<p dir="ltr">Dear Alan and Dan and many very special friends on the OS list,</p>
<p dir="ltr">What is and has been the purpose of the OS list?</p>
<p dir="ltr">Might I get a tad bit personal.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The OS List is the place where I found my courage. The place to speak with my own voice, to press the send button with some trepidation knowing that I would be baring my heart and soul to a World Community.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Yet I could not stay silent in the face of such powerful learnings from this thing called Open Space Technology... in the unfolding of it, in the moment, day by day, week by week, year by year. My hope was that by speaking, it would stir others to also share their personal stories and experiences.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Over the past 5 years, I have grown deeply inside of me in ways that I never would have without this community always just a few keyboard keystrokes away in all these time zones. I have listened, I have learned from amazing people who I have grown to love. </p>
<p dir="ltr">It felt daunting at first to share in the moment, from those early beginnings in Open Space. Speaking my new learning to others, from my unformed thoughts; talking out loud my pain of letting go my old leadership ways which were more about telling and control than I dared admit. And yet I felt a need to share vulnerably knowing how I was not that different than many others, well intentioned but often misguided.</p>
<p dir="ltr">And then there was this deep gratitude and appreciation that I wanted to share with every fiber of my being, for this gift of Open Space in my life, for those on whose shoulders I stood. <br>
This OS list with all its archives preciously preserved is also a very special place, like a home to come back to with a law of 2 feet that can have us be lurkers, initiators or contributors.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Today I also imagine all the people not here; all those yearning for this something that I got which was unlocked inside of me when someone opened and held the space on an issue that I cared deeply about. How could I have guessed the magnitude of its gift. How can they? My purpose and heart is with the world of work where we spend so many waking hours, many in very confined and restricted spaces.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Yes I feel committed to this wonderful community but I also feel committed to inviting and inviting others in that big outside world to join us. They do not know the significance of less is more, of self organizing, of riding the waves, of doing together and feeling the energy of creativity, inclusion, diversity of perspectives and so much more. They will not fully know it until they "experience" it thus the importance of meeting them where they are, listening and learning in ways where they may hear and feel our invitation.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Perhaps the OS list is the embodiment of that 5th principle: "Wherever it happens is the right place!"</p>
<p dir="ltr">This has been and continues to be the right place for me.</p>
<p dir="ltr">From Suzanne with bountiful appreciation for Harrison who has led by example by giving everything away and for Harold for doing the non sexy job of keeping the mechanics of our virtual OS list going in such a seamless, invisible way.<br><br><br></p>
<p dir="ltr"> </p>
<div class="gmail_quot<blockquote class=" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div text="#000000" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
Hi Alan, <br>
<br>
I am thankful for your expressions of personal perception, and
explanation, regarding the primary task of this group. <br>
<br>
Thanks also for your story!<br>
<br>
<br>
You quote Picasso, and elect to paraphrase him, as follows:<br>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>“Our meaning in life is identifying our
gift,</i></p>
<i> </i>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>"Our purpose in life is giving it away.”</i><i>
</i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>I tend to paraphrase this as ‘… our gifts …
is giving them away.’ </i></p>
<br>
<br>
<br>
I do not know if you speak for the group as a whole. And we are
about to find out shortly. Right? Your expression of the perceived
primary task may
<i> resonate</i>- if it does, some may join, by encouraging the
discussion in the same direction. <br>
<br>
Your expression of the perceived primary task may <i>not</i>
resonate- if it does not, some may encourage the discussion in a new
direction, or opt-out of participating in the thread altogether. <br>
<br>
For my part, I elect to join you, in exploring <i>gifting</i> (your
words) and <i>generosity</i>
(my words) here. <br>
<br>
And here are some of my thoughts on that:<br>
<br>
<a href="http://newtechusa.net/agile/being-generous-with-your-gift/" target="_blank">http://newtechusa.net/agile/being-generous-with-your-gift/</a><br>
<a href="http://newtechusa.net/agile/generosity-thrivability-and-self-organization/" target="_blank">http://newtechusa.net/agile/generosity-thrivability-and-self-organization/</a><br>
<a href="http://newtechusa.net/agile/microgenerosity/" target="_blank">http://newtechusa.net/agile/microgenerosity/</a><br>
<br>
Kind Regards,<br>
Daniel<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<div>On 11/1/14 9:03 AM, Alan Stewart wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite">
<div dir="ltr">
<p class="MsoNormal">G’day Dan and All </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In your response of 21 Oct 2014 to my post<b>
</b><span><b>Re: [OSList] Respect in Self-Organizing Systems </b>you
muse:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“I often wonder what the primary task of
the OSLIST group is.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Having been a group member for about 20
years and having attended five WOSonOS </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I have a ‘take’ on this matter. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This derives in part from a statement of
Pablo Picasso that:</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“Our meaning in life is identifying our
gift,</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Our purpose in life is giving it away.” </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I tend to paraphrase this as ‘… our gifts …
is giving them away.’ </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">One of the gifts I note in relation to ‘the
primary task of the OSLIST group’ is that of knowing of the
principles and practices of OST by the group members and our
giving them away, professionally and personally.<span> <br>
</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span><br>
</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>In my case the 'beginning' gift
arrived, in 1994, totally unexpectedly, in the post in the
form of Harrison's original book, about which knew nothing.
I had occasion to experiment with the process, as a speaker
scheduled to present a few days later had withdrawn. Which I
did, after reading the book swiftly - and on observing the
response was forever hooked! </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As my ‘take’ is quite long and somewhat
personal I would not wish to foist it on the LIST. And so I
invite anyone who may be interested in this to contact me.
Whoever does ... <smile> <br>
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Incidentally, yesterday I facilitated a one
day conversation for the <a href="http://www.australianchurchesrefugeetaskforce.com.au/" target="_blank">Australian Churches Refugee Taskforce</a>.
This has been established by a group of the biggest church
denominations in Australia to care for the wellbeing of asylum
seekers and refugees. This event was held in Adelaide at their
second annual get together and was to converse about their
priorities in the coming year. Several participants had
previous experience of the value of OST for such a purpose,
which is why it was chosen. The concluding consensus – in my
understanding - was through it this time they had accomplished
what they wished. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Looking forward</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Go well</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Alan <br>
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br>
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="1"><span style="font-family:times new roman,serif"><b><span>Alan
Stewart, PhD</span></b></span><font><br>
<span style="font-family:times new roman,serif"><b><span></span></b></span></font></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="1"><span style="font-family:times new roman,serif"><font><b>Professional
Conversationalist <span><br>
Web: </span></b></font><a href="http://www.multimindsolutions.com/" target="_blank"><b><span>www.multimindsolutions.com</span></b></a><b><span></span></b></span><br>
<span style="font-family:times new roman,serif"><b><span></span></b></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:times new roman,serif"><font size="1"><b><span><font><b><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Em:
</span></b><span><a href="mailto:alan@multimindsolutions.com" target="_blank"><b><span>alan@multimindsolutions.com</span></b></a></span></font><b><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><br>
</span></b> Mob: </span></b><a href="tel:0413848680" target="_blank"><b><span>+61413848680</span></b></a></font><b><span><br>
</span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:times new roman,serif"><b><span>New social process <a href="http://conversare.net" target="_blank">Conversare</a><br>
</span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:times new roman,serif"><b><span><br>
</span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:times new roman,serif"><br>
</span></p>
<div dir="ltr"><span style="font-family:times new roman,serif"><br>
<img src="http://www.multimindsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/logo1.png" height="41" width="200"></span></div>
<br clear="all">
<br>
<br>
</div>
</blockquote>
<br>
<div>-- <br>
<p>Daniel Mezick, President</p>
<p>New Technology Solutions Inc.</p>
<p><a href="tel:%28203%29%20915%207248" value="+12039157248" target="_blank">(203) 915 7248</a> (cell)</p>
<p><span><a href="http://newtechusa.net/dan-mezick/" target="_blank">Bio</a></span><span>. <a href="http://newtechusa.net/blog/" target="_blank"><span>Blog</span></a>. <a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/danmezick/" target="_blank"><span>Twitter</span></a>.<span> </span></span></p>
<p><span>Examine my new book:<span> </span><a href="http://newtechusa.net/about/the-culture-game-book/" target="_blank"><span>The Culture Game </span></a></span><span>: Tools for the Agile Manager</span><span>.</span></p>
<p>Explore Agile Team <a href="http://newtechusa.net/services/agile-scrum-training/" target="_blank"><span>Training</span></a> and <a href="http://newtechusa.net/services/agile-scrum-coaching/" target="_blank"><span>Coaching.</span></a></p>
<p>Explore the <a href="http://newtechusa.net//user-groups/ma/" target="_blank"><span>Agile
Boston </span></a>Community.<span> </span></p>
</div>
</div>
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