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At 08:41 AM 5/20/2002 -0600, Paul Roberts wrote:<br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>One of the questions that intrigues
me, and around which I am doing my<br>
work, is how to engage this system: where do we locate the carrot,
as we<br>
work alongside the corporation (or inside it...not my personal
preference<br>
at this point in time)? How can the corporate structure make
the<br>
transition into a new, more open structure that reflects evolution on
the<br>
Spiral? I know Ken Wilber is addressing about the same things in
his<br>
Integral Institute...and so does the Apostle Paul, in talking about his
own<br>
stealth strategy of missionizing: being wise as a serpent, and
harmless as<br>
a dove.</blockquote><br>
I would suppose you are asking THE question of the moment -- whether in
terms of Corporations or countries (Palestine and Israel for example). I
know a lot people are tying a lot of ways, but in my experience only one
thing really works. Gently put we might call it a "significant
emotional event." Or more accurately a Whack to the side of the
head. This could be something like bankruptcy -- or more positively -- a
marvelous new opportunity for which you are not prepared. Either
way -- a clear and growing recognition that going the way we are
going we will not get to where we want. Period. <br><br>
there is always the hope that we might find an easier, gentler way. And
if we could -- that would be wonderful. But I think the change required
is so far outside of what might appear possible that unless the stakes
get very high, few if any would contemplate the jump. And it is a jump --
transformational no less. And nobody in their right mind would willingly
do it unless they saw no alternatives. And for sure they will look for
alternatives, and there will be many sellers. But to date, I haven't seen
any that work. cosmetic changes for sure and in abundance. But something
useful? Not yet.<br><br>
Obviously this presents real issues when you are looking at a one
industry town with lots of lives involved. but I don't think that changes
the realities involved -- it just makes it more immediate for a lot of
folks. A microcosm of all this (and sometimes it can be the whole ball of
wax) occurs every time one brings up the subject of doing an Open Space.
It is not something you can or should "argue" somebody into.
They have to decide on their own, or not. Actually in my experience, Open
Space is about the only effective mechanism for the sort of
change/transformation you are talking about. Once they have made the jump
and decided to go they suddenly find themselves in a radically new
situation where the old rules simply don't apply and it works. Perhaps
they will determine that once in Open Space is more than sufficient, but
at least they have had the experience -- and unless they wish to pretend
that it was purely an imaginary one (and strangely lots of folks do that)
they can never quite go home again. <br><br>
So all I can really say is tell the story, and let those who have ears to
hear -- hear. As for the rest... I guess First Aid for all those in that
awful category of "collateral damage." But sooner or later you
have to fish or cut bait. shoot or relinquish the fowling piece -- or one
other pat phrase which should not be used in this polite company. The
choice is theirs -- and it is a choice they must make for themselves, no
matter how much I might want to fix things.<br><br>
Harrison<br><br>
<br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>Harrison Owen</blockquote>
<x-sigsep><p></x-sigsep>
<div align="center">7808 River Falls Drive<br>
Potomac, MD 20854 USA<br>
phone 301-365-2093<br>
Open Space Training
<a href="http://www.openspaceworld.com/" eudora="autourl">www.openspaceworld.com</a>
<br>
Open Space Institute <a href="http://www.openspaceworld.org/" eudora="autourl">www.openspaceworld.org</a><br>
Personal website <a href="http://mywebpages.comcast.net/hhowen/index.htm" eudora="autourl">http://mywebpages.comcast.net/hhowen/index.htm</a><br><br>
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