[OSList] Open Space by the book?
Daniel Mezick via OSList
oslist at lists.openspacetech.org
Mon Nov 17 14:54:06 PST 2014
Greeting Harrison, paul, John, Chris,
I strongly agree that asking "why about how" is usually not very useful.
http://newtechusa.net/agile/start-with-how/
That said, I see a pattern here I first noticed in the Agile community
several years ago. People who reach the mastery level dispensed guidance
that made perfect sense-- to other experts. Yet that same advice just
wasn't readily digestible by the many "late-majority" newbies who were
flooding in... and seeking some very basic guidance.
For example, quite a few years ago the idea of "not doing estimates at
all for software projects" began to be advocated by certain well-known
Agile experts. While that concept is certainly well-grounded in reality
and appropriate for very mature organizations, it did cause some
less-knowledgeable people to stumble... as they struggled to understand
exactly what these experts were actually talking about.
The 1 Law and the 5 Principles do provide a very useful and accessible
template... one that makes it easy for anyone with a "good head and a
good heart" to jump in...and facilitate some open space with little or
no experience.
What's actually wrong with that?
Are we actually experiencing the end of the early-majority phase with
Open Space?
Is the late-majority stage just getting underway?
If so, a great many "late-majority" newbies will be here shortly.
Daniel
On 11/17/14 5:03 PM, Chris Corrigan via OSList wrote:
> I have opened space many many times without ever mentioning the four
> principles, the law or any other assorted wisdom associated with WHY
> the process works.
>
> My basic practice is to explain HOW we will organize ourselves,
> pointing out the tools we have to do so: paper, markers, bulletin board.
>
> I talk about passion and responsibility "Please only post a topic you
> will personally show up for..." and I mention the freedom of choosing
> and moving.
>
> That is all that people need to get into Open Space. I'm not sure the
> principles or the law or anything else are necessary pre-conditions
> for the appearance and deployment of Open Space in a meeting. I think
> they help explain what is happening, and I think they help people let
> go of control a little.
>
> All of us as facilitators would do well to remember that people are
> not coming to a meeting to be wowed by a process that you personally
> love. They are coming to get work done. And so it behooves us to put
> a lid on our passions for the mechanics of the process and simply open
> space so that work can get done. Later on you can reflect on WHY it
> happened like that.
>
> As for the idea that OST is mainstream, well perhaps not yet. But
> within the world of people who think a lot about this sort of thing it
> is widely known. I feel like these days people call and ask about OST
> having experienced it whereas in the 1990s and early 200s people were
> calling because it seemed like a good idea, but they had never
> experienced it. So not mainstream per se, but widely accepted and
> known in a small part of the world.
>
> At any rate it has been a long time since I have asked the question at
> the start of a meeting and seen zero hands go up. There seems to be
> at least one person who knows Open Space.
>
> Whether we use the original instructions or modifications or
> innovations, whatever you do, do it very very well. Be very
> conscious, model good leadership and never stop embodying invitation.
> Lots of people have witnessed poorly planned Open Spaces run by
> facilitators who are too nervous to let go of their control of it. We
> all owe it to our clients and participants to meet their needs well
> with a process that helps them get unlocked from the stuck places they
> get into.
>
> Here's my book again for you to download. I hope it inspires your
> practice.
>
> The Tao of Holding Space
> <http://www.archive.org/details/TheTaoOfHoldingSpace>
>
> Chris
>
>
>> On Nov 14, 2014, at 11:09 PM, John Baxter via OSList
>> <oslist at lists.openspacetech.org
>> <mailto:oslist at lists.openspacetech.org>> wrote:
>>
>> Nice reflection Harrison.
>>
>> You've unfortunately created too many loose ends to inspire a neat
>> reply. So here is a messy one.
>>
>> Regards the simplest recipe for Open Space, to what degree have the
>> Law and N Principles (and the animals) been critically tested? To be
>> honest, these have never really resonated for me and I've always used
>> a different variation each time searching for something that feels
>> right (and no longer than it needs to be).
>>
>> I think it's a long bow to describe Open Space as mainstream, or
>> anywhere near it. It has spread to all corners of the globe perhaps,
>> but it is still the System A alternative, islands within a System B
>> world. I would hazard 90% of those who have been to conferences and
>> meetings and like gatherings have not heard of it... (speaking at a
>> conference on cocreation and placemaking recently, I requested a
>> hands-up and had a whole TWO of hundreds confess to acquaintance)
>> and even if 90% had, I'm sure less than 1% of the gatherings they
>> attend are consciously designed to unlock self organisation.
>>
>> What you describe of the permutations of the practice matches what I
>> see (though I'm too new to know differently), but I can't see how
>> this could be because of a tipping point as the practice is mainstreamed.
>>
>> Maybe that's just where I participate.
>>
>> Regards the permutations and combinations... bring them on! This
>> thread could quickly follow all sorts of rabbit holes on this one, so
>> I might save those thoughts for another day.
>>
>> Cheers
>>
>>
>> */John Baxter/*
>> /Cocreation Consultant & CoCreate Adelaide Facilitator/
>> jsbaxter.com.au <http://www.jsbaxter.com.au/> | CoCreateADL.com
>> <http://cocreateadl.com/>
>> 0405 447 829
>> |
>> @jsbaxter_ <http://twitter.com/jsbaxter_>
>>
>> /Thank you to everyone who came, helped or spread the good word about
>> *City Grill*!/
>> /Summary and links: cocreateadl.com/localgov/grill-summary/
>> <http://cocreateadl.com/localgov/grill-summary/>/
>>
>>
>> On Fri, Nov 14, 2014 at 5:37 AM, paul levy via OSList
>> <oslist at lists.openspacetech.org
>> <mailto:oslist at lists.openspacetech.org>> wrote:
>>
>> The problem with sticking with things is you might just end up stuck.
>>
>> Ho hum.
>>
>> Paul Levy
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On 13 Nov 2014, at 18:14, Harrison Owen via OSList
>> <oslist at lists.openspacetech.org
>> <mailto:oslist at lists.openspacetech.org>> wrote:
>>
>>> Open Space, in its "original" form is sparse simplicity to say
>>> the least. Ten to fifteen minutes introduction, and it is off
>>> the races, or in my case, off to take a nap. The evolution of
>>> this format followed a simple dictum: "Think of one more thing
>>> NOT to do." Over time in my practice I simply removed one more
>>> element. The first to go were so called, "warm up exercises."
>>> But it went down from there. My surprise was that the less I
>>> did, the better it got... which seemed to be the exact opposite
>>> of many of my colleagues' experience with the methods and
>>> approaches they had created. Their simple guide books gave way
>>> to 400 page Manuals with additions and extensions. Of course,
>>> there were times when people remarked to me that OS was so
>>> simple it couldn't possibly work. But it did. Simply sit in a
>>> circle, create a bulletin board, acknowledge the 5 principles
>>> and the Law -- and Go to Work! That's it. That's all.
>>>
>>>
>>> I confess that I do love elegant simplicity, and so there is a
>>> large part of me that would stick with the "original" for that
>>> reason alone. To this may be added the fact that this "elegant
>>> simplicity" apparently violated essentially all the principles
>>> and practices of management that I knew about. To some extent
>>> this was a source of no small amount of embarrassment, for after
>>> all when what you see, do, and think is at odds with the
>>> Received Wisdom there are obvious questions about your grasp of
>>> reality. But, the disparity between what I was witnessing and
>>> what (I was told) I should be experiencing has led to a
>>> marvelous quest into the strange new world of self organizing
>>> systems. Rich and rewarding indeed.
>>>
>>>
>>> Now it seems that the world is changing (or at least our
>>> perception of that world) such that the strange environment of
>>> self organization is no longer so strange. What appeared odd,
>>> counter-intuitive, impossible is now almost mainstream. Not
>>> quite but getting there. And if so, perhaps it is now time to
>>> let go of that old "elegant simplicity" in all of its appealing
>>> purity... and plunge into the marvelous world of combinations
>>> and permutations. And why not? It could be a lot of fun.
>>>
>>>
>>> I can see the possibilities, but I doubt seriously I would
>>> change. Senile sentimentality for sure, AND I actually have
>>> another concern which I think may be determinative. I suspect
>>> that OST (simple version) may be the best Training Program going
>>> when it comes to the introduction of folks to the High Arts of
>>> navigating a self organizing world. And best of all it is
>>> Experiential Learning from the start. Training and Doing are
>>> absolutely united. It is not talking about self organization it
>>> is being intentionally in that mode. And any added
>>> complexity/parallel program will tend to obscure the central
>>> mind bending fact -- It's happening all by itself.
>>>
>>>
>>> We have talked about this " training" function before, usually
>>> under the heading of Chris Corrigan's notion of Training Wheels.
>>> That is definitely good start, but only a start. We can do more,
>>> and it could be a real kick.
>>>
>>>
>>> So I plan to stick with the original -- with the hope and intent
>>> that lots of new people will drop by to experience the
>>> incredible, productive freedom of losing control, and then come
>>> to understand that it is actually their birthright. They only
>>> have to claim it.
>>>
>>>
>>> Harrison
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Winter Address
>>>
>>> 7808 River Falls Drive
>>>
>>> Potomac, MD 20854
>>>
>>> 301-365-2093 <tel:301-365-2093>
>>>
>>>
>>> Summer Address
>>>
>>> 189 Beaucaire Ave.
>>>
>>> Camden, ME 04843
>>>
>>> 207-763-3261 <tel:207-763-3261>
>>>
>>>
>>> Websites
>>>
>>> www.openspaceworld.com <http://%20www.openspaceworld.com/>
>>>
>>> www.ho-image.com <http://www.ho-image.com/>
>>>
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