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<font face="Arial">Harrison and all<br>
<br>
Thank you for that wonderful story - as all of yours are - inspiring
and delightful in its elegance. And I must add how cool I think it is
that you can go off for a nap in the middle of the event - total zen
facilitation! <br>
<br>
To you story - I would like to add one of my own. Perhaps you and
others may recall my posting almost exactly 9 months ago:<br>
<br>
</font><font face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif">"I have a new job -
where my role is to coordinate the collaboration of a number of
independent but connected agencies - they share a common concern but
are geographically distinct. But they (and the public they serve) would
greatly benefit from closer working between them - either by creating
new joint functions or harmonising their existing operations. This can
and will increase effectiveness and efficiency.
<br>
<br>
At the moment - I have no team as such beyond a very capable PA and a
chap who has been allocated to me - on a temporary basis. I am three
weeks into this new role. I see my role as helping to create the
conditions into which these sovereign agencies (with some very forceful
people at their helm) feel able and trustful enough so that they cede
some of their autonomy and establish some new (arms length) business
units. To date (before my arrival) - a number of business cases had
been produced for taking this strategy forward.
<br>
<br>
My dilemma is this (and your perspectives would be helpful): I am
getting pressure from one (and one other) of the more 'pushy' agencies
to recruit and establish a programme management team that would (in
effect) wrest control of these embryonic collaboration projects away
from the agencies themselves and place it under the mantle of the
regional programme team. The argument being that only with this level
of 'support' and 'drive' would the projects come to fruition. My OD
bones are telling me otherwise - as I think I want to keep the space
open - and have the ownership of the projects resting very firmly with
the agencies themselves - in other words I think they have to own their
own collaboration initiatives (not the central / regional team).
<br>
<br>
So am I wrong to sticking with my OD intuition?
<br>
<br>
If not - what should be my arguments for going for a more facilitative
/ hands off and slimmer team - that works in an open and OD way? (We
have a critical meeting next week - and I fear there will be attempts
to bounce me into the more directive programme team model - before I
have had the chance to test the water some more - as the other agencies
may also be thinking the same....)
<br>
<br>
It's is a bit complex I know - and I know I have also talked in some
oblique code for the sake of confidentiality (I am afraid) - but your
insights would be valuable. I can't think of a bunch of wiser kindred
people than you lot on the OST listserv - who might be able to offer me
some helpful / cogent / challenging advice..."</font>
<br>
<font face="Arial"><br>
Harrison - you and others replied with most helpful thoughts which I
summarised in my later posting as:<br>
<br>
</font><font face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif">"I like your ideas, <b>Harrison
</b>- neatly summarised as as "keep
moving, open space, and get out of the way"! I liked you ideas, <b>Barry
</b>to go local and work stealthily (with integrity) and get it all
happening, I liked your ideas, <b>Avner </b>to loosen the agency
boundaries and get the people with passion together and make progress.
I like your ideas, <b>Pankaj </b>to get the results out into the open
and exchanged. I liked your ideas, <b>Wendy </b>about harnessing the
passion of conflict into a new direction by 'placing a pebble' in the
flow. I like your ideas, <b>Funda </b>and <b>Kerry </b>to establish
a virtual reporting hub."</font><br>
<font face="Arial"><br>
I took all these on board - or at least I tried to...<br>
<br>
Yesterday it was confirmed to me - that 9 months into what was a 24
month contract - they are making me redundant. The various agencies
have decided that they no longer need someone at my level to coordinate
matters. All but one of them are now investing heavily (resource wise,
politically and strategically) in a set of 'preferred partnerships' of
two. The one agency which isn't, is resolute in its desire to pick and
choose the ventures to be involved with rather than work mainly with
just one buddy. (Although to an extent this approach has been forced
upon them.) The three collaborative ventures that do involve more than
two partners will continue under the leadership of the some senior
managers based upon my plan that they should appoint 'senior
responsible owners' from their own ranks rather than expect my team to
act in the programme management role. The heads of the agencies - who
are now meeting on a regular basis (they were not before) - have
confirmed to their governance leaders - that they will collectivey and
professionally lead other 3+ ventures as determined by the strategic
context and government pressure.<br>
<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<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
</font><br>
Harrison Owen wrote:
<blockquote cite="mid:000201c8a936$3f20c720$6401a8c0@harrison"
type="cite">
<pre wrap="">I can't let you all be the only folks who have all the fun! Last week I had
the exquisite pleasure of visiting Red Wing Minnesota, located on the banks
of the Mississippi River. The occasion was a "Community Consultation" about
the possibility of merging the Public Health and Human Services agencies in
the county. This had been tried some 10 years ago in a very "Top Down"
fashion initiated by the County Executive. It was a disaster. However, the
rational for merger still seemed to make some sense, even if just about
everybody thought it was impossible.
Eighty five people sat in a circle. Roughly 2/3's were from the two
agencies, and the balance from neighboring counties which had either tried
such a merger or were thinking about it. Nobody was particularly positive
about the whole thing and even less positive about sitting in a circle. As
one participant said, "merger was an outside possibility, and this sitting
in a circle business was weird." But we went forward, albeit stoically.
Minnesotans are stoic by nature.
After the brief introduction the people were invited to identify the issues
and opportunities for which they had a real passion. Dead silence, and
nobody moved - for all of about ten seconds. Then they came and nobody
thought it could happen here in Red Wing. They brought their issues, the
really deep ones - and everybody had predicted that the conversation could
only be superficial. Within an hour they were seriously at work. Intense
groups met all over the big room. It got a little noisy and groups naturally
cooperated with each other without any help (from me).
When lunch time came, it was obvious that folks were hungry, and they mobbed
the tables, but the conversations hardly took a break. The lunch was really
good and very substantial - all of which had the usual effect on me. I just
had to have a nap. So off I went, returning an hour or so later, just at the
break point between the 3rd and 4th sessions. Folks were taking the
opportunity for some more coffee and cookies - but the atmosphere had
totally transformed. You simply couldn't tell one group from another - it
was all mixed up. And the decibel level was filling the room with excited,
pleasant conversation.
When the final session ended the closing began. We didn't have time for a
full talking stick ceremony, just a few comments. One stuck in my mind which
came from a major (in the morning) skeptic. "We came to talk about the
possibility of merger, but I think we have gotten ahead of ourselves. We are
merged. Now we have to figure out the details."
I just love it when a plan comes together. Particularly when everybody just
knew it would never happen.
Harrison
Harrison Owen
7808 River Falls Drive
Potomac, Maryland 20854
Phone 301-365-2093
Skype hhowen
Open Space Training <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="http://www.openspaceworld.com">www.openspaceworld.com</a> <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="http://www.openspaceworld.com/"><http://www.openspaceworld.com/></a>
Open Space Institute <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="http://www.openspaceworld.org">www.openspaceworld.org</a>
Personal website <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="http://www.ho-image.com">www.ho-image.com</a>
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