[OSList] What's authority got to do with Open Space ?

Wed Dec 2 06:17:11 PST 2015

Happy birthday Harrison !

On 12/1/15 9:48 AM, Harrison Owen wrote:
>
> Dan – Given the way you define authority (formal and informal) it does 
> seems to give a view point from which to observe the function of folks 
> in Open Space. It also has the advantage of “sounding like” normal 
> corporate usage. “Authority:” who has it, who doesn’t, who is 
> pretending... That is the corporate story as  lot of people might see 
> it. And if you are trying to trick a Greeks, you probably need to 
> speak Greek.
>
> But there is a danger. “Triggering,” as you say. When you use a 
> loaded, heavy word in a new and different way, particularly a way that 
> is essentially the opposite of general usage, there is the danger of 
> being misunderstood. Sometimes you just have to run the risk if no 
> other word really quite does it. Such was the case with “myth” in my 
> work. In popular discourse, “myth” basically means “lie,” “untruth,” 
> “fabrication,” etc. In my work, and I believe classically, myth is 
> deeper than truth. It underlies truth. It creates the environment in 
> which truth can be perceived as true. At least that is what I’ve 
> always said, along with multiple others, Joseph Campbell, for example.
>
> So I guess my question is, Why do you feel you have to use 
> “authority?”  I would judge that your answer might be somewhere 
> here.... “The context is the use of Open Space in a large business 
> enterprise, convened with intent to explore the potential for making a 
> very big, very complex enterprise-wide change.”
>
> If this is right, there is implicit in your quest an assumption (I 
> think) that you/we are somehow bringing Open Space to the corporate 
> world and “scaling it up.” I have no question that the very idea of 
> Open Space represents the worst nightmare of the majority of corporate 
> execs. I equally have no question that if these same execs hope to 
> maintain their current self image and job description (he/she who is 
> in control), the use of Open Space is about as likely as an immediate, 
> unassisted flight to the moon. Can’t happen.
>
> It might seem, therefore that if we are in the Open Space Business, we 
> are pushing a product that has all the popularity of a putrefying 
> skunk. Small market!
>
> Then again the situation changes rather radically if it actually turns 
> out that the executives in question really don’t have any choice. Even 
> worse, were it to turn out that the corporate world (indeed the world 
> itself) is massively different from what they presume. In the world I 
> experience, all systems, including all human systems are self 
> organizing. Should that actually be the case, the notion of “bringing 
> Open Space (self organization)” anywhere is a little ridiculous. One 
> might say fraudulent – right on a par with selling the air we breathe. 
> The idea of becoming self organizing just does not make any sense – we 
> are, by nature and definition, self organizing. The fact that many 
> people don’t know this, refuse to recognize it, or are just doing it 
> badly – doesn’t change a thing. But it does change the nature of our 
> job. Rather than selling, bringing, providing... anything, we are 
> simply inviting people to be fully what they already are. And at least 
> from where I sit, Authority, as we used to understand it (formal and 
> informal), doesn’t really have a lot to do with things. It represents 
> a problem up with which I shall not put (thank you Winnie). Rather 
> have a nap.
>
> 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>
>
> www.ho-image.com
>
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> *From:*OSList [mailto:oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org] *On 
> Behalf Of *Daniel Mezick via OSList
> *Sent:* Sunday, November 29, 2015 6:13 PM
> *To:* oslist at lists.openspacetech.org
> *Subject:* [OSList] What's authority got to do with Open Space ?
>
> What's authority got to do with Open Space ? Apparently nothing at 
> all, at least on the surface...
>
> Wait. Once we peek under the surface, what do we actually find?
>
> This completely heretical essay attempts to answer at least part of 
> that question.
>
> The context is the use of Open Space in a large business enterprise, 
> convened with intent to explore the potential for making a very big, 
> very complex enterprise-wide change.
>
> {Please note, the word "authority" might trigger feelings of: 
> /soul-sucking bureaucracy/, unfair and /_illegitimate leadership 
> hierarchy_/, and the like. Some "triggered" readers may want to 
> opt-out of continuing at this time...)
>
> Authority Distribution in Open Space:
> http://newtechusa.net/agile/authority-distribution-in-open-space/
> Open Space is a most interesting format for "gathering,", also known 
> as "meeting."
>
> What exactly is going on in Open Space?
>
>
>
> -- 
> Daniel Mezick
> Culture Strategist. Author. Keynoter.
> (203) 915 7248. Bio. <http://www.DanielMezick.com/> Blog. 
> <http://www.NewTechUSA.net/blog/> Twitter. 
> <https://twitter.com/DanielMezick>
> Book: The Culture Game. <http://theculturegame.com/>
> Book: The OpenSpace Agility Handbook. 
> <http://www.amazon.com/OpenSpace-Agility-Handbook-Daniel-Mezick/dp/0984875336> 
>
>

-- 
Daniel Mezick
Culture Strategist. Author. Keynoter.
(203) 915 7248. Bio. <http://www.DanielMezick.com/> Blog. 
<http://www.NewTechUSA.net/blog/> Twitter. 
<https://twitter.com/DanielMezick>
Book: The Culture Game. <http://theculturegame.com/>
Book: The OpenSpace Agility Handbook. 
<http://www.amazon.com/OpenSpace-Agility-Handbook-Daniel-Mezick/dp/0984875336> 

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