[OSList] What's authority got to do with Open Space ?
Daniel Mezick via OSList
oslist at lists.openspacetech.org
Mon Nov 30 08:35:38 PST 2015
On 11/30/15 10:17 AM, Blundell, Keith via OSList wrote:
> 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".
Wait. Stop right there. Now, they MAY show up our of an implied sense of
"or else" obligation-- REGARDLESS of how inviting the invitation is from
authority. They may show up "popping popcorn" to watch "the movie" and
not participate. Or they may simply show up for no reason at all. All of
which is welcome. Because once that genie (the "jin") is out of the
bottle...
> 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.
Yea. And that is exactly how we like, the dispassionate and the
not-responsible, vacating. Who's left in the room?
>
> 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?
Yes. I notice that often, when we are debating this, or that, others
have successfully completed 4 or 5 experiments. They are now in
possession of valuable and validate learning, while we are in possession
of our opinions.
I notice that opinions are very plentiful, perhaps because they are
cheap to produce? Not sure.
I must say, I am greatly enjoying the experiment of this post. Your
reply is very energizing
>
> Keith.
>
> --
>
> *Keith Blundell*
>
> Leadership and Team Excellence Leader
> Services, Samples & Quality Management (SSQ)
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> On 30 November 2015 at 14:24, Rosa Zubizarreta via OSList
> <oslist at lists.openspacetech.org
> <mailto: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/>/
>
>
> 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>
>
>
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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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