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Hi All, Hi Harrison, <br>
<br>
I continue to watch this thread carefully since it first appeared.
(Thank you for it Harrison...) <br>
<br>
<br>
And I am noticing this thread is not really catching fire...yet.<br>
<br>
<br>
I first ran into the org-level griefwork concept in the SPIRIT book.
<br>
<br>
Since then I've been paying close attention to how grief might
actually be playing out in process-change initiatives in my own work
"coaching" Agile in organizations. <br>
<br>
And after doing this for more than a few years, I conclude that yes,
indeed, the grief cycle is often behind (or underneath) what is
going on.<br>
<br>
And the reality is that this org-grief concept is what informed the
early stages of the design of Open Agile Adoption (OAA,) a method to
get a rapid & lasting Agile adoption. <br>
<br>
Ditto for Prime/OS, a method for gently introducing any kind
process-change into any kind organization. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Now the reality is that, in my experience, typical executives in
typical orgs are not ready to talk to about PLAY. So I have to use
the word "experimentation" instead. <br>
<br>
And they are not ready for the concept of "self organization" so I
have to use "high performance" instead. <br>
<br>
Given this reality, it's unlikely these execs- the folks who write
the checks- are ready, willing and able to discuss grief and
griefwork. (I tried it once and it didn't take.)<br>
<br>
All of that said, the design of OAA with before/after Open Space and
100 days in between is greatly informed by the griefwork content
found in the SPIRIT book. I teach a module on grief in the OAA class
and mention it a little bit in the forthcoming book, but do not go
too far with it because, well, you know. <br>
<br>
But with OAA practitioners and teachers I do give the subject good
treatment and tell the more complete story of how OAA is designed to
deal in org-level grief of the development & evolution of
organizations. As a result I am always sending them to that "cult
classic", the SPIRIT book (!)<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Now this quote in Harrison's (and Peggy's) story about USWEST really
hit me:<br>
<br>
<big><big><i>"...Shortly told, the situation was that a corporate
wide redesign (Process Re-Engineering) <b>had failed
massively </b>leaving anger, frustration and confusion in
its wake.</i><i>"</i></big></big><br>
<br>
Now as everyone knows I continuously rant on the futility of
mandating "process-change" and "new practices" like Agile, without
gaining the consent of the people affected by the change. <br>
<br>
I rant on and on about the way Agile adoptions are typically
arranged from the top, in authority terms, and how the teams that do
the work are assumed to be perfectly happy about this, and in fact
love the new way of working. <br>
<br>
And how that is rarely (if ever) the case, and how that
under-the-surface resistance (and even resentment) can and will just
TORPEDO the best of intentions with respect to getting a rapid and
lasting adoption. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
And so it was (and is) with some interest that I noted this report
about "process re-engineering" in the USWEST story. <br>
I'm guessing the "re-engineering" was issued from "on-high." <br>
<br>
I'm also guessing that the people who were affected (that woudl be
just about everyone,) were probably not consulted first. <br>
<br>
Probably not asked to express what they wanted, what they thought or
what they felt about it. <br>
<br>
In other words, I'm guessing that "process re-engineering" at USWEST
was implemented as a mandate, not an invitation. <br>
<br>
And that, for most participants, the experience was very triggering.
<br>
<br>
And cause for more than a little grief.<br>
<br>
Kind of like the typical Agile adoption in the typical large
corporation today?<br>
<br>
<br>
Lately I've been fond of saying:<br>
<br>
<ul>
<li>Most change creates grief.</li>
<li>Most learning is change. </li>
<li>Therefore, most learning creates grief. </li>
</ul>
<br>
Now, this may or may not be true. Either way- we know grief needs
and wants to be processed.<br>
<br>
This seems to be especially true for organizations, and the USWEST
story seems to bear this out. <br>
<br>
Unless I am totally wrong, and USWEST actually started in Open
Space, and set aside about 100 days to try it out the "process
re-engineering" stuff for a while, and then did another Open Space
after that?<br>
<br>
<br>
And so: thanks again for this essay, Harrison. I am enjoying it.<br>
<br>
<br>
Daniel <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
PS <br>
I notice that in the book REALITY IS BROKEN by Jane McGonigal, she
lists various "happiness hacks" and one of them is: "reflect on your
own passing, for 5 minutes a day." She claims that doing so tends to
increase human happiness. Funny how that works...<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Related links:<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="http://www.OpenAgileAdoption.com">www.OpenAgileAdoption.com</a><br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="http://www.Prime-OS.com">www.Prime-OS.com</a><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 3/27/15 1:00 PM, Harrison via OSList
wrote:<br>
</div>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Grief and Griefwork are central to the
human experience and evolution. To the extent that Open Space
is a useful forum in which human experience and evolution may
take place, both grief and Griefwork are critical elements.
The process itself cannot be rushed. It will proceed at its
own pace through the several phases, none of which can be
skipped or short changed, for each phase contributes an
essential element towards the final goal, which is renewal. No
doubt grief is painful, and the process itself is, as the name
implies, real work, but it is good work. In totality, and
contrary to the popular perception, it is not sad. Indeed it
is triumphal, even joyful, creating the way for letting go of
what has ended, and leading to new life. Not bad for a day’s
work! <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The ground breaking work describing the
Griefwork Process was done by Elizabeth Kübler-Ross in her
1969 book, “On Death and Dying.” It was mind blowing. In one
fell swoop she gave meaning to one of life’s most painful
experiences: Grief. Yes it was, and is, a pain, but pain with
genuine gain. From the terrible moments of ending, something
innate draws us forward. From Shock and Anger, through Denial
on to letting go and resolution. We move on. We don’t have to
invent it, even think it. Happens all by itself, every time,
and all the time – if we just let it. And that is a critical
point... we have to let it happen. We can slow it, even abort
it, but doing so leaves us in a life of grief with no
resolution. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Kübler-Ross’s focus was on the individual
response to Death. My focus has always been on the larger
agglomeration of individuals which we call organizations, what
they are and how they develop and transform. And the more I
thought about it, and lived deeply in the heart of many
organizations, it occurred to me that Griefwork was very much
present and critical. At points of ending, all sorts of
endings, the process would start, sometimes with the whole
organization involved. Shock/Anger, Denial, Memories, Despair,
Open Space, Vision – those were my descriptors, and yes, Open
Space had nothing to do with meetings. For me it was that
incredible balance point between what was and what would
become. I’ll spare you the details, but if you are interested
it is all there in my first book, “Spirit: Transformation and
Development,” which is yours for a mouse click at <a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://openspaceworld.com/Spirit.pdf">http://openspaceworld.com/Spirit.pdf</a>
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Open Space Technology was a late comer in
all of this, definitely a funny thing on the way to the future
– until it began to dawn on me that everything I had
experienced and described under the heading of Griefwork in
Organizations showed up in that “funny thing.” Which is why I
ended up calling it <i>Open Space</i>. “Technology” was
merely an afterthought, and mostly a joke. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When an organization is in deep pain caused
by market shifts, corporate raiders, internal conflict,
international disorder – whatever – The process of Griefwork
kicks in. The initial response is shock and Anger, blame and
confusion. “They did it!” “How could it happen to us?” Old
ways end. New ways are much less than obvious. And the process
rolls on! Should such an organization find itself sitting in a
circle, creating a bulletin board... if would be fair to say
that the Griefwork Process is the script of the emerging
drama. Unwritten, unplanned, maybe unknown – but very much
there, if you just take a moment to see. And if you have never
been in such a situation, you can in fact see it in a
remarkable video of USWEST, thanks to Peggy Holman. <a
moz-do-not-send="true" href="http://vimeo.com/25251316">http://vimeo.com/25251316</a>
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Shortly told, the situation was that a
corporate wide redesign (Process Re-Engineering) had failed
massively leaving anger, frustration and confusion in its
wake. In one part of the USWEST world, The State of Arizona,
it had all gone critical. Somehow, Peggy Holman and her
colleagues managed to bring in Open Space, which is
marvelously depicted by the video. When asked to describe the
course of events over the three day gathering, one participant
said (in reference to the second day), “Today I think we are
searching for solutions for what we were bitching about
yesterday.” There it is. The passage from shock and anger onto
vision and renewal. But don’t just listen to the words. The
“body language” is even more compelling. In the opening circle
you will see a phalanx of angry faces, arms folded, jaws set.
Skip to the end and it is practically a love in. And no, we
did not script it! <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Knowing that Griefwork is central to the
fabric and flow of an Open Space is interesting. But becoming
familiar with the essential elements of Griefwork and their
contribution to the process of healing and renewal can provide
a powerful point of insight for anyone who has undertaken the
role of facilitator. It is not so much about guiding, or
somehow directing, the process, which simply can’t be done. It
is about deepening our awareness of what is actually taking
place. At the very least this awareness will provide some
comfort and orientation in an otherwise confusing situation
for the facilitator. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Should it occur, as it often does, that the
first day is filled with acrimony, blame, and anger... all
mixed with an apparent unwillingness to face the facts of
ending, this is not something that can or should be “fixed.”
It is simply the age old process of Grief doing its work. The
natural tendency to attempt soothing the rough waters, and
bring about some “rational” future oriented discussion will do
no good at all, and in fact is counter-productive. The likely
result is that the process will be aborted and driven
underground. A superficial “peace” may be restored, but
genuine healing and renewal are denied.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Comforting a fevered facilitator is the
least of the gifts that knowledge of the Griefwork process
confers. More important are the clues and cues such knowledge
provides to the facilitator, guidance on the most effective
ways to hold the space. When shock and anger are rampant, the
critical role is to keep the space wide open. This means
serious Presence and Invisibility, and if that seems to be too
hard an assignment, I suggest the “Chair Exercise.” Find a
good solid chair, place it in an out of the way corner, but
with a view of the action. Sit in the chair, and hold onto the
seat with both hands – HARD. Whenever you are tempted to jump
in and solve the situation, go ahead but keep holding onto the
chair. You will feel pretty ridiculous, but the lesson will be
immediate. Sit Down!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As the Work of Grief moves along, new
opportunities for the facilitator will appear. This is not the
time or place to list them all, and my best effort will be
found in the second half of my last book, “Wave Rider,” called
the “Wave Rider’s Guide to the Future.” <a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.amazon.com/Wave-Rider-Leadership-Performance-Self-Organizing/dp/1576756173/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1427472738&sr=1-3&keywords=harrison+owen">http://www.amazon.com/Wave-Rider-Leadership-Performance-Self-Organizing/dp/1576756173/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1427472738&sr=1-3&keywords=harrison+owen</a>
I am under no illusion that my efforts represent the “Last
Word,” indeed I sincerely hope that they will constitute an
invitation to each and every one of you to explore and share
your experience and findings. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I am quite sure, however, that Griefwork is
not a process we can design, program, or direct. It will
happen as it always has – on its own timetable. But we can
help. Of more immediate concern is the fact that we will have
massive opportunities for exploration and assistance. Any fair
reading of our current world order (is that an oxymoron?)
tells us that there will be a lot of endings, most of them
painful, but all of them potential for new beginnings. We have
a lot of work to do.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Harrison<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Winter Address<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">7808 River Falls Drive<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Potomac, MD 20854<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">301-365-2093<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Summer Address<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">189 Beaucaire Ave.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Camden, ME 04843<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">207-763-3261<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Websites<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="%20www.openspaceworld.com"><span style="color:blue">www.openspaceworld.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="www.ho-image.com"><span style="color:blue">www.ho-image.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">OSLIST <span
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subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the
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<p class="p1">Daniel Mezick, President</p>
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