[OSList] control?

[David Osborne]

Simply brilliant Harrison.

Thanks for your sharing as always,

David


On Tue, Jun 24, 2014 at 5:09 PM, Harrison Owen <hhowen at verizon.net> wrote:

> Michael – Some thoughts on your thoughts...
>
>
>
> To make the observation that nobody is in control in Open Space (or
> anywhere else for that matter) is quite solid and true to my experience.
> But it is important to note that we are saying “nobody” – as in no one
> person or small group. For many, such a statement is viewed as naive,
> woo--woo, or worse. For me it is just practical good sense for a very basic
> reason. Being in control requires that you actually know what is going on –
> what you don’t know or are unaware of simply can’t be under your control.
> By definition. And the Cosmos in which we live is so enormous, complex,
> interconnected and fast moving that the vast majority of it is simply
> beyond our ken. To pretend otherwise is illusory at best, and certainly
> vaulting hubris.
>
>
>
> The fact that many people, doubtless the majority, think and act otherwise
> – does represent a problem. For us, our minority status pushes us
> preciously close to that marvelous condition called insanity – seeing
> things that nobody else can see. Personally, however I find our problem to
> be quite minor compared to the difficulties of all the “True Believers.”
> Caught up in what I can only characterize as “The Illusion of Control,”
> these folks have created  and sustain vast institutions built upon the
> model of hierarchical control which are increasingly demonstrating massive
> ineffectiveness (they can’t do what they are supposed to do) combined with
> disastrous and destructive impact on many of the poor souls who find
> themselves caught in the machine.
>
>
>
> I guess that all sounds pretty extreme, but I don’t think I am saying
> anything essentially different than Michael (“At one level these are
> people are ‘free’ to resist but at the likely cost of their job, or their
> life.”). But there is a concern here, I think which derives from how we see
> our job. If we see our role as supporting the people (which seems to be
> what Michael is saying) – there is certainly a place for what I might call
> palliative care. This is not about supporting the institution(s), or even
> “fixing” them (I suspect they are well beyond any “fix”) – but rather being
> with the people in their pain. Extended hand holding, so to speak – which
> is indeed good and useful.
>
>
>
> However, should the role be viewed either as supporting the institutions,
> and/or “fixing the people” so that they fit the institutional framework – I
> have some real discomfort. I believe our hierarchical, control oriented
> institutions are doing precisely what they were designed to do: eliminate
> surprises, control variables – producing (supposedly) efficiency,
> effectiveness, and if possible, profit. Some do it better, and some do it
> worse, but they all try. And in the process there is no small amount of
> collateral damage for all the people involved. They find their lives
> constrained, disrespected, minimalized – to the point that they would
> prefer to be just about anywhere but at work. And this is called “Making a
> living?”
>
>
>
> Yes I know – we have lots of good people, who with the best intentions in
> the world are trying to make things better. While the scope and nature of
> their efforts vary widely, all seem to involve inventing/designing a new
> system which might do a better job. We have Quality Circles, Participatory
> Management, Matrix Organizations, Agile Organizations, etc, etc, which are
> then imposed (mandated) – and strangely, regardless of the good intent, the
> experience to date is that we end up right back where we started. The names
> have changed, but the reality is the same. I think there may be a lesson
> here. The problem is not the newly designed system, but rather its
> imposition (mandate).
>
>
>
> Fair question – Alternatives? Are we left with Extended Hand Holding as
> the only useful approach? I don’t think so and I am also certain that a
> fruitful alternative WILL NOT BE designing another better, different
> system. Our experience with Open Space can be helpful.
>
>
>
> When we say that nobody is “in control” in Open Space, it is not the case
> that there are no controls. By the same token, we might describe OS as
> “non-structured” – but we would be in error, I think, to say there are no
> structures. In fact I experience massive amounts of both control and
> structure, but with a significant difference. Both are emergent and
> intrinsic – they spring forth naturally from the nascent organization as it
> emerges. I call this Appropriate Control and Structure. It is native to
> that organizational situation, and none other and therefore appropriate
> (congruent) with the people who come, the tasks they perform, and the
> environment in which it all takes place. Change any of those three and the
> structures and controls will immediately change as well. They are intrinsic
> and emergent as opposed to extrinsic and imposed. Best of all they really
> work to the point that many people are not even aware of their presence.
>
>
>
> And where does that leave us? Certainly not with a magic wand to
> immediately cure the evils of the Beast. And for sure we cannot impose the
> Open Space Model System. I am not quite sure what that would be, but I am
> convinced that it would be just as bad and ineffective as our previous
> efforts. I do believe, however, that our approach can be much more measured
> and subtle. Strange as it seems, time is on our side. And of course, if you
> run out of time, it doesn’t make much difference anyhow.
>
>
>
> Simple take: Just open space wherever, whenever, however, with whomever
> about whatever that people care about. That could be about “Doing an Open
> Space” – but more usually I think it is about inviting our fellows to claim
> their passion and move. Some will, and some won’t. The cost as Michael
> points out, can be extreme. But life by definition is risky. No risk – no
> life. Or something. But our special gift to the situation is to enable
> people to reflect on what happens. Just notice... when you gave up control
> useful things happened. It won’t happen all at once (for sure!) – but the
> Times they are a ‘changing. Someone said.
>
>
>
> ho
>
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>
> *From:* OSList [mailto:oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org] *On Behalf
> Of *Michael Wood
> *Sent:* Tuesday, June 24, 2014 12:23 AM
> *To:* oslist at lists.openspacetech.org
> *Subject:* [OSList] control?
>
>
>
> In OST work we may find ourselves declaring that ‘no one is in control’.
>  I think that’s probably largely true in my own experience. I rarely feel
> like I’m in control of anything, and certainly not of anyone else.
> Realising this has been very liberating.
>
>
>
> And yet what are the full implications of this statement?  I’m supporting
> people in a large hierarchically structured organisation where a lot of
> staff feel very disempowered. In effect,  they feel ‘controlled’. How?
> Fairly simple things like if they resist the punishing demands being placed
> on them (do more with less), then their contracts will not be renewed. Or
> we might take a more dramatic example of places where people find their
> liberty curtailed at the end of a gun. They may also feel like they are
> being ‘controlled’.
>
>
>
> At one level these are people are ‘free’ to resist but at the likely cost
> of their job, or their life.
>
>
>
> So when we say ‘no-one is in control’, is the corollary of this statement
> that ‘we all have freedom and exercising that freedom might be very
> painful’?
>
>
>
> Michael Wood
>
> Perth, Western Australia
>
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--

David Osborne



www.change-fusion.com | dosborne at change-fusion.com | 703.939.1777
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