[OSList] On Liminality in Agile Organizations

[Daniel Mezick]

In the book SPIRIT, author Harrison Owen says plainly and profoundly:

"The old ways are passing, and the new ones are yet to arrive. We are in 
the Open Space, between what was and what might become."

This is describing a threshold state:

the "liminal" state, which is

the "in-between",

the "not-here",

the "not-there"....the "no-mans-land."

We are liminal when we do Agile for real. And because there is no end to 
improvement in Agile, the dangers (and the opportunities) of the liminal 
state are always present. This is a perfect spot for a passage 
rite...one based on Open Space, leadership storytelling and more.

Agile creates stressful liminality. The Open Agile Adoption technique 
recognizes what is happening, says "OK" to that, and addresses the issue 
by bringing in a useful passage rite, one designed to handle the 
liminality...a passage rite that incorporates Open Space.


Now the stress of liminality is reduced, leading to better outcomes...in 
the Open Space.

Here are your related links:

On Liminality & Agile Adoptions

http://newtechusa.net/agile/liminality/

"...Adopting Agile always means lots and lots of new learning. Learning 
is stressful, because it generates liminality. All genuine learning in 
adults creates instability- liminality- until that learning is integrated.

"...We know the world through our models. Mature adults hold a model of 
reality. Genuine new learning challenges the validity of that model. 
This invalidation of your previous assumptions produces the very 
unstable,liminal state, until you integrate that new learning."

The SPIRIT Book (free download PDF)

http://www.openspaceworld.com/Spirit.pdf

An amazing and deep book that forms the foundation of Open Agile 
Adoption. If the SPIRIT book is a kind of operating system, Open Agile 
Adoption is an app that runs on it. Required reading!


Here is the Open Agile Adoption Facebook group:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/openagileadoption/


-- 

Daniel Mezick, President

New Technology Solutions Inc.

(203) 915 7248 (cell)

Bio <http://newtechusa.net/dan-mezick/>. Blog 
<http://newtechusa.net/blog/>. Twitter <http://twitter.com/#%21/danmezick/>.

Examine my new book:The Culture Game 
<http://newtechusa.net/about/the-culture-game-book/>: Tools for the 
Agile Manager.

Explore Agile Team Training 
<http://newtechusa.net/services/agile-scrum-training/> and Coaching. 
<http://newtechusa.net/services/agile-scrum-coaching/>

Explore the Agile Boston <http://newtechusa.net//user-groups/ma/>Community.

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