[OSList] OST: Public vs Private events: apples and oranges?
Daniel Mezick via OSList
oslist at lists.openspacetech.org
Sun Apr 26 10:43:08 PDT 2015
Yo Harrison,
Where are you lately hearing about 'scaling up' OST?
I'm interested in knowing the origin of that.
Daniel
On 4/26/15 12:12 PM, Harrison via OSList wrote:
>
> To add a bit... The 4 (actually 5) “preconditions” were simply what I,
> and others, had observed to be the situation. I can’t actually
> remember, but I think my original motivation was to question what
> seemed to be the conventional wisdom regarding what it took to have a
> good meeting. I think we all know the drill – there should be a clear
> agenda, closely ordered procedure, something close to absolute
> control, and the like. With thoughts like these in mind, Open Space
> was not only counterintuitive, but wrong, dangerous, and obviously
> heretical. What we were experiencing was definitely a horse of a
> different color.
>
> And yes, Jeff, there is certainly no “requirement” that all conditions
> be at maximum red alert. That said, if none are present there would
> seem to be little reason have a meeting, let alone Open Space. After
> all who would want to waste the time when there was no business issue,
> everything was crystal clear, everyone thought exactly the same way,
> no passion or conflict, and the sense of urgency non-existent? Sounds
> like a non-starter to me. Then again it constantly amazes me that
> every day in organizations all over the world folks hold meetings just
> because you are supposed to. Is it any wonder that people are bored,
> disengaged, and cynical?
>
> But actually what really got me excited was when I realized that my “5
> Preconditions” almost exactly paralleled the essential preconditions
> for self organization as described by Stuart Kauffmann and others.
> That made a connection which produced my greatest learning in and
> about Open Space. It is all self organization. It is not a process
> we/I created, invented, or whatever. All we actually “do” is to invite
> people to remember what they have been doing for ever. Well at least
> for the last 13.7 billion years.
>
> And just for a tag line .... to those who might be thinking about
> “scaling up” Open Space, I would suggest you save your energy. It’s
> already happened. It is all self organizing. It is all open space. Of
> course it is true that things get pretty sloppy and gooey when we set
> about organizing a self organizing system. Oh well.
>
> Harrison
>
> Winter Address
>
> 7808 River Falls Drive
>
> Potomac, MD 20854
>
> 301-365-2093
>
> Summer Address
>
> 189 Beaucaire Ave.
>
> Camden, ME 04843
>
> 207-763-3261
>
> Websites
>
> www.openspaceworld.com <%20www.openspaceworld.com>
>
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>
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> *From:*OSList [mailto:oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org] *On
> Behalf Of *Jeff Aitken via OSList
> *Sent:* Sunday, April 26, 2015 11:31 AM
> *To:* Daniel Mezick; World wide Open Space Technology email list
> *Subject:* Re: [OSList] OST: Public vs Private events: apples and oranges?
>
> Hi Daniel. When Harrison's four conditions came out way back when, I
> imagined them as a way to tell a client that even in the most
> challenging situation it's quite possible that Open Space will work
> very well. In other words, don't hesitate to consider it, even if
> you're afraid things are just too messy to try this strange new process.
>
> Having hosted and seen many great open spaces in which the scores were
> low, so to speak, I never took seriously that these are absolute
> preconditions. To me they are a kind of inoculation against a
> prospective sponsor being afraid to make that phone call or send that
> email.
>
> With lots of appreciation for your good work
>
> Jeff
>
> Lagunitas, California
>
>
>
> -------- Original message --------
> From: Daniel Mezick via OSList
> Date:04/26/2015 6:20 AM (GMT-08:00)
> To: World wide Open Space Technology email list
> Subject: [OSList] OST: Public vs Private events: apples and oranges?
>
> Greetings All,
>
> ...I notice these well-worn, well-understood set of starting
> conditions for great Open Space, on Wikipedia...hmm...
>
> <WIKIPEDIA>
> Hundreds of Open Space meetings have been documented.^[4]
> <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_Space_Technology#cite_note-4>[5]
> <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_Space_Technology#cite_note-5>
> Harrison Owen explains that this approach works best when these
> conditions are present,^[3]
> <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_Space_Technology#cite_note-OST-3>
> namely high levels of
>
> 1. /Complexity/, in terms of the tasks to be done or outcomes achieved;
> 2. /Diversity/, in terms of the people involved and/or needed to make
> any solution work;
> 3. /Conflict, real or potential/, meaning people really care about
> the central issue or purpose; and
> 4. /Urgency/, meaning that the time to act was "yesterday".
>
> </WIKIPEDIA>
>
>
> In an organization, we could work with formally authorized leaders to
> gauge the magnitude of each dimension. So for example we could gauge
> or rank the magnitude, with 1 being lowest and 10 being the highest
> magnitude for gauging each dimension. For a really nice opportunity to
> use Open Space, we might be looking for a combined score of, say, 32
> or higher (out of a possible 40)
>
>
>
> The Public Conference Event
>
> Now let's consider the PUBLIC conference event. What is the typical
> combined score in a public conference... for these 4 elements? I am
> guessing the combined score is something like 20 or lower for the
> typical conference event. Maybe 25 out of a perfect 40? The cohesion
> is just (generally speaking!) /so much lower/ in a public vs org-based
> (private) event...
>
>
> <HERESY>
> And that is why I think OST is for "development and transformation in
> organizations" (that actual subtitle of the SPIRIT book) and that it
> is not at all as effective, in terms of impact, when implemented in a
> public conference.
> </HERESY>
>
> I am guessing the scores for the 4 dimensions are almost always be
> lower in a public vs. private event.
>
> Certainly that is my general subjective observation, based on a small
> sample of direct experience (less than 20 experiences doing OST inside
> corporations...)
>
> ...Yes: some exceptions do exist. As is almost always the case. Right?
> That said, I feel these exceptions prove the general rule... that
> private events have a much higher combined score, all else being equal.
>
> Ironically, the OST format was originally formulated to ease the
> effort required to arrange and execute public conference events.
>
> And then....
>
>
> Daniel
>
> --
>
> Daniel Mezick, President
>
> New Technology Solutions Inc.
>
> (203) 915 7248 (cell)
>
> Bio <http://newtechusa.net/dan-mezick/>. Blog
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> <http://twitter.com/#%21/danmezick/>.
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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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