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At 01:18 AM 4/30/01 -0700, you wrote:<br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>Dear OSLIST,<br>
<br>
Peg Holman and I are being bumblebees.<br>
<br>
We're both on the OS and AI listserves (along with BJ Peters and probably
others). Peg compiled the OS/AI thread messages from our list a
couple days ago and posted them on the AI list. Here are two
responses from Bernard J. Mohr which I found to be important and
illuminating. Information about joining the AI list is included at
the bottom.<br>
<br>
Buzzingly Yours,<br>
Chris Weaver </blockquote><br>
<br>
Chris and Peggy -- thanks for putting all this up on the LIST. There is
absolutely nothing in what Bernard has said that I can take any exception
to. AI works. It is fantastic, it does the job. All true. It is also true
that one has to work pretty hard to make AI work -- before, during and
after. Perhaps not as much as with such things as Future Search (which
also works, is fantastic and does the job!!!) -- but if you can achieve
substantially the same results in a more economical fashion (and I think
OS does that -- my experience and certainly to be challenged) -- why
should you work so hard? I often joke about OS being the ultimate scam.
The client does all the work, and even writes the report. And there is a
certain truth to that. But I think there is something more. If you look
at the world we live in -- which shows up often on this LIST (see Tova's
report from The Middle East), it becomes clear that the issues,
situations, and opportunities are so multiple, complex, and fast changing
that economy is very important. A long time ago, I had some psychiatrist
colleagues who felt that the way to deal with community issues and
conflict was to apply their skills to the situations -- and so we got
something called "Community Psychiatry." Great idea, and in the
instances where it was effectively applied, I know that it worked --
well. BUT -- We do not have the money, time, or the trained
personnel available to use that approach around the globe.<br>
<br>
There is one point in Bernard's comments that I might take small issue
with. He said, if I remember correctly that a common goal for us
all is to "create" organizations that effectively work for the
people involved and the to deal with the tasks at hand. I think that may
not be necessary. Indeed, my experience from Open Space and elsewhere is
that effective organization happens all by itself. It is called
self-organization, and our efforts at organization tend to be marginal at
best, or at worst counter-productive. I do have to smile at series of
workshops offered at a soon to be held conference in Vienna -- all
dealing with organizing self-organizations????!!!!!<br>
<br>
Harrison <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite><tt>Peggy - Of course all of this
could be dismissed as over complexifying - and <br>
I for one certainly like Harrisons invocation " what is one less
thing to do <br>
and have the experience be whole?" But I think we need be
cautious in our <br>
attempt to stream line and not forget the end concept from Harrison
...and <br>
still "have the experience be whole"<br>
<br>
What I do know is that there are many practitioners out there who are
deeply <br>
committed to <br>
<br>
<<building a better world through the creation of organizations
that are <br>
healthy and prosperous-- living systems that connect to the best and most
<br>
positive in human beings and are in harmony with nature. >> ( the
<br>
purpose/raison d'etre of AIC - Appreciative Inquiry Consulting)<br>
<br>
...practitioners that use OS and or AI as guiding frameworks. My hope is
that <br>
as a larger community, we begin by seeking to understand each other as
fully <br>
as possible ie developing a common language perhaps, a shared set of
<br>
meanings. - and perhaps your cross positngs are just the vehicle to help
us <br>
do that !<br>
<br>
Bernard J Mohr<br>
<br>
In a message dated 4/29/01 12:09:09 AM,
<font face="Courier New, Courier" color="#0000FF">pholman@email.msn.com</u></font>
writes:<br>
<br>
<< Bernard,<br>
<br>
<br>
Thanks for your very thoughtful reflections. I really take your point about<br>
<br>
"its almost as if we are speaking a different language - or to use a somwhat<br>
<br>
hackneyed term - we seem to standing within differing paradigms (ie beliefs<br>
<br>
about the nature of reality, the<br>
<br>
world etc)" I must admit I was a little nervous about sending the messages<br>
<br>
to this list wondering if some of the perceptions would seem insulting. As<br>
<br>
the discussion shifted to perceptions about role of the facilitator, it<br>
<br>
seemed useful to me to broaden the reflection to this list. Your hope of<br>
<br>
aiding greater understanding is certainly one I share.<br>
<br>
<br>
Peggy >><br>
<br>
====<br>
<br>
Peggy - Since the point of departure for AI is dialogical place (ie Social <br>
constructionism and relational theory), how could anyone object to a <br>
conversation that says 'lets explore"! This of course doesnt mitigate the <br>
difficulty of shared meaning for so many words.<br>
<br>
Personally, I am continually impressed by my own inability to create new <br>
shared meanings in workshops of less than a week. People have no difficulty <br>
in grasping superficially the words associated with the 5 D's - after all its <br>
just basic action research isnt it. But it is the meaning, the nuance of <br>
choice and the whole world view within which one stands that makes the <br>
significant difference in deeper understanding and then practice. Its that <br>
moment, when people say, "so from this perspective, everything changes" - <br>
which incidentally is an experience I also associate with OS.<br>
<br>
None of this is particularly intellectually complex and many of these ideas <br>
are, Im certain shared by the OS community - but the dialogue needed to tease <br>
out the subtleties, those meaning full little differences that matter so <br>
much, (like the difference between action planning and design) is a <br>
challenge in general and via email it seems daunting <br>
<br>
But perhaps, given so much in the way shared ground between the communities, <br>
we have an opportunity here?<br>
<br>
Bernard J Mohr<br>
President/CEO<br>
The Synapse Group, Inc.<br>
"Supporting Positive Organizational Change for More Than 30 Years"<br>
<br>
Mailing address:<br>
57 Coyle St.<br>
Portland, ME 04101<br>
<br>
Bernard's office direct line and Voicemail 207-874-0118 (24 hrs)<br>
Synapse administrative office (207) 761-4221 (24 hrs)<br>
Fax (207) 874-0456 (24 hrs)<br>
Home (207) 775-6577 (only after office hours and before 9 pm)<br>
Email <<font face="Courier New, Courier" color="#0000FF">BJMSynapse@AOL.com</u></font>><br>
<br>
Hope to see you at the First International AI Conference, Sept 30 - Oct 3, <br>
2001, Baltimore, MD<br>
For more info go to < <a href="http://www.pegasuscom.com/ai/" eudora="autourl">www.pegasuscom.com/ai/</a> ><br>
<br>
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fax 301-983-9314<br>
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Personal website <a href="http://www.mindspring.com/~owenhh" eudora="autourl">www.mindspring.com/~owenhh</a><br>
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