[OSList] 30 Years ... and Counting!

Thu Jun 25 19:18:02 PDT 2015

Harrison, I don’t ever see a turtle, much less a group of them like this lovely gaggle on the Big Island, without thinking of you.  

You have blessed me, blessed our community and blessed the world with Open Space and self-organization all the way down.  

Love,

Christine

Christine Whitney Sanchez, M.C.
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On Jun 25, 2015, at 6:47 PM, David Osborne via OSList <oslist at lists.openspacetech.org> wrote:

Wonderful note......

Thanks for your constant inspiration, challenge and guidance Harrison.

David

On Wed, Jun 24, 2015 at 1:46 PM, Harrison via OSList <oslist at lists.openspacetech.org <mailto:oslist at lists.openspacetech.org>> wrote:
Come this 4th of July it will be 30 years since something called Open Space Technology happened. At the time, we (that would be me, for sure) didn’t have a clue what it was or where it was headed. Since then it seems like a lot of good stuff has come down. Of course we need to remember the learnings from the ‘60’s – “Never trust anyone over 30.” Well... we just got there! Everybody should be well advised that what happens next is TOTALLY their responsibility... Or something.

What happens next is definitely your responsibility. Having entered into my 80th year, I am well past the age of discretion. But I do have a few thoughts that may, or may not, be germane.

I don’t think this is the end of something. I do believe it is the beginning. And... There will always be a time when “the first timers” (as participants or facilitators) gets the WOW Experience (Thank you Tom Peters). Kind of like the first ride on your bicycle. Millions of people have done it before you. But your First Ride is always unique (for you).

There will always be times when bits and pieces of our common experience in Open Space are held out as “singularities” – something strange and unique. The latest version is called, “Liberating Structures (Thank you Henri!).” Wonderful Idea, I think, but just a very small part of the whole.

And for all those wonderful people who are attempting to wed Open Space to Agile (Dan et al you know who I am talking about) – I say Three Cheers! And I also hope that the day will come when it is recognized that truly Agile organization are fully, consciously, intentionally – self organizing. At that point, you don’t have to wed anything to anything. Just be what you already are. Which is another way of saying that SCRUM (along with all the other “techniques”) sound nice, but are yet one more example of “working too hard.”

And What Next? Truly, I am out of crystal balls. But I rather think the beginning will begin when we call “Full Stop” on any attempt to organize anything. And in that momentary space (Open Space?) just notice what is organizing all by itself. Amazing! And we didn’t do a thing. Which leads naturally to the next question... How do we take advantage of the winds of our existence to bring our ships to harbors of fullness and greatness?

And then we may take a lesson from Sailors and the Sea. Sailors do not create the wind or the Sea. Although many have tried. All have failed. But they have learned to ride the winds and the seas to their advantage. We have the same opportunity.

On this 30th Birthday, and as I approach my 80th – Good Luck and Carry On!

Harrison

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-- 
David Osborne

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