[OSList] Agile Adoptions, Open Space, and control
Daniel Mezick
dan at newtechusa.net
Sat Apr 26 15:15:00 PDT 2014
So:
* We can't stop other people from corrupting OST, and
* Those who might use OST to manipulate others eventually do pay the
piper.
Both of those ideas make good, solid sense to me.
I think the next big thing involves converting the "Agile Imposition"
into the "Agile Invitation" through the use of Open Space.
The idea of invitation-over-imposition is definitely getting traction in
the Agile space. And who knows, it may soon become a parade.
Parades tend to attract a crowd.
" one way to be a leader was to find a parade and jump in front of it."
-Jim Barksdale
Daniel
Related links:
http://newtechusa.net/agile/on-persuasion/
On 4/26/14 2:45 PM, ??? Spark.osk wrote:
> hear hear
>
> Thanks
> Spark
>
> -------- ?? ?? --------
> ??: Re: [OSList] Agile Adoptions, Open Space, and control
> ????: Harrison Owen <hhowen at verizon.net>
> ????: ?, 2014-04-27 03:13
> ????: 'World wide Open Space Technology email list'
> <oslist at lists.openspacetech.org>
> ??:
>
> Dan said -- "As Open Space Facilitators, we (and we alone) are in a
> position to maintain the sanctity of Open Space, and prevent it from
> becoming a tool of manipulation and control in Agile adoptions."
>
> Dan -- I hear your thought, and can't help but appreciate your
> concern. But I have to say, I think you are worrying needlessly. My
> reasons are two. First, I really don't think that "we" (individually
> or all of us collectively) can do a thing about the miss-use of Open
> Space if that is what some folks choose to do. And I would agree that
> there is a very high likelihood that they will try, if for no other
> reason than that "manipulation and control" seems to be a driving
> force in management behavior generally, so why not in Agile Adoptions?
> Speaking personally, I just can't bring myself to the point of
> worrying about something I can do nothing about. Such worry consumes
> massive amounts of time and energy that I would rather expend elsewhere.
>
> My second reason is that I believe we have a very powerful Secret
> Agent. Open Space itself. In every situation I have encountered, where
> people have tried to make Open Space something it is not...there is a
> very natural self correction. It may not occur in the moment, but
> somewhere, sometime people come to realize that whatever it was they
> thought they were doing, it surely wasn't Open Space. And of course,
> the real losers are the managers and organizations that attempt to do
> the dastardly deed. Sort of rough justice, but I never worry about the
> "sanctity" of Open Space. That critter is alive and well, been that
> way for eons, and shows no signs of quitting. I can't quite say the
> same for a lot of contemporary organizations and managers, but people
> do make their choices. As the saying goes...You can lead a horse to
> water, but you can't make him drink.
>
> Harrison
>
> Harrison Owen
>
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> *From:*oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org
> [mailto:oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org] *On Behalf Of *Daniel
> Mezick
> *Sent:* Saturday, April 26, 2014 9:59 AM
> *To:* oslist at lists.openspacetech.org
> *Subject:* [OSList] Agile Adoptions, Open Space, and control
>
> There is a fellow named Ed Seykota. He innovates. He has 2 pairs of
> models: a pair for 1-to-1 relationships, and a pair for group & system
> level relationships. His models confirm and align with the
> philosophies and assumptions which form the foundation of Open Space:
>
> ·All systems are open
>
> ·All systems are self-organizing
>
> The Models
>
> (1) *intimacy-centric*and *control-centric*models for relationships;
> In a control-centric relationship, the parties go for control. They
> use manipulation, force, threats, guilt, etc. to get each other to
> "behave" properly. In an intimacy-centric relationship, the parties
> go for connection. Every event becomes an opportunity to become closer
> and more intimate.
>
>
> (2) *causal*and *system*models for dynamic behavior.
> In the causal model, we have a cause and an effect. You flip the
> switch and the light goes on. In the system model, you have
> inter-relating elements that co-evolve as their effects on each other
> change. Some examples of systems are a thermostat that intends to
> keep the temperature in the room constant and a futures market that
> intends to find a price that balances supply, demand and other
> speculative interests. Politicians typically apply the causal model to
> economic situations so as to find a convenient "cause" that justifies
> expenditures on their pet projects.
>
> Now, what is interesting & concerning (to me) is the way the so-called
> Agile institutions tacitly support the control-centric model for
> relationships and the causal model for dynamic behavior, in Agile
> adoptions. Throughout the world.
>
> I am an Agile consultant. I choose to focus my attention on finding
> ways to reduce the number of coaching days, such that organizations
> can reach a state of self-sustaining, "freestanding" agility faster.
> And here is what I have discovered: to speed up the process of change,
> the people in the situation have to actually /consent/ to the change.
> They must be /willing/. They must be choosing /freely/. High
> Performance in Agile adoptions is a function of /opt-in willingness to
> proceed/ on the part of the people who actually do the work.
>
> Sound familiar?
>
> Typical Agile adoptions today are implemented as imposed and mandated
> process change. By "management". By "formally authorized leadership."
> This is the control-centric model for relationships.
>
> Typical Agile adoptions today are implemented as imposed, mandated
> process change. The assumption is that if we can just "make them do
> this or that", we can "cause" improvement in the organization. This is
> the causal model for system behavior.
>
> This is a very serious problem in our world, and one that the
> so-called Agile institutions are just not addressing. The Agile
> Alliance, for example, has various policy statements. Yet the Agile
> Alliance has no policy statement whatsoever regarding the harmful,
> mandated imposition of Agile practices. This amounts to a
> rubber-stamping of the control-centric, causal, imposed-Agile "status
> quo" that we see in the world today.
>
> Open Space can help with Agile adoptions, but only if the Facilitator
> is unwilling to implement the control-centric model for relationships,
> and only if the Facilitator is unwilling to implement the causal model
> for social-system behavior. Well-intentioned management often just
> does not see it that way.
>
> I'm concerned that we are entering a period where, absent any clear
> position statement on mandated-Agile from the so-called Agile
> institutions, we can expect trouble in the way Open Space evolves in
> the Agile-adoption marketplace. As Open Space Facilitators, we (and we
> alone) are in a position to maintain the sanctity of Open Space, and
> prevent it from becoming a tool of manipulation and control in Agile
> adoptions.
>
> Daniel
>
> Related Link: The Agile Imposition
>
> http://martinfowler.com/bliki/AgileImposition.html
>
> Related Link: Sample Agile Alliance policy statement on certification
>
> http://www.agilealliance.org/news/agile-certification-a-position-statement/
>
> Control vs Intimacy Model for 1-to-1 Relationships; Causal vs System
> Model for Groups
>
> http://www.seykota.com/tt/workshops/examples.html
>
> --
>
> 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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--
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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