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

Blundell, Keith via OSList oslist at lists.openspacetech.org
Mon Nov 30 07:17:22 PST 2015


Dear All,

Trying to promote OS within a business world I find this discussion
interesting

I can see that formally authorising the event as Daniel points out brings
with it a commitment to make something happen afterwards.

What I have always struggled with is that if a meeting is booked by someone
in authority then the likelihood is that the invitees will turn up.  So the
invite is not a invite - it is seen as "a meeting I need to go to". No bad
thing in itself I suppose, but I want the attendees to have a passion about
the theme, that "whoever comes are the right people". Arguably having got
them in the room, then passions maybe stirred but....  In some meetings I
have observed that there is good attendance, but many turn up because they
are curious, and then drift away.

In the end does it matter?  Am I being to pedantic in my thinking?  Given
"Whatever happens" and the law of two feet, should I be concerned?

What do others think?

Keith.

--

*Keith Blundell*
Leadership and Team Excellence Leader
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On 30 November 2015 at 14:24, Rosa Zubizarreta via OSList <
oslist at lists.openspacetech.org> wrote:

> Hi Daniel, congratulations on an amazing piece!
>
> As you mention, "authority" is a very loaded subject...
>
> My understanding is that the group relations perspective, holds (along
> with Koos!) that as adults, the ultimate authority for anything ultimately
> comes from ourselves. WE are the ones who "authorize" formal authorities --
> without our own willingness to continue to authorize them, their authority
> would disappear. Is that your understanding, as well?
>
> AND...  as you point out, things are a bit more complex than that!
>
> For one thing... as children... we were all helpless to one degree or
> another, and so I would hesitate to say that we were 'authorizing' our
> parents or whatever crazyness was happening in our families of origin...
>
> then, as adults... our feelings of helplessness often get triggered by our
> dysfunctional economic systems... for example, in a situation where jobs
> are few and far between, someone might well feel quite insulted at being
> told that they are "authorizing" their boss who happens to be a bully. The
> person who is being bullied, may not be in a position where they have an
> easy option of changing jobs...
>
> (A side note... one fascinating piece of work in this regard, is Michael
> Lerner's book "Surplus Powerlessness"... in it, he lays out the perspective
> that by promoting the "American dream" ideology of "everyone can achieve
> anything they want", and concurrently systematically ignoring all of the
> many real constraints to our freedom, we contribute to creating a culture
> where people end up blaming themselves for not achieving their dreams --
> and thus, end up feeling MORE powerless, than if we were to acknowledge the
> real constraints and focused on the small-yet-ever-present "windows of
> possibility"...)
>
> Anyway, I would say that yes, as adults, we are the ones who authorize any
> authorities, including both the informal authorities as well as the formal
> authorities. To whatever degree that we are uncomfortable with our own
> authority, we are participating in the creation of a leaderless world, to
> our own and others' detriment -- since too many people in positions of
> formal authority are not, in fact, leaders; and to whatever degree they
> *are* leading, they are NOT leading us toward a world that works for all.
>
> Conversely, to the degree that we become more comfortable with our own
> authority, we are contributing to a more leaderful world....
> and of course, OST is a wonderful way to bring out the leader in each
> person, as it encourages each of us, to be the author of our own experience.
>
> with all best wishes,
>
> Rosa
>
>
> *Rosa Zubizarreta*
>
>
> *meet me at my DiaPraxis website <http://diapraxis.com> and on my
> Listening Arts blog <https://rosaz.wordpress.com/>*
>
>
> * <http://www.DiaPraxis.com>*
>
> On Mon, Nov 30, 2015 at 7:05 AM, Daniel Mezick via OSList <
> oslist at lists.openspacetech.org> wrote:
>
>> Hi Michael,
>>
>> Thank you for your reply. Regarding "unauthorized" or not
>> formally-authorized OST in organizations, remember, I am framing the
>> discussion inside the wider context of a typical business corporation, one
>> trying to improve by considering some changes. I am not talking about any
>> other context. OST is often used for Agile retrospectives for example. I am
>> not talking about that.
>>
>> So the context for discussion I am suggesting is the context of a typical
>> business corporation, one trying to improve by considering some
>> enterprise-wide (or division-wide) changes. A wide-scope change.
>>
>> Typically, these changes are a "push from authority" without respect to
>> what the people who do the work want, think or feel. Many Agile frameworks
>> (most notably "SAFe") are implemented in this way. As push.
>>
>> Open Space offers a refreshing alternative to mandates, "push", and
>> formally authorized coercion. Or so it seems. Since most formally
>> authorized leaders cannot commit to the so-called "risk of Open Space," the
>> wide-scope OST usually (almost) never happens. Meanwhile, everybody knows
>> the issues and that they might never see the light of day in any kind of
>> formally authorized way.
>>
>> Now, getting back your comment, yes: anyone can hold an Open Space event
>> at any time, about any thing, for any reason. At issue is what happens
>> next. Perhaps a group can meet to discuss HOW to get some attention to key
>> issues from formally authorized leaders. Etc. As you yourself say, "folks
>> knew full well that formal authorization was needed and had figured out
>> ways addressing that need."
>>
>> What I'm really, really interested in is deconstructing OST in authority
>> terms, and advancing that know-how, so that it can be reduced to explicit
>> knowledge that others can access quickly in service to...progress. That
>> essay is my naive attempt to actually begin the process.
>>
>>
>> Daniel
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On 11/30/15 6:26 AM, Michael M Pannwitz wrote:
>>
>> Dear Daniel,
>>
>> somehow, I dont see what has happened in almost all os gatherings I have
>> facilitated: people deciding to act and actually going ahead with it after
>> the gathering not being formally authorized.
>> As this happened regularly I wondered how those self-authorized
>> activities fared or got along with formal authorization. Eventually, I
>> found out that folks knew full well that formal authorization was needed
>> and had figured out ways addressing that need.
>>
>> I wondered about Beth. Did she and her group simply suggested something
>> formal authority should do or was she and others involved in implementing
>> the stuff they were interested in?
>>
>> Invariably, I as facilitator would intervene with some off-handed remark
>> about "suggestions" or "recommendations" or what xyz should do pointing out
>> that there is nothing wrong with that but ....
>>
>> cheers
>> mmp
>>
>> On 30.11.2015 12:15, Daniel Mezick via OSList wrote:
>>
>> Hi Koos,
>>
>> Thanks for your comment on personal passion. There's this very
>> interesting paper on the various authority types (informal, formal,
>> personal) which is pretty good, I am including it here if you want to
>> check it out.
>>
>> I hear you when you say "I can initiate that process of authorizing
>> myself by taking responsibility for my passion." This is exactly what we
>> hope will happen inside company-sponsored OST events.
>>
>> Within the context of Open Space held in an organization that wants to
>> explore an enterprise-wide change, we can expect the following to be
>> true, if the event is to work well:
>>
>> 1. Formally Authorized Leader. A person formally and highly authorized
>> by the organization sends an invite with a theme. This "formally
>> authorizes" the time and space for the gathering.
>>
>> 2. Proceedings and Intent to Act- with Inclusion. That same person
>> welcomes everyone on event-day, and at the opening, encourages the
>> generation of proceedings, and signals that those proceedings will be
>> inspected and acted upon, not just by the formally authorized leaders
>> (the so-called "higher ups") but also with the new and emerging leaders
>> who have identified themselves during the event ("be prepared to be
>> surprised.") In other words, the people present are being invited to
>> have their say, document it, and expect that these issues are going be
>> input into a formally authorized and inclusive process of deciding,
>> acting, and improving things.
>>
>>
>> Now, absent these two facts, how "important" is the OST event? How much
>> "action" can ensue?
>>
>> 1. Formally Authorized Leader. No formally authorized leader issuing the
>> invite? Or someone /without enough authorization to matter?/ The signal
>> is clear: this theme (and this event) is /not important/ to the people
>> who make the decisions.
>>
>> 2. Proceedings and Intent to Act- with Inclusion. Since no one in the
>> room has enough formal authority to implement plans suggested in the
>> proceedings, we can reasonably expect nothing whatsoever to ensue in
>> formal terms after the meeting. This, because people who /could/ do
>> something about it (those formally authorized by the organization) "do
>> not care."
>>
>> So- the highly authorized Sponsor (or Host) is essential. Otherwise, in
>> authority terms, the OST event and what happens there just doesn't
>> matter from an organizational point of view. It cannot have much of an
>> impact.
>>
>> Much ado about nothing?
>>
>>
>>
>> Here's that paper I mentioned earlier:
>>
>> https://www.it.uu.se/edu/course/homepage/projektDV/ht09/BART_Green_Molenkamp.pdf
>>
>>
>>
>> I notice that most people prefer to avoid discussing authority. Since
>> our families are the first place where we encounter this concept and
>> develop our relationship with it, perhaps it is true that discussing
>> authority can be very triggering. Thanks for sticking your neck out and
>> I certainly hope to hear back from you and others on this thread.
>>
>> Daniel
>>
>> On 11/30/15 12:57 AM, Koos de Heer wrote:
>>
>>
>> Hi Daniel,
>>
>>
>> Thank you for an interesting line of thought. What I am thinking is
>> that there is also the aspect of a person standing up and speaking for
>> a passion that they have (be it in the form of raising a topic or just
>> speaking in a break out session) and in that way claiming authority.
>> In your essay, authority seems to always come from someone else. And
>> of course authority only is there when others believe it to be there.
>> But the initiative to bestow authority on me does not always come from
>> others. I can also initiate that process of authorizing myself by
>> taking responsibility for my passion.
>>
>> Koos
>>
>> *Van:*OSList [mailto:oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org
>> <oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org>] *Namens
>> *Daniel Mezick via OSList
>> *V**erzonden:*maandag 30 november 2015 0:13
>> *Aan:* oslist at lists.openspacetech.org
>> *Onderwerp:* [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/>
>> <http://www.DanielMezick.com/> Blog.
>> <http://www.NewTechUSA.net/blog/> <http://www.NewTechUSA.net/blog/>
>> Twitter.
>> <https://twitter.com/DanielMezick> <https://twitter.com/DanielMezick>
>> Book: The Culture Game. <http://theculturegame.com/>
>> <http://theculturegame.com/>
>> Book: The OpenSpace Agility Handbook.
>>
>> <http://www.amazon.com/OpenSpace-Agility-Handbook-Daniel-Mezick/dp/0984875336>
>> <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/>
>> <http://www.DanielMezick.com/> Blog.
>> <http://www.NewTechUSA.net/blog/> <http://www.NewTechUSA.net/blog/>
>> Twitter.
>> <https://twitter.com/DanielMezick> <https://twitter.com/DanielMezick>
>> Book: The Culture Game. <http://theculturegame.com/>
>> <http://theculturegame.com/>
>> Book: The OpenSpace Agility Handbook.
>>
>> <http://www.amazon.com/OpenSpace-Agility-Handbook-Daniel-Mezick/dp/0984875336>
>> <http://www.amazon.com/OpenSpace-Agility-Handbook-Daniel-Mezick/dp/0984875336>
>>
>>
>>
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>>
>>
>> --
>> 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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