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Greeting Harrison, paul, John, Chris, <br>
<br>
I strongly agree that asking "why about how" is usually not very
useful. <br>
<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="http://newtechusa.net/agile/start-with-how/">http://newtechusa.net/agile/start-with-how/</a><br>
<br>
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charset=ISO-8859-1">
<br>
That said, I see a pattern here I first noticed in the Agile
community several years ago. People who reach the mastery level
dispensed guidance that made perfect sense-- to other experts. Yet
that same advice just wasn't readily digestible by the many
"late-majority" newbies who were flooding in... and seeking some
very basic guidance.<br>
<br>
For example, quite a few years ago the idea of "not doing estimates
at all for software projects" began to be advocated by certain
well-known Agile experts. While that concept is certainly
well-grounded in reality and appropriate for very mature
organizations, it did cause some less-knowledgeable people to
stumble... as they struggled to understand exactly what these
experts were actually talking about.<br>
<br>
The 1 Law and the 5 Principles do provide a very useful and
accessible template... one that makes it easy for anyone with a
"good head and a good heart" to jump in...and facilitate some open
space with little or no experience. <br>
<br>
What's actually wrong with that? <br>
<br>
Are we actually experiencing the end of the early-majority phase
with Open Space? <br>
<br>
Is the late-majority stage just getting underway?<br>
<br>
If so, a great many "late-majority" newbies will be here shortly.<br>
<br>
<img alt="" src="cid:part2.04040203.05010605@newtechusa.net"
height="115" width="329"><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Daniel<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 11/17/14 5:03 PM, Chris Corrigan via
OSList wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote
cite="mid:31F2EA6A-510B-48E9-B97B-067B2AEA3C3E@gmail.com"
type="cite">
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charset=ISO-8859-1">
I have opened space many many times without ever mentioning the
four principles, the law or any other assorted wisdom associated
with WHY the process works.
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">My basic practice is to explain HOW we will organize
ourselves, pointing out the tools we have to do so: paper,
markers, bulletin board.</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">I talk about passion and responsibility “Please only
post a topic you will personally show up for…” and I mention the
freedom of choosing and moving. </div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">That is all that people need to get into Open Space.
I’m not sure the principles or the law or anything else are
necessary pre-conditions for the appearance and deployment of
Open Space in a meeting. I think they help explain what is
happening, and I think they help people let go of control a
little. </div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">All of us as facilitators would do well to remember
that people are not coming to a meeting to be wowed by a process
that you personally love. They are coming to get work done.
And so it behooves us to put a lid on our passions for the
mechanics of the process and simply open space so that work can
get done. Later on you can reflect on WHY it happened like
that.</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">As for the idea that OST is mainstream, well perhaps
not yet. But within the world of people who think a lot about
this sort of thing it is widely known. I feel like these days
people call and ask about OST having experienced it whereas in
the 1990s and early 200s people were calling because it seemed
like a good idea, but they had never experienced it. So not
mainstream per se, but widely accepted and known in a small part
of the world.</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">At any rate it has been a long time since I have
asked the question at the start of a meeting and seen zero hands
go up. There seems to be at least one person who knows Open
Space. </div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">Whether we use the original instructions or
modifications or innovations, whatever you do, do it very very
well. Be very conscious, model good leadership and never stop
embodying invitation. Lots of people have witnessed poorly
planned Open Spaces run by facilitators who are too nervous to
let go of their control of it. We all owe it to our clients and
participants to meet their needs well with a process that helps
them get unlocked from the stuck places they get into.</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">Here’s my book again for you to download. I hope it
inspires your practice.</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class=""><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.archive.org/details/TheTaoOfHoldingSpace"
class="">The Tao of Holding Space</a></div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">Chris </div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
<div>
<blockquote type="cite" class="">
<div class="">On Nov 14, 2014, at 11:09 PM, John Baxter via
OSList <<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:oslist@lists.openspacetech.org" class="">oslist@lists.openspacetech.org</a>>
wrote:</div>
<br class="Apple-interchange-newline">
<div class="">
<div dir="ltr" class="">
<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:trebuchet
ms,sans-serif;color:#444444">Nice reflection Harrison.</div>
<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:trebuchet
ms,sans-serif;color:#444444"><br class="">
</div>
<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:trebuchet
ms,sans-serif;color:#444444">You've unfortunately
created too many loose ends to inspire a neat reply.
So here is a messy one.</div>
<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:trebuchet
ms,sans-serif;color:#444444"><br class="">
</div>
<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:trebuchet
ms,sans-serif;color:#444444">Regards the simplest
recipe for Open Space, to what degree have the Law and
N Principles (and the animals) been critically
tested? To be honest, these have never really
resonated for me and I've always used a different
variation each time searching for something that feels
right (and no longer than it needs to be).</div>
<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:trebuchet
ms,sans-serif;color:#444444"><br class="">
</div>
<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:trebuchet
ms,sans-serif;color:#444444">I think it's a long bow
to describe Open Space as mainstream, or anywhere near
it. It has spread to all corners of the globe
perhaps, but it is still the System A alternative,
islands within a System B world. I would hazard 90%
of those who have been to conferences and meetings and
like gatherings have not heard of it... (speaking at a
conference on cocreation and placemaking recently, I
requested a hands-up and had a whole TWO of hundreds
confess to acquaintance)</div>
<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:trebuchet
ms,sans-serif;color:#444444">and even if 90% had, I'm
sure less than 1% of the gatherings they attend are
consciously designed to unlock self organisation.</div>
<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:trebuchet
ms,sans-serif;color:#444444"><br class="">
</div>
<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:trebuchet
ms,sans-serif;color:#444444">What you describe of the
permutations of the practice matches what I see
(though I'm too new to know differently), but I can't
see how this could be because of a tipping point as
the practice is mainstreamed.</div>
<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:trebuchet
ms,sans-serif;color:#444444"><br class="">
</div>
<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:trebuchet
ms,sans-serif;color:#444444">Maybe that's just where I
participate.</div>
<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:trebuchet
ms,sans-serif;color:#444444"><br class="">
</div>
<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:trebuchet
ms,sans-serif;color:#444444">Regards the permutations
and combinations... bring them on! This thread could
quickly follow all sorts of rabbit holes on this one,
so I might save those thoughts for another day.</div>
<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:trebuchet
ms,sans-serif;color:#444444"><br class="">
</div>
<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:trebuchet
ms,sans-serif;color:#444444">Cheers</div>
</div>
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<br class="">
<div class="gmail_quote">On Fri, Nov 14, 2014 at 5:37
AM, paul levy via OSList <span dir="ltr" class=""><<a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:oslist@lists.openspacetech.org"
target="_blank" class="">oslist@lists.openspacetech.org</a>></span>
wrote:<br class="">
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0
.8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div dir="auto" class="">
<div class="">The problem with sticking with
things is you might just end up stuck.</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">Ho hum.</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">Paul Levy <br class="">
<br class="">
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
</div>
<div class="">
<div class="h5">
<div class=""><br class="">
On 13 Nov 2014, at 18:14, Harrison Owen via
OSList <<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:oslist@lists.openspacetech.org"
target="_blank" class="">oslist@lists.openspacetech.org</a>>
wrote:<br class="">
<br class="">
</div>
<blockquote type="cite" class="">
<div class="">
<div class="">
<p class="MsoNormal">Open Space, in its
“original” form is sparse simplicity
to say the least. Ten to fifteen
minutes introduction, and it is off
the races, or in my case, off to take
a nap. The evolution of this format
followed a simple dictum: “Think of
one more thing NOT to do.” Over time
in my practice I simply removed one
more element. The first to go were so
called, “warm up exercises.” But it
went down from there. My surprise was
that the less I did, the better it
got... which seemed to be the exact
opposite of many of my colleagues’
experience with the methods and
approaches they had created. Their
simple guide books gave way to 400
page Manuals with additions and
extensions. Of course, there were
times when people remarked to me that
OS was so simple it couldn’t possibly
work. But it did. Simply sit in a
circle, create a bulletin board,
acknowledge the 5 principles and the
Law – and Go to Work! That’s it.
That’s all.</p>
<div class=""> <br
class="webkit-block-placeholder">
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal">I confess that I do
love elegant simplicity, and so there
is a large part of me that would stick
with the “original” for that reason
alone. To this may be added the fact
that this “elegant simplicity”
apparently violated essentially all
the principles and practices of
management that I knew about. To some
extent this was a source of no small
amount of embarrassment, for after all
when what you see, do, and think is at
odds with the Received Wisdom there
are obvious questions about your grasp
of reality. But, the disparity between
what I was witnessing and what (I was
told) I should be experiencing has led
to a marvelous quest into the strange
new world of self organizing systems.
Rich and rewarding indeed.</p>
<div class=""> <br
class="webkit-block-placeholder">
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal">Now it seems that
the world is changing (or at least our
perception of that world) such that
the strange environment of self
organization is no longer so strange.
What appeared odd, counter-intuitive,
impossible is now almost mainstream.
Not quite but getting there. And if
so, perhaps it is now time to let go
of that old “elegant simplicity” in
all of its appealing purity... and
plunge into the marvelous world of
combinations and permutations. And why
not? It could be a lot of fun.</p>
<div class=""> <br
class="webkit-block-placeholder">
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal">I can see the
possibilities, but I doubt seriously I
would change. Senile sentimentality
for sure, AND I actually have another
concern which I think may be
determinative. I suspect that OST
(simple version) may be the best
Training Program going when it comes
to the introduction of folks to the
High Arts of navigating a self
organizing world. And best of all it
is Experiential Learning from the
start. Training and Doing are
absolutely united. It is not talking
about self organization it is being
intentionally in that mode. And any
added complexity/parallel program will
tend to obscure the central mind
bending fact – It’s happening all by
itself. </p>
<div class=""> <br
class="webkit-block-placeholder">
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal">We have talked
about this “ training” function
before, usually under the heading of
Chris Corrigan’s notion of Training
Wheels. That is definitely good start,
but only a start. We can do more, and
it could be a real kick. </p>
<div class=""> <br
class="webkit-block-placeholder">
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal">So I plan to stick
with the original – with the hope and
intent that lots of new people will
drop by to experience the incredible,
productive freedom of losing control,
and then come to understand that it is
actually their birthright. They only
have to claim it.</p>
<div class=""> <br
class="webkit-block-placeholder">
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal">Harrison</p>
<div class=""> <br
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