[OSList] Open Space and Authority

Sun Mar 30 07:17:05 PDT 2014

Michael,

I am asking for help. May I investigate your thinking?
"...there is no such thing as an equal standing in authority terms."
Will you expose your detailed thinking behind your expression of this 
one idea?

On 3/30/14 8:34 AM, Michael M Pannwitz wrote:
> Dear Dan and everyone,
> here are some bits from my experience:
>
> ---When I get a call or an email from someone asking me to facilitate 
> an ost-event I tell them to please arrange a "contact" meeting that 
> needs to be attended also by the person that will have the authority 
> to say yes or no at the end (usually the person that would pay my 
> fee). The purpose of the contact meeting is for the sponsor to find 
> out, whether the prerequisites for an OST event are sufficiently in 
> place. This meeting takes 60 to 90 minutes, no fee charged.
> This process has nothing to do with OST, its simply what is needed for 
> any kind of intervention of any kind of man-made organisation that is 
> embarking on such a venture.
>
> ---Participants in an OST event do not leave the authority bestowed on 
> them in the wardrobe, there is no such thing as an equal standing in 
> authority terms. What does happen is that folks differently bestowed 
> with authority  will, in contrast to what they usually do, follow more 
> freely their "passion and responsibility" which, it seems, in some way 
> increases their non-bestowed authority... the expanded space for the 
> forces of selforganisation, the real motor in an OST event, seems to 
> have this effect. Everyone, all participants, fully well know the 
> limitations that they will have to deal with "back in the asylum" when 
> they follow their passion... and very often they are amazingly elegant 
> and cunning in seeing their project through (responsible). That is why 
> I encourage the folks in charge not to make any kind of promises 
> regarding what they will do to encourage projects emerging from the 
> ost event. Participants will get the conditions in place to see their 
> projects through.
>
> ---Yes, again my experience, coercion, control and such do shut down 
> open space, not completely though: I have seen the force in a dormant 
> stage and becoming quite alive when the conditions are right 
> (prerequisites in place)... isn't it our experience that big CONTROL 
> seems to shut down just about anything? In OST events I have actually 
> seen efforts of BiG control being met by counter-activity (this is 
> sometimes the effect of facilitator intervention when a space-invader 
> tries his stuff or, and even more effective, the "group" grappling 
> with space invasion/attempts at control... these observations I have 
> made when there is a really burning business issue and absolutely 
> nobody has the foggiest idea regarding the solution, least the folks 
> with "authority".
>
> I really impress myself with your passion, Daniel. Maybe because I 
> also have been trying to refine my understanding, find precise 
> language, get my hands onto, etc. what it is that happens in os-events 
> or even in os-organisations. In my os-facilitator-career, I have 
> increasingly given up trying to understand it and focus more on what I 
> see happening... which has increased my faible for stories. By now, I 
> know that stories are fact, right, my facts.
>
> Have a great Sunday,
> cheers
> mmp
>
>
> On 30.03.2014 13:45, Daniel Mezick wrote:
>> Hi Michael, Everyone,
>>
>> I'm sorry there are coercive mandates happening in Berlin, and that you
>> have to experience them.
>>
>> Regarding the Sponsor for an OST meeting,
>> I am saying that I believe this person must have enough formal authority
>> ("sufficient+1") to be able to actually arrange, budget and convene the
>> meeting. And that the authority that the Sponsor holds is conferred to
>> him or her by the organization. Is this true in OST?
>>
>> Regarding the Participants,
>> I am saying that I believe that after the Marketplace opens, the
>> intention and in fact the reality of OST is that everyone has an equal
>> standing in authority terms. At the start, no one person or group has
>> any more authorization to act than any other person, regardless of their
>> formally authorized role in the organization. Is this true in OST?
>>
>> For the record, I am not at all in favor of mandates. I am allergic to
>> them. I believe mandates and other forms of coercion strongly discourage
>> self-organization by the imposition of external authority over the
>> person or group. Self-organization is impossible in scenarios where
>> individuals and groups are not free to choose. Is this true in OST?
>>
>> This places out routinely EVERY SINGLE DAY in Agile adoptions. Formally
>> authorized leadership imposes Agile practices on teams while at the same
>> time encouraging teams to "self-organize". I for one have seldom if ever
>> seen it actually work that way.
>>
>> And so I have my questions about authority in Open Space.
>>
>> I'm not being cute here: I'm hoping someone can help me break/refine my
>> model of OST as it pertains to formal and informal authority, in the
>> Open Space. I'm trying to use more precise language to explain what I
>> think is going on in OST. In my view, the 1 Law and the 5 Principles
>> make it clear everyone has equal informal authorization in OST,
>> regardless of their formal title. I some ways the formal titles are
>> suspended, as the space is held open for inquiry and dialogue.
>>
>> This is my current belief. I asking for help in determining if this
>> belief is close to truth.
>>
>> Related Links:
>> http://newtechusa.net/agile/authority-and-power/
>> http://newtechusa.net/agile/authority-explained/
>>
>> Regards,
>> Daniel
>>
>>
>>
>> On 3/30/14 5:23 AM, Michael M Pannwitz wrote:
>>> 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/>.
>>>>
>>>> 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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>

-- 

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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