>>no Structure. At the moment of creation it is 
>>all potential, a wonderful idea, a gigantic 
>>WOW! The good news is that something is moving 
>>and shaking. Excitement and optimism rule the 
>>day. But there is a price. Orderly procedures 
>>simply do not exist, massive amounts of energy 
>>is burned for minimal results, the Wheel is constantly re-invented.
>>
>>But then things change. Rules and Structures 
>>are created to focus and direct all that 
>>wonderful Spirit. Initially there is resistance 
>>from some Free Spirited Folks, but the net 
>>result is positive and beneficial.  Work gets 
>>done, schedules are kept, product goes out the 
>>door. And best of all there is plenty of Free 
>>Spirit around to creatively explore new 
>>opportunities, new ways of doing business.
>>
>>But over time, the lines cross. The Spirit Line 
>>and the Structure Line intersect and then 
>>separate, with Structure rising and Spirit 
>>falling, being constrained in smaller and 
>>smaller spaces by the overburden of Structure. 
>>For a while nobody notices, for the 
>>organization is doing the business in 
>>productive and orderly ways, and who could 
>>complain about that? But there comes a time 
>>when the organization is defined and imprisoned 
>>by its structure and rules. Spirit is in 
>>evidence mostly by its absence – except in the 
>>stories and memories of how it “used to be.” 
>>When you are out of Spirit, you are out of 
>>business. At least that is the story.
>>
>>But there could be a different ending. Were it 
>>somehow possible to release the Spirit from its 
>>prison,  renewal might happen. But for that to 
>>occur, the prison walls must break. Or to put 
>>it in slightly different terms, the confining 
>>structure must shatter so that the Spirit may 
>>reform in new ways. This, I think, is an 
>>accurate, albeit metaphorical picture of 
>>Transformation: Spirit breaking loose to take on new form (trans-form).
>>
>>So where are we? Clearly we have had our 
>>initial WOW! And although it is certainly true 
>>that each time some new person joins our happy 
>>Tribe, having just experienced the opening of 
>>space for some group of people – that WOW is 
>>heard once more. It is also true that for a 
>>large (and increasing) number of our band the 
>>experience is no longer a strange one. We’ve 
>>been there before, and while it is always a 
>>delight, it really becomes quite predictable. I 
>>would never say boring, but predictable for 
>>sure. Sit in a circle, create a bulletin board, 
>>open a market place, and the folks will go to work. Every time.
>>
>>The curious thing is that 27 years into our 
>>adventure, our organization is still as lively 
>>and spirit filled as it is – a status that just 
>>about everybody recognizes in all of our common 
>>gatherings, as for example the recent WOSONOS 
>>in London. In my own experience of 
>>organizational life, this record is pretty 
>>remarkable. In every other organization I have 
>>known, or been a part of, by the time it 
>>reached its 27thyear, an awful lot of the 
>>original Spirit, enthusiasm, to say nothing of 
>>agility and flexibility had 
>>disappeared.  People talk about “mature 
>>organizations” -- when they finally got beyond 
>>the “wild days in the garage” (computer 
>>start-ups, for example) and settled down into a 
>>more orderly mode of being. Think of Amazon, 
>>Apple, Microsoft, et al. Somehow we seem to 
>>have escaped some of that, and how could that be?
>>
>>I think part of the answer comes from the 
>>nature of our “product” and what we do. The 
>>truth of the matter is that every time we think 
>>we have it all figured out, and have “finally” 
>>arrived at the “right” way of doing things – we 
>>are in for some surprises. It turns out that we 
>>really didn’t know what we were talking about. 
>>Somehow, Open Space was/is so much more than we 
>>ever thought, and what we do/did, so much less. 
>>What starts out looking like just another 
>>approach to better meetings or group technique 
>>subtly morphs into the story of the cosmos 
>>(self organization). And we really don’t DO 
>>anything at all. We simply offer an invitation, and then get out of the way.
>>
>>To be sure, there has been a developmental 
>>process in our approach as we have gone along, 
>>but it apparently moves in the diametrically 
>>opposite direction from similar processes found 
>>with other approaches. Put it all under the 
>>heading of “Thinking of one more thing NOT to 
>>do” and pretty soon (well maybe someday) – 
>>we’ll end up with nothing. No approach at all!
>>
>>Of course, there have been a few signs of 
>>approaching Middle Age. You might call it 
>>hardening of the organizational arteries – 
>>conversations about the “right” way to conduct 
>>an Open Space, usually accompanied by an 
>>expanding list of critical details with 
>>attendant Do’s and Don’ts. Fortunately we then 
>>receive a marvelous report (Sandy Gee, being 
>>the latest) how just about everything was 
>>“wrong” – but surprisingly – it all worked just perfectly.
>>
>>To be sure I have heard some chatter about 
>>“guidelines” (Thomas H. J) – but no proposal 
>>that we “get ourselves organized” – and 
>>certainly nothing as forbidding as a 
>>governmental structure with appropriate Boards 
>>and Bylaws! So we seem to be dodging the 
>>bullet, at least for the moment. And it may be 
>>that we have some distance to go before the 
>>end. I doubt, however, that our longevity will 
>>ever have anything to do with what might be 
>>called The Standard Organizational Approach, 
>>usually characterized as 
>>“institutionalization.” Indeed I more  than 
>>suspect that once again we will find success by 
>>going in the opposite direction. Rather than 
>>building durable structures that might last for 
>>the ages (none do 
 so far) – it will be a 
>>story of the constant shattering of structures 
>>and procedures to release the Spirit in new and 
>>vital directions. Transformation, I believe it is called.
>>
>>But there will come an end, of that I have no 
>>doubt. But I hope that the end of OS Inc might 
>>occur with hardly a ripple or note. Not unlike 
>>old soldiers who never seem to die – they just 
>>fade away. OS Inc will become quite invisible 
>>when it is clear to all that everything is Open 
>>Space. Blending into the woodwork, as it were. 
>>Nothing new, Nothing special. Just what is.
>>
>>
>>Harrison
>>
>>
>>Harrison Owen
>>7808 River Falls Dr.
>>Potomac, MD 20854
>>USA
>>
>>189 Beaucaire Ave. (summer)
>>Camden, Maine 20854
>>
>>Phone <x-msg://1038/tel:301-365-2093>301-365-2093
>>(summer)  <x-msg://1038/tel:207-763-3261>207-763-3261
>>
>><http://www.openspaceworld.com%20>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>http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org
>>
>>
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