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At 05:53 PM 7/17/00 -0400, you wrote:<br>
<blockquote type=cite cite>As I sit here today putting together an
outline programme for Diageo (as<br>
requested), I realise that I am not as strong as I might be in
myself, in<br>
terms of moving from Open Space events into an on-going Open Space
presence<br>
- or in the longer run an Open Space Organisation. The client has
said<br>
that they do not want this to be a 'one-off' - more the start of a
journey<br>
- which is perfect. And they have asked for thoughts on what the
follow-on<br>
or journey might look like. </blockquote><br>
*********************************<br>
Romy --<br>
<br>
I am not sure that what I have to say here will be of any direct help is
framing specific "how tos" and "what nexts," but if I
was sitting where you are sitting, here is where I would start -- at
least conceptually. <br>
<br>
Opening point -- The issue is not to create an Open Space Organization
(by whatever name) -- but rather to acknowledge it. It already exists,
even when it is covered over by layers of bureaucracy and years of
traditional practice. Heresy I know, but here is the thinking behind the
outrage. It starts with a growing certainty for me --
<font color="#FF0000">That there is no such thing as a
non-self-organizing system. There are only a number of (deluded) folks
who think they did the job and therefore have the right/duty to be in
charge.<br>
<br>
</font>The connection between Open Space and self-organization is pretty
obvious, and when I think about both the joy and power (to say nothing of
creativity and productivity) of an organization working in Open
Space -it all comes back to being (consciously) what we already are ---
self-organizing. I would argue that the major hang-ups we experience
organizationally come about when we do things that are contrary to our
essential nature as organizations -- like try and be in charge, etc.
<br>
<br>
So, when we talk about an Open Space Organization we often do so as if
this was something we must bring to an existing organization, I think it
is already there, and our role is to help folks to realize it. <br>
<br>
Doing an Open Space is the first step -- give people the experience of
being authentically what they already are. It's called honesty, and it is
amazing what happens when we are honest. Things like pretence, hideouts,
guilt and similar sorts of things just seem to disappear, or at least
feel a lot better -- and as icing on the cake, we actually get something
useful done. So that's a start.<br>
<br>
Next step is to anchor the experience. We know that for many people the
Open Space experience goes so fast and feels so good that they can't
believe it. So it is useful to spend some time (not a lot of time) in
reflection... Questions like -- what happened, how did it happen, and
would we like it to happen again????<br>
<br>
Then something a little odd ball -- Look for the same experience in your
organization. We usually spend time enumerating all the problems. I
suggest looking at what works. Find that spot in the organization where
it is really fun and productive, and my bet is that the operative
procedure there will look a lot more like an Open Space than the Rules of
Engagement as found in the Organizational manual. The
"spot" may not be a large one -- but unless the
organization is totally moribund I am sure it will be found.<br>
<br>
QED -- Guess what -- we don't have to do anything new. We just have to be
the way we already are (essentially).<br>
<br>
<br>
I have gone pretty fast and the logic is a little loose... but it is much
easier to bring to life what is already present than to create something
totally new. Of course there is a problem. We have spent most of our
organizational life trying to get rid of and/or control the life of our
organizations. So some sort of behavior change will be in order. But at
least we will be starting from a point of experience...<br>
<br>
<br>
As a sort of Post Script -- Dee Hoeck (sp?) -- Mr Chaordic Organization
-- enabled a most remarkable organization, Visa International. It was
remarkable for at least two reasons. First it worked, and second --
nobody organized it. What is more remarkable is that since Dee came
back to the public view, he has been attempting to replicate his success
with other organizations. To the best of my knowledge, his success rate
to date has been "0" -- And the reason, I think, is that he is
attempting to organize a self-organizing system. Something work with that
picture. I don't think we need to make the same mistake when
dealing with an Open Space Organization.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Harrison<br>
<br>
<br>
<div align="center">
Harrison Owen<br>
7808 River Falls Drive<br>
Potomac, MD 20854 USA<br>
phone 301-469-9269<br>
Summer Phone 207-763-3261<br>
fax 301-983-9314<br>
website
<a href="http://www.mindspring.com/~owenhh" eudora="autourl">www.mindspring.com/~owenhh</a><br>
Open Space Institute website
<a href="http://www.openspaceworld.org/" eudora="autourl">www.openspaceworld.org</a><br>
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