[OSList] A Question About Safety

Rolf F. Katzenberger rolf.katzenberger at gmx.net
Tue Aug 21 13:27:04 PDT 2018


David,

Having read your later explanation of "safe", I feel it's also useful to look a bit closer at "self-organization".

From a systemic perspective, it is impossible for a complex system (like an org, or a group of people within) to *not* self-organize. It does not matter whether conditions are great, indifferent or lousy, groups of people will self-organize and adapt, as they always have.

So, while we may be unhappy about the *results* of it, self-organization in itself cannot be stopped by too much safety. It is a capability and power we can always rely on, for better or worse.

It seems we rather need to focus more on the desired results, i.e. on the words immediately following the word "self-organizing...". Like e.g. "... team". By stressing "self-organization" instead, and e.g. contrasting it to "passiveness" or "complacency" or "too much safety", we might simply be barking up the wrong tree.

So, coming back to your question, I'd reply with another question: If you're not happy about the current results of self-organization - what different results would you like to see, instead, and how could you modify the conditions so that it becomes more likely for self-organization to work towards the desired results.

Just my 2 cents,
Rolf

Am 21. August 2018 06:49:20 MESZ schrieb David Osborne via OSList <oslist at lists.openspacetech.org>:
>Greetings all,
>
>I have questions about safety related to self-organization I would love
>others thoughts on.
>
>Is it possible for an environment can be too safe to support
>self-organization? Can safety be at such a high level that it inhibits
>or
>slows down the self-organizing process?
>
>I'm very interested to hear others perspectives.
>
>Best to all,
>
>David
>
>
>*David R. Osborne*
>Organization and Leadership Development
>
>6402 Arlington Blvd., Suite 1120, Falls Church, VA 22042
>703-939-1777   |   dosborne at change-fusion.com   |   change-fusion.com

-- 
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