<div dir="ltr">it seems to me that the questions that might be raised a neighborhood or professional conference can be every bit as complex, the people every bit as diverse, and the passion just as high as in any organization where folks are getting paid to show up. the think organizations might be better at is manufacturing a sense of urgency. perhaps they do that by constricting flow with deadlines and other constraints. <div><br></div><div>coming from the other direction, it might be said that in more diffused settings, like communities and conferences, having the focus and bounding that an invitation and circle and meeting date provide are as beneficial as the opening in an organization. </div><div><br></div><div>this leaves aside the messiness of trying to decide where private becomes public. what about when companies open space with clients. what is it when the mayor of harrisonburg or the city of aspen or the school board in peoria convenes the gathering(s)? </div><div><br></div><div>i guess i don't understand why it matters to determine if opening space is more or less effective in organization or professional conference. and i'm not sure we can even know, even if it did matter. </div><div><br></div><div>in 2002, i facilitated only just a slice, one track, of the agile/xp conference, for instance. it was messy, for sure. my briefing was from the podium in front of a ballroom theater of 300 seated, having just heard three hours of keynotes. the wall and posters and all the trimmings were around the corner and down the hall in another room that nobody'd seen yet. the actual posting of topics didn't happen until after they went to lunch and some of them came over to the room i'd prepared. </div><div><br></div><div>it seemed to work and not. it was a little weird for me and yet there was much of the familiar energy and self-organizing. that said, i was quite surprised, EIGHT years later, one of the agile alliance board members told me he thought that it had been hugely successful and with important results that were continuing. that's an unscientific sample and it wasn't the only contributing factor, but that we did it did seem to matter, and contribute something to the connection between agile and open space. </div><div><br></div><div>IF we all agreed that there was something very different about public and private os meetings, WHAT would that accomplish or imply? what would we do differently? what difference would it make in our practicing? would we stop facilitating conferences or community events? probably not, i think. would we open differently in organizations and communities? well, i think we already probably open a bit differently in every different place we go. it's always starts with whatever people are there in a new place where we're invited to work. i'm not sure where this can lead us. </div><div><br></div><div>wondering, daniel, is this an exploration of uncharted territory or are you laying the groundwork for a larger story. IF what you say is absolutely true, where do we go? can we go there even if the answer is "maybe?" </div><div><br></div><div>m</div><div><br></div><div><br></div></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br clear="all"><div><div class="gmail_signature"> <br>--<br><br>Michael Herman<br>Michael Herman Associates<br>312-280-7838 (mobile)<br><br><a href="http://MichaelHerman.com" target="_blank">http://MichaelHerman.com</a><br><a href="http://OpenSpaceWorld.org" target="_blank">http://OpenSpaceWorld.org</a><br><br></div></div>
<br><div class="gmail_quote">On Sun, Apr 26, 2015 at 12:43 PM, Daniel Mezick via OSList <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:oslist@lists.openspacetech.org" target="_blank">oslist@lists.openspacetech.org</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div bgcolor="#FFFFFF" text="#000000">
Yo Harrison, <br>
<br>
Where are you lately hearing about 'scaling up' OST? <br>
<br>
I'm interested in knowing the origin of that. <br>
<br>
Daniel <br><div><div class="h5">
<br>
<div>On 4/26/15 12:12 PM, Harrison via
OSList wrote:<br>
</div>
</div></div><blockquote type="cite"><div><div class="h5">
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">To
add a bit... The 4 (actually 5) “preconditions” were simply
what I, and others, had observed to be the situation. I
can’t actually remember, but I think my original motivation
was to question what seemed to be the conventional wisdom
regarding what it took to have a good meeting. I think we
all know the drill – there should be a clear agenda, closely
ordered procedure, something close to absolute control, and
the like. With thoughts like these in mind, Open Space was
not only counterintuitive, but wrong, dangerous, and
obviously heretical. What we were experiencing was
definitely a horse of a different color. <u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">And
yes, Jeff, there is certainly no “requirement” that all
conditions be at maximum red alert. That said, if none are
present there would seem to be little reason have a meeting,
let alone Open Space. After all who would want to waste the
time when there was no business issue, everything was
crystal clear, everyone thought exactly the same way, no
passion or conflict, and the sense of urgency non-existent?
Sounds like a non-starter to me. Then again it constantly
amazes me that every day in organizations all over the world
folks hold meetings just because you are supposed to. Is it
any wonder that people are bored, disengaged, and cynical?<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">But
actually what really got me excited was when I realized that
my “5 Preconditions” almost exactly paralleled the essential
preconditions for self organization as described by Stuart
Kauffmann and others. That made a connection which produced
my greatest learning in and about Open Space. It is all self
organization. It is not a process we/I created, invented, or
whatever. All we actually “do” is to invite people to
remember what they have been doing for ever. Well at least
for the last 13.7 billion years. <u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">And
just for a tag line .... to those who might be thinking
about “scaling up” Open Space, I would suggest you save your
energy. It’s already happened. It is all self organizing. It
is all open space. Of course it is true that things get
pretty sloppy and gooey when we set about organizing a self
organizing system. Oh well.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">Harrison<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">Winter
Address<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">7808
River Falls Drive<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">Potomac,
MD 20854<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"><a href="tel:301-365-2093" value="+13013652093" target="_blank">301-365-2093</a><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">Summer
Address<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">189
Beaucaire Ave.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">Camden,
ME 04843<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"><a href="tel:207-763-3261" value="+12077633261" target="_blank">207-763-3261</a><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">Websites<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"><a href="http://%20www.openspaceworld.com" target="_blank">
www.openspaceworld.com</a><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"><a href="http://www.ho-image.com" target="_blank">www.ho-image.com</a><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">OSLIST
</span><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 href="http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org" target="_blank">http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org</a></span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<div>
<div style="border:none;border-top:solid #b5c4df 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"">
OSList [<a href="mailto:oslist-bounces@lists.openspacetech.org" target="_blank">mailto:oslist-bounces@lists.openspacetech.org</a>] <b>On
Behalf Of </b>Jeff Aitken via OSList<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Sunday, April 26, 2015 11:31 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> Daniel Mezick; World wide Open Space
Technology email list<br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [OSList] OST: Public vs Private
events: apples and oranges?<u></u><u></u></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Hi Daniel. When Harrison's four conditions
came out way back when, I imagined them as a way to tell a
client that even in the most challenging situation it's quite
possible that Open Space will work very well. In other words,
don't hesitate to consider it, even if you're afraid things
are just too messy to try this strange new process.<u></u><u></u></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">Having hosted and seen many great open
spaces in which the scores were low, so to speak, I never
took seriously that these are absolute preconditions. To me
they are a kind of inoculation against a prospective sponsor
being afraid to make that phone call or send that email. <u></u><u></u></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">With lots of appreciation for your good
work<u></u><u></u></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">Jeff<u></u><u></u></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">Lagunitas, California<u></u><u></u></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><br>
<br>
-------- Original message --------<br>
From: Daniel Mezick via OSList <br>
Date:04/26/2015 6:20 AM (GMT-08:00) <br>
To: World wide Open Space Technology email list <br>
Subject: [OSList] OST: Public vs Private events: apples and
oranges? <br>
<br>
Greetings All,<br>
<br>
...I notice these well-worn, well-understood set of starting
conditions for great Open Space, on Wikipedia...hmm...<u></u><u></u></p>
<p><WIKIPEDIA><br>
Hundreds of Open Space meetings have been documented.<sup><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_Space_Technology#cite_note-4" target="_blank">[4]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_Space_Technology#cite_note-5" target="_blank">[5]</a></sup>
Harrison Owen explains that this approach works best when
these conditions are present,<sup><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_Space_Technology#cite_note-OST-3" target="_blank">[3]</a></sup>
namely high levels of<u></u><u></u></p>
<ol start="1" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal"><i>Complexity</i>, in terms of the tasks to be
done or outcomes achieved;<u></u><u></u></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><i>Diversity</i>, in terms of the people
involved and/or needed to make any solution work;<u></u><u></u></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><i>Conflict, real or potential</i>, meaning
people really care about the central issue or purpose; and<u></u><u></u></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><i>Urgency</i>, meaning that the time to act
was "yesterday".<u></u><u></u></li>
</ol>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"></WIKIPEDIA><br>
<br>
<br>
In an organization, we could work with formally authorized
leaders to gauge the magnitude of each dimension. So for
example we could gauge or rank the magnitude, with 1 being
lowest and 10 being the highest magnitude for gauging each
dimension. For a really nice opportunity to use Open Space, we
might be looking for a combined score of, say, 32 or higher
(out of a possible 40)<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
The Public Conference Event<br>
<br>
Now let's consider the PUBLIC conference event. What is the
typical combined score in a public conference... for these 4
elements? I am guessing the combined score is something like
20 or lower for the typical conference event. Maybe 25 out of
a perfect 40? The cohesion is just (generally speaking!) <i>so
much lower</i> in a public vs org-based (private) event...<br>
<br>
<br>
<HERESY><br>
And that is why I think OST is for "development and
transformation in organizations" (that actual subtitle of the
SPIRIT book) and that it is not at all as effective, in terms
of impact, when implemented in a public conference. <br>
</HERESY><br>
<br>
I am guessing the scores for the 4 dimensions are almost
always be lower in a public vs. private event. <br>
<br>
Certainly that is my general subjective observation, based on
a small sample of direct experience (less than 20 experiences
doing OST inside corporations...)<br>
<br>
...Yes: some exceptions do exist. As is almost always the
case. Right? That said, I feel these exceptions prove the
general rule... that private events have a much higher
combined score, all else being equal.<br>
<br>
Ironically, the OST format was originally formulated to ease
the effort required to arrange and execute public conference
events. <br>
<br>
And then....<br>
<br>
<br>
Daniel <br>
<br>
<u></u><u></u></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">-- <br>
<br>
<u></u><u></u></p>
<p>Daniel Mezick, President<u></u><u></u></p>
<p>New Technology Solutions Inc.<u></u><u></u></p>
<p><a href="tel:%28203%29%20915%207248" value="+12039157248" target="_blank">(203) 915 7248</a> (cell)<u></u><u></u></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 style="color:black"> </span></span><u></u><u></u></p>
<p><span>Examine my new book:</span><span><span style="color:black">
</span></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><u></u><u></u></p>
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</blockquote><span class="">
<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>
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