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    I'm loving the richness of this conversation. I'm loving it so much!<br>
    <br>
    One question that comes up for me repeatedly, as I read and ponder
    the responses to OST-as-game: what is the goal (if any) of
    self-organizing behavior? Is the question even worth answering? If
    so, why so? If not, why not?<br>
    <br>
    Where do I go, with this line of reasoning? Here:
    <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teleology">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teleology</a><br>
    <br>
    <br>
    <div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 10/14/13 4:53 PM, Harrison Owen
      wrote:<br>
    </div>
    <blockquote cite="mid:000c01cec91f$7fb9b850$7f2d28f0$@net"
      type="cite">
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        <p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Paul
            – Can always count on you. Thanks<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">ho<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">Harrison
            Owen<o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">7808
            River Falls Dr.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Potomac,
            MD 20854<o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">USA<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">189
            Beaucaire Ave. (summer)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Camden,
            Maine 04843<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">Phone
            301-365-2093<o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">(summer) 
            207-763-3261<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"><a
              moz-do-not-send="true" href="www.openspaceworld.com%20"><span
                style="color:blue">www.openspaceworld.com</span></a> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><a
              moz-do-not-send="true" href="www.ho-image.com%20"><span
                style="color:blue">www.ho-image.com</span></a> (Personal
            Website)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><span
            style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Consolas;color:#1F497D">To
            subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the
            archives of OSLIST Go to:<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org"><span
                style="color:blue">http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org</span></a><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>
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          1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in">
          <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"">From:</span></b><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"">
              <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:oslist-bounces@lists.openspacetech.org">oslist-bounces@lists.openspacetech.org</a>
              [<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="mailto:oslist-bounces@lists.openspacetech.org">mailto:oslist-bounces@lists.openspacetech.org</a>] <b>On
                Behalf Of </b>paul levy<br>
              <b>Sent:</b> Monday, October 14, 2013 4:48 PM<br>
              <b>To:</b> World wide Open Space Technology email list<br>
              <b>Subject:</b> Re: [OSList] The OST Game<o:p></o:p></span></p>
        </div>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal">Harrison <o:p></o:p></p>
        <div>
          <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
        </div>
        <div>
          <p class="MsoNormal">Whatever you experienced as OST when it
            first escaped has largely become a game. A game of training.
            A game of "go back to base and read the manual". Even you
            play a regular game on here as one of the elders who keep
            defending OST against change (oh yes you do). It's become a
            game with a book of instructions with bells, anti-clockwise
            circle walking and "rules". That's a shame and, thankfully,
            fairly pointless as it keeps on escaping in different and
            lovely ways anyway.<o:p></o:p></p>
        </div>
        <div>
          <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
        </div>
        <div>
          <p class="MsoNormal">Now, opening space, that's something
            really worth trying... <o:p></o:p></p>
        </div>
        <div>
          <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
        </div>
        <div>
          <p class="MsoNormal">(Waits as the usual elders line up to
            deliver their wise pronouncements)...<o:p></o:p></p>
        </div>
        <div>
          <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
        </div>
        <div>
          <p class="MsoNormal">So it goes.<o:p></o:p></p>
        </div>
        <div>
          <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
        </div>
        <div>
          <p class="MsoNormal">Paul Levy<o:p></o:p></p>
        </div>
        <div>
          <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
        </div>
        <div>
          <p class="MsoNormal"><br>
            <br>
            On Monday, 14 October 2013, Harrison Owen wrote:<o:p></o:p></p>
          <div>
            <div>
              <p class="MsoNormal"
                style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">A
                  marvelous conversation... and I have been absent a bit
                  for a good cause, I hope. I have been doing my
                  homework, reading all the assigned material about
                  broken reality and culture hacking. Interesting
                  journey! And along the way I came upon an odd
                  realization – I really just don’t like games! Seems it
                  had something to do with early childhood trauma... my
                  mother just loved games, and she would beat me
                  unmercifully. Oh well. Unfortunately that aversion
                  carried on into my adult life, particularly as it
                  related to the so called Group Dynamics games that we
                  were all supposed to play prior to serious discussion.
                  Seems like you just couldn’t have an adult interchange
                  without some “warm-up” to break the ice. Or so they
                  said. Really bugged me. I just couldn’t believe that
                  consenting adults could not communicate without some
                  elaborate foreplay – funny tools drawn from the
                  omnipresent Facilitator’s Tool Box.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
              <p class="MsoNormal"
                style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
              <p class="MsoNormal"
                style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">So
                  much for my inherent pathology and prejudices, but
                  there may be something of a positive outcome. I simply
                  had to believe that given reasonable conditions, human
                  beings could sit down and talk productively with each
                  other – all by themselves. As adults. It did take two
                  martinis to get me there... but “there” was (guess
                  what) Open Space.  We have been doing that ever since,
                  and it turns out that children do just as well. </span><o:p></o:p></p>
              <p class="MsoNormal"
                style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
              <p class="MsoNormal"
                style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">What
                  may have started as childish rebellion (against
                  Mother, Facilitators, etc) has only gotten worse. With
                  increasing age and experience it has become clearer
                  and clearer that the less I do the better things work.
                  It is not that I have no agency or contribution, but
                  it does turn out that the ambient wisdom and capacity
                  of the individuals and groups that I am privileged to
                  interact with so vastly exceeds my own that I would do
                  very well to fold my hands and shut my mouth. Anything
                  else has me working much too hard, and generally
                  messing things up... Such are the eye glasses through
                  which I view my world. Distorted perhaps, and
                  different for sure, but I’m stuck with it. And it is
                  through those glasses that I read my assignments,
                  beginning with “Reality is Broken.” </span><o:p></o:p></p>
              <p class="MsoNormal"
                style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
              <p class="MsoNormal"
                style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Jane
                  McGonigal weaves a fascinating tale of the strange (to
                  me) world of Game Makers, Gaming, and Gamers. I can
                  certainly understand why she has created a stir, and I
                  applaud her massive research and clear prose. That
                  said, my reaction was close to horror, and the thought
                  that the world and techniques she describes should
                  become a model and a means to fix our world was pretty
                  close to terror. Doubtless much of this can be
                  ascribed to my aforementioned phobia – but I suspect
                  that others might share such feelings. Two points
                  stand out in my mind—Gaming is addictive, a point she
                  develops in infinite detail, and secondly that good
                  Game Makers actually capitalize on this phenomenon and
                  make every effort to enhance the addictive power. 
                  Their success is obvious and awesome. It seems that
                  one massive, online game attracted 5,000,000 man/years
                  of attention. George Orwell, where are you now that we
                  need you?</span><o:p></o:p></p>
              <p class="MsoNormal"
                style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
              <p class="MsoNormal"
                style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">I
                  joke a bit – and my concerns run deeper. When Jane
                  says, “Reality is Broken,” I feel constrained to ask,
                  Who’s reality? Not mine, for sure. It is not that I
                  experience every day as a walk in the park, but there
                  have been precious few moments when I have felt bored,
                  without challenge, non-productive and
                  unappreciated/respected. And I have many friends and
                  colleagues around the world who seemingly have a
                  similar experience. Doubtless that makes us odd,
                  perhaps aberrant, but there is a certain consolation
                  in numbers. We are not alone. </span><o:p></o:p></p>
              <p class="MsoNormal"
                style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
              <p class="MsoNormal"
                style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">When
                  I think about the factors that positively contribute
                  to my reality they include such things as the
                  indeterminacy of my surroundings. The moment I think I
                  know where it is all headed, I am confounded by the
                  twists of happenstance. Then there is the total lack
                  of clarity when it comes to goals and objectives.
                  Certainly I have hopes and desires, but just about
                  every time I have locked on some particular outcome,
                  it doesn’t turn out that way – usually better. And
                  lastly, if there are clear cut rules, I certainly have
                  never found them. Of course there are moments when I
                  think it is all a dreadful mistake and I am scared to
                  death. But even that has its positive: I know I am
                  alive. So for me, my reality is doing just fine.
                  Exciting, challenging, growthful, rewarding -- In fact
                  it seems to be working perfectly.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
              <p class="MsoNormal"
                style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
              <p class="MsoNormal"
                style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">I
                  am truly sorry for those who have a different
                  experience, but if reality for them is broken, it is
                  reasonable to ask, Who broke it? Or could it be that
                  it isn’t really broken, they just think it is, if only
                  because it doesn’t measure up to their expectations.
                  That would certainly be the case if reality was <b>supposed</b>
                  to work by clear cut rules, heading in a
                  pre-determined direction, always under somebody’s
                  control. That understanding of reality is certainly
                  alternate to anything I know anything about. It just
                  never happened, and if it did I believe it would be
                  unendingly boring. But that might account for the Game
                  Maker’s success – for if I read Jane correctly, that
                  is pretty much the reality they create. And if that is
                  the reality you want, no wonder people spend 5 million
                  man/years immersed in it!</span><o:p></o:p></p>
              <p class="MsoNormal"
                style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
              <p class="MsoNormal"
                style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">And
                  on to a related question: Is OST a game? Possibly, but
                  not according to Jane’s rules/criteria. To be sure,
                  there is a correlation with Jane’s first criteria: Opt
                  in = Voluntary Self Selection, and  a second one
                  relating to Good Feedback (we might say
                  documentation). But it seems to me it all goes
                  downhill from there. If there are any rules in Open
                  Space, I have yet to encounter them. To be sure there
                  are 5 principles and a law, but none of them are
                  things you have to do. In fact they all seem to emerge
                  no matter what you do – all by themselves. As for a
                  clear goal, I think you have precisely the opposite.
                  Everything begins with a question, and under the best
                  of circumstances there is no attachment to outcomes.
                  As we say, Whatever happens is the only thing that
                  could have.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
              <p class="MsoNormal"
                style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
              <p class="MsoNormal"
                style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Just
                  to drive a little deeper. If OST is not a game – what
                  is it?</span><o:p></o:p></p>
              <p class="MsoNormal"
                style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
              <p class="MsoNormal"
                style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Drum
                  roll... Cutting edge revelation...</span><o:p></o:p></p>
              <p class="MsoNormal"
                style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
              <p class="MsoNormal"
                style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">OST...
                  is ... Life. </span><o:p></o:p></p>
              <p class="MsoNormal"
                style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
              <p class="MsoNormal"
                style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">It
                  does not bring anything new. Represents no mind
                  bending revelation. In fact it doesn’t DO a thing.
                  Nothing. OST simply and quietly invites us to be,
                  fully, what we already are – ourselves. It really is
                  shocking. Just be yourself as you really are. Drawn by
                  a question (Quest) – you are invited to explore what
                  you really care about. No foregone conclusions. No
                  prior exclusions (givens). No rules prescribed (by
                  somebody else). Just be yourself and take it from
                  there. Of course it helps to be honest. What do you
                  really care about? And if you care, take
                  responsibility for what you care about. Nobody else
                  will. And you don’t need an act of Congress,
                  Parliament, the Legislature, or the writings of the
                  latest Guru. It’s just you. </span><o:p></o:p></p>
              <p class="MsoNormal"
                style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
              <p class="MsoNormal"
                style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">But
                  not just you. Who shares your passion? Who will join
                  you in the assumed responsibility? In advance you
                  simply don’t know, nor can you predict. But when it
                  happens, you know it happens. Life not only goes on –
                  it gets deeper and richer with the shared passions and
                  responsibilities that weave the rich tapestry of the
                  human odyssey.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
              <p class="MsoNormal"
                style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
              <p class="MsoNormal"
                style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">I
                  know you have heard this song before, but I think it
                  bears re-singing. The temptation to change this simple
                  invitation into some complex process, procedure,
                  structure is almost overwhelming, driven I am sure by
                  our hope to improve and also  perhaps to make it
                  something we own or do. Something that requires the
                  professional touch, as it were. But the truth of the
                  matter, I believe, is that there really isn’t anything
                  to improve and still less to do. Above all, Don’t fix
                  it if it ain’t broke, and always think of one less
                  thing to do.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
              <p class="MsoNormal"
                style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
              <p class="MsoNormal"
                style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">So
                  where does all this discussion leave Agile and OST, or
                  more exactly the relationship between the two? Closely
                  united, I believe – but perhaps not in the way that
                  Dan and others seem to be suggesting, even though that
                  way appears to be eminently rational and definitely a
                  good plan.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
              <p class="MsoNormal"
                style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
              <p class="MsoNormal"
                style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">I
                  understand that Agile (as described in the Agile
                  Manifesto) is an elegant set of principles which await
                  implementation (adoption) through some method or
                  process, SCRUM for example. The principles are
                  magnificent and represent the latest iteration of a
                  longish tradition beginning perhaps with Quality
                  Circles, and passing through Excellent Organizations
                  (Tom Peters et al), Learning Organizations, with
                  possibly a side trip through Process Re-Engineering.
                  In every case, elaborate processes, procedures, and
                  protocols were designed in order to bring the noble
                  ideas into everyday practice. In every case the energy
                  and enthusiasm surrounding the several efforts was
                  considerable (aided I suspect by the fat consulting
                  fees that could be generated). And in every case I
                  believe we learned many useful lessons. However, in
                  terms of the desired outcome, which might be described
                  as “enhanced organizational function,” I think the
                  record is less than positive. Only people of a certain
                  age will even remember Quality Circles, Excellent
                  Organizations seem evident mostly by their absence,
                  The Society of Organizational Learning disbanded last
                  year, and Process Engineering has been retired by
                  general consensus as an embarrassing failure. Jane
                  McGonigal may just have written the epitaph, “Reality
                  is Broken.” Whether Agile and its several
                  implementation procedures (SCRUM, etc) will meet a
                  similar fate remains to be seen.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
              <p class="MsoNormal"
                style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
              <p class="MsoNormal"
                style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Reasonable
                  people might well ask, how could we invest so much and
                  accomplish so little? Doubtless there are multiple
                  answers, but one stands out for me. We’ve been trying
                  to organize self organizing systems. This is a
                  thankless task if only because we will never get it
                  right; the systems involved (our businesses,
                  countries, organizations) are so complex,
                  inter-related, and fast moving that we can’t even
                  think at that level – let alone effectively structure
                  and control them. Even worse it seems all too often
                  that our best efforts and intentions make the
                  situation worse – our fixes end up with painful
                  unintended consequences. But worst of all our efforts
                  are not needed because the system itself, all by
                  itself, can do a better job.  Frankly our efforts are
                  just plain clunky.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
              <p class="MsoNormal"
                style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
              <p class="MsoNormal"
                style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">It
                  is precisely at the point where I think other efforts
                  have been less than successful that OST may enable
                  Agile to succeed -- but not by facilitating the
                  adoption Agile as a set of principles, but in a much
                  more immediate and direct fashion: by enabling
                  Agility. The principles are definitely nice, but what
                  we truly care about is real, meaningful,
                  organizational agility, which others might call High
                  Performance, and Open Space demonstrably delivers on
                  that score. My favorite story, of course is the
                  AT&T design team for the ’96 Olympic Pavilion. In
                  2 days they designed a $200,000,000 structure which
                  had taken them 10 months on a previous effort. That is
                  a 15,000% increase in productivity. Not bad. </span><o:p></o:p></p>
              <p class="MsoNormal"
                style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
              <p class="MsoNormal"
                style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">If
                  that were the only instance of such a phenomenon it
                  would be interesting but not helpful, but there are
                  others, a lot. And how does all that work? It is just
                  a well functioning self organizing system. And if you
                  ask whether it is all scalable – the answer is it is
                  already scaled to the highest levels. Been around for
                  13.7 billion years, and the Cosmos (along with
                  everything else) is the product. Don’t adopt Agile, BE
                  agile. Honestly, it is a natural condition if we stop
                  trying to fix it. </span><o:p></o:p></p>
              <p class="MsoNormal"
                style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
              <p class="MsoNormal"
                style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">So
                  I think we have some very good news here. Reality
                  ain’t broke and serious Agility is available any time
                  we want to open the space to let it happen. And if you
                  were wondering who all those friends and colleagues
                  around the world who know that their reality is
                  unbroken (albeit painful sometimes) you can start by
                  looking in a mirror. Yes, I am talking about all those
                  folks who have wandered into Open Space to discover,
                  many times in spite of themselves – that deep,
                  meaningful, productive, playful, respectful encounters
                  with their fellows can and do happen. That is just a
                  taste, of course – but it can happen all the time --
                  24X7. I know.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
              <p><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
              <p><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Harrison</span><o:p></o:p></p>
              <p><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
              <p><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
              <p><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
              <p><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
              <p><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
              <p><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
              <p><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
              <p><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
              <p><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
              <p><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
              <p><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
              <p><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
              <div>
                <p><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Harrison
                    Owen</span><o:p></o:p></p>
                <p><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><a
                      moz-do-not-send="true"
                      href="x-apple-data-detectors://3">7808 River Falls
                      Dr.</a></span><o:p></o:p></p>
                <p><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><a
                      moz-do-not-send="true"
                      href="x-apple-data-detectors://4">Potomac, MD
                      20854</a></span><o:p></o:p></p>
              </div>
              <div>
                <div style="border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF
                  1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in">
                  <p><b><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"">From:</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
                </div>
              </div>
            </div>
          </div>
        </div>
      </div>
      <br>
      <fieldset class="mimeAttachmentHeader"></fieldset>
      <br>
      <pre wrap="">_______________________________________________
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</pre>
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      <p class="p1">Daniel Mezick, President</p>
      <p class="p1">New Technology Solutions Inc.</p>
      <p class="p1">(203) 915 7248 (cell)</p>
      <p class="p2"><span class="s1"><a
            href="http://newtechusa.net/dan-mezick/">Bio</a></span><span
          class="s2">. <a href="http://newtechusa.net/blog/"><span
              class="s1">Blog</span></a>. <a
            href="http://twitter.com/#%21/danmezick/"><span class="s1">Twitter</span></a>.<span
            class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p>
      <p class="p3"><span class="s2">Examine my new book:<span
            class="Apple-converted-space">  </span><a
            href="http://newtechusa.net/about/the-culture-game-book/"><span
              class="s1">The Culture Game </span></a></span><span
          class="s1">: Tools for the Agile Manager</span><span
          class="s2">.</span></p>
      <p class="p1">Explore Agile Team <a
          href="http://newtechusa.net/services/agile-scrum-training/"><span
            class="s3">Training</span></a> and <a
          href="http://newtechusa.net/services/agile-scrum-coaching/"><span
            class="s3">Coaching.</span></a></p>
      <p class="p1">Explore the <a
          href="http://newtechusa.net//user-groups/ma/"><span class="s3">Agile
            Boston </span></a>Community.<span
          class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p>
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