[OSList] Open Space and Authority

[Michael M Pannwitz]

Dear Dan, Jamie and Paul,
is there a new (5th or 6th) principle emerging?
Such as:
"Whoever is authorized is the right people?"
Or
"Whoever is mandated is the right people?"

Or is there a new prerequisite for the unfolding of the forces of 
selforganisation in sight?
In addition to the 4,5 or 6 that we are often concerned about?
Such as:
"High level of authorisation"
or
"High level of mandation" (Palines for mandate, have a look at this link
> http://de.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Mandation

Or are these thoughts simply a manifestation of "old-paradigm", remnants 
of the realm of control?

Control? Wasn't that the effort to shut down selforganisation towards zero?

Heavy stuff for a sundrenched Sunday morning in Berlin where I and the 
entire population (including dogs and cats and other pets kept in human 
housing) are suffering from having been robbed of an hours time by 
authorities that are mandated to do such stuff.

Oh yes, before I forget, there was the notion that "passion and 
responsibility" is all that is needed for "authorisation" (with the 
nagging suspicion that folks driven by passion and responsibility and 
even taking action under those influences walk through the walls and 
obstacles set up by those authorized to raise them as if they were thin 
air).

Greetings from Berlin
mmp


On 29.03.2014 21:57, Daniel Mezick wrote:
> I am asking for help. Will you help me clarify my thinking?
>
> I'm wondering if 100% equivalence in authorization for all participants
> is actually a key/defining characteristic of any genuine and authentic
> Open Space event...
>
>
> First things first. Definitions:
>
> Authority: The right to do specific work
>
> Authorization: The conferring of authority
>
> Formal Authority: Authorization conferred from the formal organization
> to a person. Example: "the CEO".
>
> Informal Authority: Authorization conferred from peers, colleagues and
> co-workers. Example: "emergent leadership".
>
>
> Now let's get into it. I currently think, and believe, that:
>
> 1. For an Open Space event inside an organization, the Sponsor must
> occupy a role with substantial formal authorization, definitely more
> than enough to actually authorize that OST event. The higher the level
> of formal authorization of the Sponsor, the better it is for the event
> overall.
>
> 2. The Sponsor authorizes the participants- the "invitees"-- to meet
> together, and do the specific work of exploring and investigating the
> Theme. This "authorized work" is done in "authorized space"...in that
> specific place, for a specific period of time. The Sponsor explicitly
> authorizes all of the above and conveys this message after they stand
> up, and before they sit down, at the opening.
>
> 2. The Facilitator is formally authorized by the Sponsor to do the
> specific work of OST event. Absent this authorization, the Facilitator
> has no standing.
>
> 3. This is the big one: Everyone else, Sponsor included, has 100%
> equivalent authorization (100% equivalent "right to do work") as of the
> moment of opening of the Bulletin Board and/or the opening of the
> Marketplace.
>
> 4. As the event progresses, authorization dynamics are in play. These
> "informal authorization" dynamics occur continuously throughout the day
> in real time, moment by moment. Those who experience net increases in
> levels of informal authorization as of the end of the meeting have
> membership in the "emergent leadership" group.
>
> I am very interested in what experienced folks think about the validity
> of the assertion in (3) above.
>
> Ex the Facilitator, does everyone else actually have 100% equivalent
> authorization in an OST meeting? Why or why not?
> Is this 100% equivalence of authorization actually a key/defining
> characteristic of any genuine and authentic Open Space event?
>
> Thanks for any insight you may be able to provide, and
>
> Kind Regards,
> Daniel
>
> --
>
> 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/>.
>
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> <http://newtechusa.net/about/the-culture-game-book/>: Tools for the
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>
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-- 
Michael M Pannwitz
Draisweg 1, 12209 Berlin, Germany
++49 - 30-772 8000



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