<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
<head>
<meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii">
<meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 12 (filtered medium)">
<!--[if !mso]>
<style>
v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
.shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Tahoma;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Verdana;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Consolas;
panose-1:2 11 6 9 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";
color:#000099;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
pre
{mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-link:"HTML Preformatted Char";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Courier New";
color:#000099;}
span.HTMLPreformattedChar
{mso-style-name:"HTML Preformatted Char";
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-link:"HTML Preformatted";
font-family:Consolas;
color:#000099;}
span.EmailStyle19
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-size:10.0pt;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</style>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="2050" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]-->
</head>
<body bgcolor="#FFFFCC" lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple>
<div class=Section1>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Jon,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>It sounds to me as if you did the right thing. It’s
ironic that doing the right thing led to your departure, but I’d argue
that that might be the right thing, too.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>For years, I have espoused a philosophy of “Planned Dispensability”
– if I do my job well, train people properly, and groom and mentor my own
replacement, whether in an employee setting or as a consultant, I create an
environment in which I am no longer needed. Sometimes, I do my job well and
that’s it. Sometimes, the client/employer loves what I’ve
done and chooses to keep me around. In either case, the relationship
stems from <i>want</i> not <i>need</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>It seems to me that that is what you were doing. While it
may not have worked exactly the way you expected, it sounds as though you made
a significant impact, and allowed them to decide (good or bad) on how to
proceed. I’d argue that they couldn’t have gotten here without
you.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>One concern I have in reading the message below (including the
parts I cropped out) is your reference to OD. I say “concern”
because I’m busily inhaling Harrison’s “The Power of Spirit”
and wondering if this wasn’t a candidate for OT rather than OD.
Clearly, I don’t know – I have no facts. Just a wondering.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>And in spite of your statement that you never got to use OS as
such, it seems to me that you have OS embodied in everything you do, if you
have embraced it. So perhaps, in spite of never physically facilitating an Open
Space there, you brought Open Space into their organizations?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>And if you developed a reputation as a “troublesome
challenger who asks difficult questions”, I say BRAVO!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>I sympathize, and am glad that there is a community where you
can share openly, and receive support and understanding, as you can here.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>With respect and sympathy,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>…Doc<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype
id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600" o:spt="75" o:preferrelative="t"
path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f">
<v:stroke joinstyle="miter" />
<v:formulas>
<v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0" />
<v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0" />
<v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1" />
<v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2" />
<v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth" />
<v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight" />
<v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1" />
<v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2" />
<v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth" />
<v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0" />
<v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight" />
<v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0" />
</v:formulas>
<v:path o:extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect" />
<o:lock v:ext="edit" aspectratio="t" />
</v:shapetype><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_2" o:spid="_x0000_s1026" type="#_x0000_t75"
alt="Steven List" style='position:absolute;margin-left:0;margin-top:0;width:60pt;
height:59.25pt;z-index:1;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square;
mso-wrap-distance-left:4.5pt;mso-wrap-distance-top:4.5pt;
mso-wrap-distance-right:4.5pt;mso-wrap-distance-bottom:4.5pt;
mso-position-horizontal:left;mso-position-horizontal-relative:text;
mso-position-vertical:absolute;mso-position-vertical-relative:line'
o:allowoverlap="f">
<v:imagedata src="cid:image001.jpg@01C8AA8E.A5EDEB50" o:href="http://www.stevenlist.com/images/StevenList-HeadShot-gray-feathered-80.jpg" />
<w:wrap type="square" anchory="line"/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><![if !vml]><img width=80 height=79
src="cid:image001.jpg@01C8AA8E.A5EDEB50" align=left hspace=6 vspace=6
alt="Steven List" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_2"><![endif]><b><span
style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#365F91'>Steven
"Doc" List, CMP</span></b><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:
"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><br>
</span><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";
color:#990000'>The Money Is In Your Blind Spot!™</span><span
style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><br>
</span><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Keynote Speaker, Facilitator, Consultant, Master of Ceremonies<br>
Workshop Presenter, Author, Coach, Career Management Professional</span><span
style='color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><b><span
style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#365F91'>AnotherThought,
Inc.</span></b><b><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'> | </span></b><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>4815 W Braker Ln, Ste 502-111 | Austin, TX 78759<br>
</span><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>V: 512-246-3533 | M: 512-924-9248 | F: 512-233-2943<br>
</span><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";
color:#365F91'><a href="http://www.anotherthought.com/"><span style='color:
#365F91'>www.AnotherThought.com</span></a> | <a
href="http://www.stevenlist.com/"><span style='color:#365F91'>www.StevenList.com</span></a>
| <a href="http://austin.classesintown.com/"><span style='color:#365F91'>Austin.ClassesInTown.com</span></a><br>
<b>LinkedIn</b>: <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenlist"><span
style='color:#365F91'>www.linkedin.com/in/stevenlist</span></a> | <b>Flickr</b>:
<a href="www.flickr.com/digidragon"><span style='color:#365F91'>www.flickr.com/digidragon</span></a><br>
</span><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";
color:#365F91'><a href="mailto:Steven@AnotherThought.com"><span
style='color:#365F91'>AnotherThought@gmail.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";
color:windowtext'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:
"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:windowtext'> OSLIST
[mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Jon Harvey<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, April 30, 2008 3:07 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU<br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: Public Merger + long story/update<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>…<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><br>
In other words - they are now owning the efforts far more - so much so that I
have become an expensive overhead!<br>
<br>
Looking back now at what many of you said - I did get out of the way, I worked
stealthily, (steadily) and with integrity, I did get them to exchange results
out into the open more, I certainly placed a few pebbles in the flow (!) and
reporting arrangements remained light touch. But I did not manage to loosen the
organisational boundaries much and I only managed to get a few people together
with passion.<br>
<br>
I remain concerned that the focus on the two agency preferred partnerships has
far more to do with their (deeply embedded) culture of can do ("let's just
do something quickly") / keep things simple / complex is unhelpful /
control everything / short term expediency style... than with a robust focus on
delivering sustainable outcomes for the public. I also wonder whether any
efficiency gains will be more sham than substance. But all that is no longer my
direct concern. <br>
<br>
During all this - I have gained (consolidated?) the reputation for being
something of a troublesome challenger who asks diffcult questions and I may
have broken my own guidance to make people 'wriggle but not squirm'. (Although
I would stand by all of what I have done and said and asked and enquired over
the last few months!) This may have had an impact on their decision as well!<br>
<br>
So a new vista (or portfolio of vistas) is now opening up - and I am back on
the market looking for paid work. Despite my explanation (rationalisation?) of
the process that led up to here - I am left with some negative feelings as you
might expect. How can they <i>not </i>need me open some more space and get out
of the way some more (and the sweet/bitter irony of that is exquisite of
course!!)<br>
<br>
Annoyingly, I never got to use OS as such - although I had plans. Whilst I hope
I stuck true to the OS principles and I hope I am not suffering from OD
osteoporosis - I am left in a very reflective state - wondering what more (or
less) I could have done. <br>
<br>
Thanks for the space to grieve a little, tell a story and begin the process of
reassembling my spirit.<br>
<br>
atb<br>
<br>
Jon<br>
<br>
Buckingham<br>
UK</span><span style='color:windowtext'> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</body>
</html>
*
*
==========================================================
OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
------------------------------
To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
view the archives of oslist@listserv.boisestate.edu:
http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs:
http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist