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

[Daniel Mezick via OSList]

Here are my heretical replies to Rosa, about our mutual /authority issues/.

Found inline below, interspersed in the the text...

For those who prefer to listen and laugh instead, here is something 
short to listen (and maybe laugh) at ...

....a 28 second video from a "noted authority figure:" 
https://twitter.com/DanielMezick/status/510820073628762112

Let us play:


On 11/30/15 9:24 AM, Rosa Zubizarreta wrote:
> Hi Daniel, congratulations on an amazing piece!
Thank you kindly <tipping hat, to Rosa Zubizarreta>
>
>
> As you mention, "authority" is a very loaded subject...
I'm already feeling triggered. Please go on
>
>
> 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?
Yes. We willingly "give away our power" as some tend to say. In truth, 
we routinely "give away our authority."

>
> 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...
Yes. And family is the first place we encounter and experience 
authority. Also, family is the 1st "organization" in which we have 
membership. How interesting....
>
> 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...
Yes, and we are getting ahead of the story a bit. Let's just say, we a 
born with a certain authority profile. Some like to lead. Others like to 
help. Still others like to push-back on who "is in charge here." This is 
innate in each individual. Then we are born into an "organization.." a 
family. Some who like to lead or push-back on leadership /may have this 
beaten out of them/ in, for example, in a very authoritarian home.

Such a pity! See also: 
https://www.google.com/search?q=breaking+the+spirit+of+baby+elephants&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

>
>
>
>
> (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"...)
Ha. Yes. And we might want to consider /authoring our own dreams/, and 
then /dreaming our own dreams/, instead of dreaming the dreams of 
others, that is: pre-fab dreams that others might author, and then offer 
to us as "legit." As "THE ONE TRUE" dream...
>
>
> 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.
Yes, for example: by responding in such lovely detail, here you are, in 
fact informally authorizing this very conversation! How cool is that?
> 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.
Yes. And on a good day, say, in Open Space, those formally authorized 
(by the org) and those informally authorized (by peers and colleagues 
and yes, "subordinates") ARE ARE THE SAME PEOPLE. That is as good as it 
gets.
>
> Conversely, to the degree that we become more comfortable with our own 
> authority, we are contributing to a more leaderful world....
Here, let me add: the more comfortable with our own authority, the more 
we can and will tend to a) call bullshit and/or b) walk away in pursuit 
of a warm Petri dish, a "space" where our dreams are welcome to grow.
>
> 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.
Yes. And. I'm eager to discuss this with you in much more detail.
>
>
>
> 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/>/
>
>
> On Mon, Nov 30, 2015 at 7:05 AM, Daniel Mezick via OSList 
> <oslist at lists.openspacetech.org 
> <mailto: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]
>>>>     *Namens
>>>>     *Daniel Mezick via OSList
>>>>     *V**erzonden:*maandag 30 november 2015 0:13
>>>>     *Aan:* oslist at lists.openspacetech.org
>>>>     <mailto: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 <tel:%28203%29%20915%207248>. 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 <tel:%28203%29%20915%207248>. 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 <tel:%28203%29%20915%207248>. 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>
>
>
>     _______________________________________________
>     OSList mailing list
>     To post send emails to OSList at lists.openspacetech.org
>     <mailto:OSList at lists.openspacetech.org>
>     To unsubscribe send an email to
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>     To subscribe or manage your subscription click below:
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>     Past archives can be viewed here:
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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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