<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=windows-1252"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;">what a precious tale and what wise words… Thank you so much Rob<div><br></div><div>Romy</div><div><br></div><div><br><div apple-content-edited="true">
<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;"><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;"><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;"><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;"><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;"><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;"><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;"><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;"><span style="font-size: 11px;">Romy Shovelton<br><br><b>Director<br>Wikima</b><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b>and<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><b>Tyddyn Retreat</b><br><b style="font-weight: normal;">The Mid Wales Retreat & Holiday Centre</b></span></div><div style="font-weight: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;"><span style="font-size: 11px;"><br></span><span style="font-size: 11px;"><a href="http://www.walescottageandvenue.co.uk">www.walescottageandvenue.co.uk</a></span></div><div style="font-weight: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;"><span style="font-size: 11px;">Facebook: Tyddyn Retreat</span><br style="font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-size: 11px;">Twitter: @MidWalesRetreat</span></div><div style="font-weight: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;"><span style="font-size: 11px;"><br></span></div><div style="font-weight: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;"><span style="font-size: 11px;"><a href="mailto:romy.shovelton@gmail.com">romy.shovelton@gmail.com</a><br>romy@wikima.com<br>skype: romy shovelton</span></div><div style="font-weight: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;"><span style="font-size: 11px;"><br></span></div><div style="font-weight: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;"><span style="font-size: 11px;">07767 370739</span></div><div style="font-weight: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;"><span style="font-size: 11px;"><br>Tyddyn y Pwll<br>Carno<br>Caersws<br>Powys<br>SY17 5JU</span><br><br></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>
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<br><div style=""><div>On 7 Aug 2014, at 21:04, <a href="mailto:oslist-request@lists.openspacetech.org">oslist-request@lists.openspacetech.org</a> wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type="cite"><div dir="auto" lang="EN-US" link="blue" vlink="purple" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" text="#000000" style="font-family: TrebuchetMS; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;">Send OSList mailing list submissions to<br><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="mailto:oslist@lists.openspacetech.org" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">oslist@lists.openspacetech.org</a><br><br>To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit<br><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org</a><br>or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to<br><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="mailto:oslist-request@lists.openspacetech.org" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">oslist-request@lists.openspacetech.org</a><br><br>You can reach the person managing the list at<br><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="mailto:oslist-owner@lists.openspacetech.org" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">oslist-owner@lists.openspacetech.org</a><br><br>When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific<br>than "Re: Contents of OSList digest..."<br>Today's Topics:<br><br> 1. Re: Management and Organization (R Chaffe)<br> 2. Re: Management and Organization (Harrison Owen)<br> 3. Re: Management and Organization (Daniel Mezick)<br><br><div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; color: rgb(127, 127, 127);"><b>From:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">R Chaffe <<a href="mailto:rchaffe@gmail.com" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">rchaffe@gmail.com</a>><br></span></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; color: rgb(127, 127, 127);"><b>Subject:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>Re: [OSList] Management and Organization</b><br></span></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; color: rgb(127, 127, 127);"><b>Date:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">7 August 2014 04:53:11 BST<br></span></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; color: rgb(127, 127, 127);"><b>To:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">World wide Open Space Technology email list <<a href="mailto:oslist@lists.openspacetech.org" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">oslist@lists.openspacetech.org</a>><br></span></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; color: rgb(127, 127, 127);"><b>Reply-To:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">World wide Open Space Technology email list <<a href="mailto:oslist@lists.openspacetech.org" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">oslist@lists.openspacetech.org</a>><br></span></div><br><br><div><span></span></div><div><div>I have been following this thread with interest. Some may recall OSonOS gathering in Marysville in November 2002 when we went out into the forest to see and hear the night creatures. As we walked into the forest the only sound was the sound of our feet on the earth and despite the best efforts of a highly skilled ranger no night creatures could be found. All the components were in place, well organised and managed. No night creatures! The forest was silent.</div><div><br></div><div>Everyone went away with their own thoughts including disbelief that the Australian forest is alive at night. There was a strong sense of disappointment - it did not work!</div><div><br></div><div>Before the month had ended the environment responded with a series of wild fires that included over 6million hectares of high rainfall and alpine forest and the National Capital city was invaded by fire. Complex self organising systems at work.</div><div><br></div><div>The question then goes back to that silent night. Some of us listened to the silence and with a deep sense of dread realising that all was not well. There was no "silver bullet" quick fix it was a systemic issue way beyond control or management. What we did was prepare the things we had control over in readiness for the fires that would come. Little did I know that I would spend most of 57 days in an incident control centre coordinating information and advice to the community about the sate of a rapidly changing mostly unpredictable wild fire. The result in Victoria was less that 10 homes lost and on the day a rain storm eventually controlled the fire a young lady was drowned when her vehicle was washed into a stream by flood waters - yes in a drought and after nearly two months of fire.</div><div><br></div><div>What did I learn about complex systems, management and control? </div><div><br></div><div>First wild fire cannot be "controlled" by man. We stay at the edges and do the best to protect assets, we mop up and clear up, we do our best to give the people the best information to make informed decisions about what they will do. (In the end it is their choice). Mostly people organise themselves well, some better than others but in the end, good or bad, the decisions are theirs.</div><div><br></div><div>Second willing participants in an "open" environment can achieve outstanding things way beyond what expectations might be. How they do it is up to them, they have some guidelines but the process that evolves is theirs. Again sometimes it works and sometimes..... Despite what I think or do.</div><div><br></div><div>In a major incident "co-ordination" centre there is structure with key decision points (people) a time table (plan mostly to ensure others needs are respected) a massive amount of self organising and adjustment to constant change. Change that could be fatal, change that does not allow the luxury of time out to plan a process or select a model and change that needs a response now. Within the organisation the one thing that was most controllable was the selection and support of the people working there. The outcome was a sense of team with each member working to dovetail into the work of others to remove frustration and reach consensus with the best possible outcome.</div><div><br></div><div>In some sense the team meetings each day were an open space event with each bringing their issues and concerns acting with commitment and accepting a high level of responsibility. The report from the meeting formed the game plan until the next change, which at times may only be only minutes away - on one night meetings were being held every 15 minutes with broadcasts over national and regional radios to inform the community of the changes that may impact on them so that they could do what they needed to do (not command or control just advice).</div><div><br></div><div>12 years later I have spent too much time in incident coordination centres yet remarkably, or not so, a similar pattern emerged. The most successful always being where leadership focused on creating and environment where individuals could perform at their best while respecting a diversity of responses to change that reflect the complexity of the natural, human and economic environment the change was taking place in.</div><div><br></div><div>What can Open Space technology really offer? What control do I really have? What I am responsible for?</div><div> </div><div>As I see it the reality is that as the Facilitator all that I can promise is to provide an opportunity for the group to meet and an opportunity to participate in dealing with a particular topic. I can influence the choice of the topic, the invitation to participate and the creation of the safe space including the structure of the event (environment, food, and other safety needs that form the base of Maslow's hierarchy of needs to free the participants from these concerns and focus on the purpose of the meeting).</div><div><br></div><div>I cannot promise any solutions, or reports, proceedings, quality of input or output, satisfaction and the ongoing relationships between the participants. These are the responsibilities of the sponsor or the organisation or community who chose to attend. I may influence the methods that groups may choose to explore their agenda item but in the end they must do it their way including the law of two feet.</div><div><br></div><div>I do not have a simple solution, quick fix, or a "silver bullet". I do have the experience to share, that just as in the parable of the mustard seed there will be outcomes way beyond what we can imagine. The mustard seed grows into a tree, so what! The tree becomes an entire habitat for all types of life (macro and micro) way beyond a simple tree. Some of the things that come from planting the seed eventually lead to the death of the tree, but if you do not plant the seed the tree will never grow and you will never know what possibilities / opportunities you have lost including the genetic change in the new seed crop that may grow into a new tree, not quite the same as the old. The question then becomes, is the "sponsor" willing to allow the "seed" to be planted and are they willing to assist the nurture of the "tree"as it grows to what ever it will be?</div><div><br></div><div>I see my task is in the preparation of the event and ensure the seed is planted in the best possible way then, allow the passion and responsibility of the sponsor and participants to do what they do. If there is respect for diversity and a will to include all as best as possible there is a real possibility that the "organisation" will be successful in their own terms. </div><div><br></div><div>One implication is that there is always something of me left behind as I opened the space and, if I have done my job, the participants will be confident that they did it their way.</div><div><br></div><div>Regards</div><div>Rob</div></div><br><br><br><div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; color: rgb(127, 127, 127);"><b>From:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">"Harrison Owen" <<a href="mailto:hhowen@verizon.net" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">hhowen@verizon.net</a>><br></span></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; color: rgb(127, 127, 127);"><b>Subject:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>Re: [OSList] Management and Organization</b><br></span></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; color: rgb(127, 127, 127);"><b>Date:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">7 August 2014 13:41:56 BST<br></span></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; color: rgb(127, 127, 127);"><b>To:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">"'World wide Open Space Technology email list'" <<a href="mailto:oslist@lists.openspacetech.org" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">oslist@lists.openspacetech.org</a>><br></span></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; color: rgb(127, 127, 127);"><b>Reply-To:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">World wide Open Space Technology email list <<a href="mailto:oslist@lists.openspacetech.org" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">oslist@lists.openspacetech.org</a>><br></span></div><br><br><div class="WordSection1" style="page: WordSection1;"><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">Rob – Totally brilliant! Well thought and well written, deserving of many re-reads and expansion. You got a book here that needs to be written!! Something about the 5<sup>th</sup><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Principle (Wherever it happens is the right place) personified. Or “All the world is Open Space. OST is merely practice.” Pale reflections of your wonderful tale... I know you will do better. Thank you!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">Harrison<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></div><div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">Winter Address<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">7808 River Falls Drive<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">Potomac, MD 20854<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">301-365-2093<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">Summer Address<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">189 Beaucaire Ave.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">Camden, ME 04843<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">207-763-3261<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">Websites<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"><a href="x-msg://70/%20www.openspaceworld.com" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">www.openspaceworld.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"><a href="x-msg://70/www.ho-image.com" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">www.ho-image.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">OSLIST<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Consolas; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of OSLIST Go to:<a href="http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org</a></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"><o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></div><div><div style="border-style: solid none none; border-top-color: rgb(181, 196, 223); border-top-width: 1pt; padding: 3pt 0in 0in;"><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">From:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>OSList [<a href="mailto:oslist-bounces@lists.openspacetech.org" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">mailto:oslist-bounces@lists.openspacetech.org</a>]<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><b>On Behalf Of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b>R Chaffe<br><b>Sent:</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Wednesday, August 06, 2014 11:53 PM<br><b>To:</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>World wide Open Space Technology email list<br><b>Subject:</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Re: [OSList] Management and Organization<o:p></o:p></span></div></div></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p> </o:p></div><div><div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">I have been following this thread with interest. Some may recall OSonOS gathering in Marysville in November 2002 when we went out into the forest to see and hear the night creatures. As we walked into the forest the only sound was the sound of our feet on the earth and despite the best efforts of a highly skilled ranger no night creatures could be found. All the components were in place, well organised and managed. No night creatures! The forest was silent.<o:p></o:p></div></div><div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p> </o:p></div></div><div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Everyone went away with their own thoughts including disbelief that the Australian forest is alive at night. There was a strong sense of disappointment - it did not work!<o:p></o:p></div></div><div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p> </o:p></div></div><div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Before the month had ended the environment responded with a series of wild fires that included over 6million hectares of high rainfall and alpine forest and the National Capital city was invaded by fire. Complex self organising systems at work.<o:p></o:p></div></div><div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p> </o:p></div></div><div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">The question then goes back to that silent night. Some of us listened to the silence and with a deep sense of dread realising that all was not well. There was no "silver bullet" quick fix it was a systemic issue way beyond control or management. What we did was prepare the things we had control over in readiness for the fires that would come. Little did I know that I would spend most of 57 days in an incident control centre coordinating information and advice to the community about the sate of a rapidly changing mostly unpredictable wild fire. The result in Victoria was less that 10 homes lost and on the day a rain storm eventually controlled the fire a young lady was drowned when her vehicle was washed into a stream by flood waters - yes in a drought and after nearly two months of fire.<o:p></o:p></div></div><div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p> </o:p></div></div><div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">What did I learn about complex systems, management and control? <o:p></o:p></div></div><div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p> </o:p></div></div><div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">First wild fire cannot be "controlled" by man. We stay at the edges and do the best to protect assets, we mop up and clear up, we do our best to give the people the best information to make informed decisions about what they will do. (In the end it is their choice). Mostly people organise themselves well, some better than others but in the end, good or bad, the decisions are theirs.<o:p></o:p></div></div><div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p> </o:p></div></div><div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Second willing participants in an "open" environment can achieve outstanding things way beyond what expectations might be. How they do it is up to them, they have some guidelines but the process that evolves is theirs. Again sometimes it works and sometimes..... Despite what I think or do.<o:p></o:p></div></div><div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p> </o:p></div></div><div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">In a major incident "co-ordination" centre there is structure with key decision points (people) a time table (plan mostly to ensure others needs are respected) a massive amount of self organising and adjustment to constant change. Change that could be fatal, change that does not allow the luxury of time out to plan a process or select a model and change that needs a response now. Within the organisation the one thing that was most controllable was the selection and support of the people working there. The outcome was a sense of team with each member working to dovetail into the work of others to remove frustration and reach consensus with the best possible outcome.<o:p></o:p></div></div><div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p> </o:p></div></div><div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">In some sense the team meetings each day were an open space event with each bringing their issues and concerns acting with commitment and accepting a high level of responsibility. The report from the meeting formed the game plan until the next change, which at times may only be only minutes away - on one night meetings were being held every 15 minutes with broadcasts over national and regional radios to inform the community of the changes that may impact on them so that they could do what they needed to do (not command or control just advice).<o:p></o:p></div></div><div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p> </o:p></div></div><div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">12 years later I have spent too much time in incident coordination centres yet remarkably, or not so, a similar pattern emerged. The most successful always being where leadership focused on creating and environment where individuals could perform at their best while respecting a diversity of responses to change that reflect the complexity of the natural, human and economic environment the change was taking place in.<o:p></o:p></div></div><div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p> </o:p></div></div><div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">What can Open Space technology really offer? What control do I really have? What I am responsible for?<o:p></o:p></div></div><div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> <o:p></o:p></div></div><div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">As I see it the reality is that as the Facilitator all that I can promise is to provide an opportunity for the group to meet and an opportunity to participate in dealing with a particular topic. I can influence the choice of the topic, the invitation to participate and the creation of the safe space including the structure of the event (environment, food, and other safety needs that form the base of Maslow's hierarchy of needs to free the participants from these concerns and focus on the purpose of the meeting).<o:p></o:p></div></div><div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p> </o:p></div></div><div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">I cannot promise any solutions, or reports, proceedings, quality of input or output, satisfaction and the ongoing relationships between the participants. These are the responsibilities of the sponsor or the organisation or community who chose to attend. I may influence the methods that groups may choose to explore their agenda item but in the end they must do it their way including the law of two feet.<o:p></o:p></div></div><div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p> </o:p></div></div><div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">I do not have a simple solution, quick fix, or a "silver bullet". I do have the experience to share, that just as in the parable of the mustard seed there will be outcomes way beyond what we can imagine. The mustard seed grows into a tree, so what! The tree becomes an entire habitat for all types of life (macro and micro) way beyond a simple tree. Some of the things that come from planting the seed eventually lead to the death of the tree, but if you do not plant the seed the tree will never grow and you will never know what possibilities / opportunities you have lost including the genetic change in the new seed crop that may grow into a new tree, not quite the same as the old. The question then becomes, is the "sponsor" willing to allow the "seed" to be planted and are they willing to assist the nurture of the "tree"as it grows to what ever it will be?<o:p></o:p></div></div><div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p> </o:p></div></div><div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">I see my task is in the preparation of the event and ensure the seed is planted in the best possible way then, allow the passion and responsibility of the sponsor and participants to do what they do. If there is respect for diversity and a will to include all as best as possible there is a real possibility that the "organisation" will be successful in their own terms. <o:p></o:p></div></div><div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p> </o:p></div></div><div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">One implication is that there is always something of me left behind as I opened the space and, if I have done my job, the participants will be confident that they did it their way.<o:p></o:p></div></div><div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p> </o:p></div></div><div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Regards<o:p></o:p></div></div><div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Rob<o:p></o:p></div></div></div></div><br><br><br><div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; color: rgb(127, 127, 127);"><b>From:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Daniel Mezick <<a href="mailto:dan@newtechusa.net" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">dan@newtechusa.net</a>><br></span></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; color: rgb(127, 127, 127);"><b>Subject:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>Re: [OSList] Management and Organization</b><br></span></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; color: rgb(127, 127, 127);"><b>Date:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">7 August 2014 15:41:15 BST<br></span></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; color: rgb(127, 127, 127);"><b>To:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><a href="mailto:oslist@lists.openspacetech.org" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">oslist@lists.openspacetech.org</a><br></span></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; color: rgb(127, 127, 127);"><b>Reply-To:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">World wide Open Space Technology email list <<a href="mailto:oslist@lists.openspacetech.org" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">oslist@lists.openspacetech.org</a>><br></span></div><br><br>Greetings Rob,<br><br>Thanks for posting this narrative.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br><br>So interesting that the military is now focusing on much of what you have written here, about open systems etc.<br><br>In fact, here is a link to a free PDF download of a book entitled, "The Agile Organization":<br><a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.dodccrp.org/files/Atkinson_Agile.pdf" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">http://www.dodccrp.org/files/Atkinson_Agile.pdf</a><br><br>What is super interesting is the fact that the book never references software agility, or the 'agile movement', not even one time.<br><br>Chapter 2 starts with these entries:<br><br>Open Systems<br>Self Organization<br>...and...<br>Self Organizing Social Groups<br><br>The whole<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="http://www.dodccrp.org/" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">www.dodccrp.org</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>web site might be of interest to many here as well.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br><br>Here is the link to the other useful and free publications found there:<br><a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.dodccrp.org/html4/books_downloads.html" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">http://www.dodccrp.org/html4/books_downloads.html</a><br><br>Regards,<br>Daniel<br><br><br><div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 8/6/14 11:53 PM, R Chaffe wrote:<br></div><blockquote cite="mid:8992A953-DB11-4C04-9C32-5AC444AD29CD@gmail.com" type="cite"><div><span></span></div><div><div>I have been following this thread with interest. Some may recall OSonOS gathering in Marysville in November 2002 when we went out into the forest to see and hear the night creatures. As we walked into the forest the only sound was the sound of our feet on the earth and despite the best efforts of a highly skilled ranger no night creatures could be found. All the components were in place, well organised and managed. No night creatures! The forest was silent.</div><div><br></div><div>Everyone went away with their own thoughts including disbelief that the Australian forest is alive at night. There was a strong sense of disappointment - it did not work!</div><div><br></div><div>Before the month had ended the environment responded with a series of wild fires that included over 6million hectares of high rainfall and alpine forest and the National Capital city was invaded by fire. Complex self organising systems at work.</div><div><br></div><div>The question then goes back to that silent night. Some of us listened to the silence and with a deep sense of dread realising that all was not well. There was no "silver bullet" quick fix it was a systemic issue way beyond control or management. What we did was prepare the things we had control over in readiness for the fires that would come. Little did I know that I would spend most of 57 days in an incident control centre coordinating information and advice to the community about the sate of a rapidly changing mostly unpredictable wild fire. The result in Victoria was less that 10 homes lost and on the day a rain storm eventually controlled the fire a young lady was drowned when her vehicle was washed into a stream by flood waters - yes in a drought and after nearly two months of fire.</div><div><br></div><div>What did I learn about complex systems, management and control? </div><div><br></div><div>First wild fire cannot be "controlled" by man. We stay at the edges and do the best to protect assets, we mop up and clear up, we do our best to give the people the best information to make informed decisions about what they will do. (In the end it is their choice). Mostly people organise themselves well, some better than others but in the end, good or bad, the decisions are theirs.</div><div><br></div><div>Second willing participants in an "open" environment can achieve outstanding things way beyond what expectations might be. How they do it is up to them, they have some guidelines but the process that evolves is theirs. Again sometimes it works and sometimes..... Despite what I think or do.</div><div><br></div><div>In a major incident "co-ordination" centre there is structure with key decision points (people) a time table (plan mostly to ensure others needs are respected) a massive amount of self organising and adjustment to constant change. Change that could be fatal, change that does not allow the luxury of time out to plan a process or select a model and change that needs a response now. Within the organisation the one thing that was most controllable was the selection and support of the people working there. The outcome was a sense of team with each member working to dovetail into the work of others to remove frustration and reach consensus with the best possible outcome.</div><div><br></div><div>In some sense the team meetings each day were an open space event with each bringing their issues and concerns acting with commitment and accepting a high level of responsibility. The report from the meeting formed the game plan until the next change, which at times may only be only minutes away - on one night meetings were being held every 15 minutes with broadcasts over national and regional radios to inform the community of the changes that may impact on them so that they could do what they needed to do (not command or control just advice).</div><div><br></div><div>12 years later I have spent too much time in incident coordination centres yet remarkably, or not so, a similar pattern emerged. The most successful always being where leadership focused on creating and environment where individuals could perform at their best while respecting a diversity of responses to change that reflect the complexity of the natural, human and economic environment the change was taking place in.</div><div><br></div><div>What can Open Space technology really offer? What control do I really have? What I am responsible for?</div><div> </div><div>As I see it the reality is that as the Facilitator all that I can promise is to provide an opportunity for the group to meet and an opportunity to participate in dealing with a particular topic. I can influence the choice of the topic, the invitation to participate and the creation of the safe space including the structure of the event (environment, food, and other safety needs that form the base of Maslow's hierarchy of needs to free the participants from these concerns and focus on the purpose of the meeting).</div><div><br></div><div>I cannot promise any solutions, or reports, proceedings, quality of input or output, satisfaction and the ongoing relationships between the participants. These are the responsibilities of the sponsor or the organisation or community who chose to attend. I may influence the methods that groups may choose to explore their agenda item but in the end they must do it their way including the law of two feet.</div><div><br></div><div>I do not have a simple solution, quick fix, or a "silver bullet". I do have the experience to share, that just as in the parable of the mustard seed there will be outcomes way beyond what we can imagine. The mustard seed grows into a tree, so what! The tree becomes an entire habitat for all types of life (macro and micro) way beyond a simple tree. Some of the things that come from planting the seed eventually lead to the death of the tree, but if you do not plant the seed the tree will never grow and you will never know what possibilities / opportunities you have lost including the genetic change in the new seed crop that may grow into a new tree, not quite the same as the old. The question then becomes, is the "sponsor" willing to allow the "seed" to be planted and are they willing to assist the nurture of the "tree"as it grows to what ever it will be?</div><div><br></div><div>I see my task is in the preparation of the event and ensure the seed is planted in the best possible way then, allow the passion and responsibility of the sponsor and participants to do what they do. If there is respect for diversity and a will to include all as best as possible there is a real possibility that the "organisation" will be successful in their own terms. </div><div><br></div><div>One implication is that there is always something of me left behind as I opened the space and, if I have done my job, the participants will be confident that they did it their way.</div><div><br></div><div>Regards</div><div>Rob</div></div><br><fieldset class="mimeAttachmentHeader"></fieldset><br><pre wrap="">_______________________________________________
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</pre></blockquote><br><div class="moz-signature">--<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br><div style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial;">Daniel Mezick, President</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial;">New Technology Solutions Inc.</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial;">(203) 915 7248 (cell)</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://newtechusa.net/dan-mezick/" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">Bio</a></span><span class="s2" style="">.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://newtechusa.net/blog/" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration: underline;">Blog</span></a>.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/danmezick/" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration: underline;">Twitter</span></a>.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div><div style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(26, 55, 238);"><span class="s2" style="">Examine my new book:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><a href="http://newtechusa.net/about/the-culture-game-book/" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration: underline;">The Culture Game<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></a></span><span class="s1" style="text-decoration: underline;">: Tools for the Agile Manager</span><span class="s2" style="">.</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial;">Explore Agile Team<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://newtechusa.net/services/agile-scrum-training/" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;"><span class="s3" style="text-decoration: underline; color: rgb(0, 0, 238);">Training</span></a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>and<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://newtechusa.net/services/agile-scrum-coaching/" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;"><span class="s3" style="text-decoration: underline; color: rgb(0, 0, 238);">Coaching.</span></a></div><div style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial;">Explore the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://newtechusa.net//user-groups/ma/" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;"><span class="s3" style="text-decoration: underline; color: rgb(0, 0, 238);">Agile Boston<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></a>Community.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></div></div><br><br>_______________________________________________<br>OSList mailing list<br>To post send emails to<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="mailto:OSList@lists.openspacetech.org" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">OSList@lists.openspacetech.org</a><br>To unsubscribe send an email to<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="mailto:OSList-leave@lists.openspacetech.org" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">OSList-leave@lists.openspacetech.org</a><br>To subscribe or manage your subscription click below:<br><a href="http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;">http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org</a><br></div></blockquote></div><br></div></body></html>