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Here are my heretical replies to Rosa, about our mutual <i>authority
issues</i>. <br>
<br>
Found inline below, interspersed in the the text...<br>
<br>
For those who prefer to listen and laugh instead, here is something
short to listen (and maybe laugh) at ... <br>
<br>
....a 28 second video from a "noted authority figure:"
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://twitter.com/DanielMezick/status/510820073628762112">https://twitter.com/DanielMezick/status/510820073628762112</a><br>
<br>
Let us play:<br>
<br>
<br>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 11/30/15 9:24 AM, Rosa Zubizarreta
wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote
cite="mid:CAHp709dY=gVzKN=bfki-621Qd3seesB4SRG+7KP9iRi4Rovv-Q@mail.gmail.com"
type="cite">
<div dir="ltr">
<div>
<div>Hi Daniel, congratulations on an amazing piece!<br>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
Thank you kindly <tipping hat, to Rosa Zubizarreta><br>
<blockquote
cite="mid:CAHp709dY=gVzKN=bfki-621Qd3seesB4SRG+7KP9iRi4Rovv-Q@mail.gmail.com"
type="cite">
<div dir="ltr">
<div>
<div><br>
<br>
</div>
As you mention, "authority" is a very loaded subject...<br>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
I'm already feeling triggered. Please go on<br>
<blockquote
cite="mid:CAHp709dY=gVzKN=bfki-621Qd3seesB4SRG+7KP9iRi4Rovv-Q@mail.gmail.com"
type="cite">
<div dir="ltr">
<div><br>
<br>
</div>
<div>My understanding is that the group relations perspective,
holds (along with Koos!) that as adults, the ultimate
authority for anything ultimately comes from ourselves. WE are
the ones who "authorize" formal authorities -- without our own
willingness to continue to authorize them, their authority
would disappear. Is that your understanding, as well?<br>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
Yes. We willingly "give away our power" as some tend to say. In
truth, we routinely "give away our authority." <br>
<br>
<blockquote
cite="mid:CAHp709dY=gVzKN=bfki-621Qd3seesB4SRG+7KP9iRi4Rovv-Q@mail.gmail.com"
type="cite">
<div dir="ltr">
<div><br>
</div>
<div>AND... as you point out, things are a bit more complex
than that!<br>
<br>
</div>
<div>For one thing... as children... we were all helpless to one
degree or another, and so I would hesitate to say that we were
'authorizing' our parents or whatever crazyness was happening
in our families of origin... <br>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
Yes. And family is the first place we encounter and experience
authority. Also, family is the 1st "organization" in which we have
membership. How interesting....<br>
<blockquote
cite="mid:CAHp709dY=gVzKN=bfki-621Qd3seesB4SRG+7KP9iRi4Rovv-Q@mail.gmail.com"
type="cite">
<div dir="ltr">
<div><br>
</div>
<div>then, as adults... our feelings of helplessness often get
triggered by our dysfunctional economic systems... for
example, in a situation where jobs are few and far between,
someone might well feel quite insulted at being told that they
are "authorizing" their boss who happens to be a bully. The
person who is being bullied, may not be in a position where
they have an easy option of changing jobs... <br>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
Yes, and we are getting ahead of the story a bit. Let's just say, we
a born with a certain authority profile. Some like to lead. Others
like to help. Still others like to push-back on who "is in charge
here." This is innate in each individual. Then we are born into an
"organization.." a family. Some who like to lead or push-back on
leadership <i>may have this beaten out of them</i> in, for example,
in a very authoritarian home. <br>
<br>
Such a pity! See also:
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.google.com/search?q=breaking+the+spirit+of+baby+elephants&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8">https://www.google.com/search?q=breaking+the+spirit+of+baby+elephants&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8</a><br>
<img alt="" src="cid:part1.05000003.08070904@newtechusa.net"
height="120" width="681"><br>
<blockquote
cite="mid:CAHp709dY=gVzKN=bfki-621Qd3seesB4SRG+7KP9iRi4Rovv-Q@mail.gmail.com"
type="cite">
<div dir="ltr">
<div><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
</div>
<div>(A side note... one fascinating piece of work in this
regard, is Michael Lerner's book "Surplus Powerlessness"... in
it, he lays out the perspective that by promoting the
"American dream" ideology of "everyone can achieve anything
they want", and concurrently systematically ignoring all of
the many real constraints to our freedom, we contribute to
creating a culture where people end up blaming themselves for
not achieving their dreams -- and thus, end up feeling MORE
powerless, than if we were to acknowledge the real constraints
and focused on the small-yet-ever-present "windows of
possibility"...)<br>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
Ha. Yes. And we might want to consider <i>authoring our own dreams</i>,
and then <i>dreaming our own dreams</i>, instead of dreaming the
dreams of others, that is: pre-fab dreams that others might author,
and then offer to us as "legit." As "THE ONE TRUE" dream...<br>
<blockquote
cite="mid:CAHp709dY=gVzKN=bfki-621Qd3seesB4SRG+7KP9iRi4Rovv-Q@mail.gmail.com"
type="cite">
<div dir="ltr">
<div><br>
<br>
</div>
<div>Anyway, I would say that yes, as adults, we are the ones
who authorize any authorities, including both the informal
authorities as well as the formal authorities. </div>
</div>
</blockquote>
Yes, for example: by responding in such lovely detail, here you are,
in fact informally authorizing this very conversation! How cool is
that?<br>
<blockquote
cite="mid:CAHp709dY=gVzKN=bfki-621Qd3seesB4SRG+7KP9iRi4Rovv-Q@mail.gmail.com"
type="cite">
<div dir="ltr">
<div>To whatever degree that we are uncomfortable with our own
authority, we are participating in the creation of a
leaderless world, to our own and others' detriment -- since
too many people in positions of formal authority are not, in
fact, leaders; and to whatever degree they <i>are</i>
leading, they are NOT leading us toward a world that works for
all.<br>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
Yes. And on a good day, say, in Open Space, those formally
authorized (by the org) and those informally authorized (by peers
and colleagues and yes, "subordinates") ARE ARE THE SAME PEOPLE.
That is as good as it gets. <br>
<blockquote
cite="mid:CAHp709dY=gVzKN=bfki-621Qd3seesB4SRG+7KP9iRi4Rovv-Q@mail.gmail.com"
type="cite">
<div dir="ltr">
<div><br>
Conversely, to the degree that we become more comfortable with
our own authority, we are contributing to a more leaderful
world....<br>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
Here, let me add: the more comfortable with our own authority, the
more we can and will tend to a) call bullshit and/or b) walk away in
pursuit of a warm Petri dish, a "space" where our dreams are welcome
to grow.<br>
<blockquote
cite="mid:CAHp709dY=gVzKN=bfki-621Qd3seesB4SRG+7KP9iRi4Rovv-Q@mail.gmail.com"
type="cite">
<div dir="ltr">
<div><br>
</div>
<div>and of course, OST is a wonderful way to bring out the
leader in each person, as it encourages each of us, to be the
author of our own experience.<br>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
Yes. And. I'm eager to discuss this with you in much more detail. <br>
<blockquote
cite="mid:CAHp709dY=gVzKN=bfki-621Qd3seesB4SRG+7KP9iRi4Rovv-Q@mail.gmail.com"
type="cite">
<div dir="ltr">
<div><br>
<br>
<br>
</div>
<div>with all best wishes,<br>
<br>
</div>
<div>Rosa<br>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
</div>
<div class="gmail_extra"><br clear="all">
<div>
<div class="gmail_signature">
<div dir="ltr">
<div>
<div dir="ltr">
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<div dir="ltr">
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<div dir="ltr">
<div>
<div dir="ltr">
<p style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><span
style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><b><i>Rosa Zubizarreta</i></b></span></p>
<span
style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">
</span>
<p><span
style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><i>meet
me at my <a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://diapraxis.com"
target="_blank"><span
style="color:blue">DiaPraxis
website</span></a> <br>
and on my <a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="https://rosaz.wordpress.com/"
target="_blank"><span
style="color:blue">Listening
Arts
blog</span></a></i></span></p>
<span
style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">
</span>
<p><span
style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"> </span></p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</span><span><span></span></span></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<br>
<div class="gmail_quote">On Mon, Nov 30, 2015 at 7:05 AM, Daniel
Mezick via OSList <span dir="ltr"><<a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:oslist@lists.openspacetech.org"
target="_blank"><a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:oslist@lists.openspacetech.org">oslist@lists.openspacetech.org</a></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"> Hi Michael,<br>
<br>
Thank you for your reply. Regarding "unauthorized" or not
formally-authorized OST in organizations, remember, I am
framing the discussion inside the wider context of a
typical business corporation, one trying to improve by
considering some changes. I am not talking about any other
context. OST is often used for Agile retrospectives for
example. I am not talking about that.<br>
<br>
So the context for discussion I am suggesting is the
context of a typical business corporation, one trying to
improve by considering some enterprise-wide (or
division-wide) changes. A wide-scope change.<br>
<br>
Typically, these changes are a "push from authority"
without respect to what the people who do the work want,
think or feel. Many Agile frameworks (most notably "SAFe")
are implemented in this way. As push. <br>
<br>
Open Space offers a refreshing alternative to mandates,
"push", and formally authorized coercion. Or so it seems.
Since most formally authorized leaders cannot commit to
the so-called "risk of Open Space," the wide-scope OST
usually (almost) never happens. Meanwhile, everybody knows
the issues and that they might never see the light of day
in any kind of formally authorized way. <br>
<br>
Now, getting back your comment, yes: anyone can hold an
Open Space event at any time, about any thing, for any
reason. At issue is what happens next. Perhaps a group can
meet to discuss HOW to get some attention to key issues
from formally authorized leaders. Etc. As you yourself
say, "folks knew full well that formal authorization was
needed and had figured out ways addressing that need."<br>
<br>
What I'm really, really interested in is deconstructing
OST in authority terms, and advancing that know-how, so
that it can be reduced to explicit knowledge that others
can access quickly in service to...progress. That essay is
my naive attempt to actually begin the process.<span
class="HOEnZb"><font color="#888888"><br>
<br>
<br>
Daniel <br>
</font></span>
<div>
<div class="h5"> <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<div>On 11/30/15 6:26 AM, Michael M Pannwitz wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite">Dear Daniel, <br>
<br>
somehow, I dont see what has happened in almost all
os gatherings I have facilitated: people deciding to
act and actually going ahead with it after the
gathering not being formally authorized. <br>
As this happened regularly I wondered how those
self-authorized activities fared or got along with
formal authorization. Eventually, I found out that
folks knew full well that formal authorization was
needed and had figured out ways addressing that
need. <br>
<br>
I wondered about Beth. Did she and her group simply
suggested something formal authority should do or
was she and others involved in implementing the
stuff they were interested in? <br>
<br>
Invariably, I as facilitator would intervene with
some off-handed remark about "suggestions" or
"recommendations" or what xyz should do pointing out
that there is nothing wrong with that but .... <br>
<br>
cheers <br>
mmp <br>
<br>
On 30.11.2015 12:15, Daniel Mezick via OSList wrote:
<br>
<blockquote type="cite">Hi Koos, <br>
<br>
Thanks for your comment on personal passion.
There's this very <br>
interesting paper on the various authority types
(informal, formal, <br>
personal) which is pretty good, I am including it
here if you want to <br>
check it out. <br>
<br>
I hear you when you say "I can initiate that
process of authorizing <br>
myself by taking responsibility for my passion."
This is exactly what we <br>
hope will happen inside company-sponsored OST
events. <br>
<br>
Within the context of Open Space held in an
organization that wants to <br>
explore an enterprise-wide change, we can expect
the following to be <br>
true, if the event is to work well: <br>
<br>
1. Formally Authorized Leader. A person formally
and highly authorized <br>
by the organization sends an invite with a theme.
This "formally <br>
authorizes" the time and space for the gathering.
<br>
<br>
2. Proceedings and Intent to Act- with Inclusion.
That same person <br>
welcomes everyone on event-day, and at the
opening, encourages the <br>
generation of proceedings, and signals that those
proceedings will be <br>
inspected and acted upon, not just by the formally
authorized leaders <br>
(the so-called "higher ups") but also with the new
and emerging leaders <br>
who have identified themselves during the event
("be prepared to be <br>
surprised.") In other words, the people present
are being invited to <br>
have their say, document it, and expect that these
issues are going be <br>
input into a formally authorized and inclusive
process of deciding, <br>
acting, and improving things. <br>
<br>
<br>
Now, absent these two facts, how "important" is
the OST event? How much <br>
"action" can ensue? <br>
<br>
1. Formally Authorized Leader. No formally
authorized leader issuing the <br>
invite? Or someone /without enough authorization
to matter?/ The signal <br>
is clear: this theme (and this event) is /not
important/ to the people <br>
who make the decisions. <br>
<br>
2. Proceedings and Intent to Act- with Inclusion.
Since no one in the <br>
room has enough formal authority to implement
plans suggested in the <br>
proceedings, we can reasonably expect nothing
whatsoever to ensue in <br>
formal terms after the meeting. This, because
people who /could/ do <br>
something about it (those formally authorized by
the organization) "do <br>
not care." <br>
<br>
So- the highly authorized Sponsor (or Host) is
essential. Otherwise, in <br>
authority terms, the OST event and what happens
there just doesn't <br>
matter from an organizational point of view. It
cannot have much of an <br>
impact. <br>
<br>
Much ado about nothing? <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Here's that paper I mentioned earlier: <br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="https://www.it.uu.se/edu/course/homepage/projektDV/ht09/BART_Green_Molenkamp.pdf"
target="_blank">https://www.it.uu.se/edu/course/homepage/projektDV/ht09/BART_Green_Molenkamp.pdf</a>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
I notice that most people prefer to avoid
discussing authority. Since <br>
our families are the first place where we
encounter this concept and <br>
develop our relationship with it, perhaps it is
true that discussing <br>
authority can be very triggering. Thanks for
sticking your neck out and <br>
I certainly hope to hear back from you and others
on this thread. <br>
<br>
Daniel <br>
<br>
On 11/30/15 12:57 AM, Koos de Heer wrote: <br>
<blockquote type="cite"> <br>
Hi Daniel, <br>
<br>
<br>
Thank you for an interesting line of thought.
What I am thinking is <br>
that there is also the aspect of a person
standing up and speaking for <br>
a passion that they have (be it in the form of
raising a topic or just <br>
speaking in a break out session) and in that way
claiming authority. <br>
In your essay, authority seems to always come
from someone else. And <br>
of course authority only is there when others
believe it to be there. <br>
But the initiative to bestow authority on me
does not always come from <br>
others. I can also initiate that process of
authorizing myself by <br>
taking responsibility for my passion. <br>
<br>
Koos <br>
<br>
*Van:*OSList [<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:oslist-bounces@lists.openspacetech.org"
target="_blank">mailto:oslist-bounces@lists.openspacetech.org</a>]
*Namens <br>
*Daniel Mezick via OSList <br>
*V**erzonden:*maandag 30 november 2015 0:13 <br>
*Aan:* <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:oslist@lists.openspacetech.org"
target="_blank">oslist@lists.openspacetech.org</a>
<br>
*Onderwerp:* [OSList] What's authority got to do
with Open Space ? <br>
<br>
What's authority got to do with Open Space ?
Apparently nothing at <br>
all, at least on the surface... <br>
<br>
Wait. Once we peek under the surface, what do we
actually find? <br>
<br>
This completely heretical essay attempts to
answer at least part of <br>
that question. <br>
<br>
The context is the use of Open Space in a large
business enterprise, <br>
convened with intent to explore the potential
for making a very big, <br>
very complex enterprise-wide change. <br>
<br>
{Please note, the word "authority" might trigger
feelings of: <br>
/soul-sucking bureaucracy/, unfair and
/_illegitimate leadership <br>
hierarchy_/, and the like. Some "triggered"
readers may want to <br>
opt-out of continuing at this time...) <br>
<br>
Authority Distribution in Open Space: <br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://newtechusa.net/agile/authority-distribution-in-open-space/"
target="_blank">http://newtechusa.net/agile/authority-distribution-in-open-space/</a>
<br>
Open Space is a most interesting format for
"gathering,", also known <br>
as "meeting." <br>
<br>
What exactly is going on in Open Space? <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
-- <br>
Daniel Mezick <br>
Culture Strategist. Author. Keynoter. <br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="tel:%28203%29%20915%207248"
value="+12039157248" target="_blank">(203) 915
7248</a>. Bio. <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.DanielMezick.com/"
target="_blank"><http://www.DanielMezick.com/></a>
Blog. <br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.NewTechUSA.net/blog/"
target="_blank"><http://www.NewTechUSA.net/blog/></a>
Twitter. <br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="https://twitter.com/DanielMezick"
target="_blank"><https://twitter.com/DanielMezick></a>
<br>
Book: The Culture Game. <a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://theculturegame.com/"
target="_blank"><a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="http://theculturegame.com/"><http://theculturegame.com/></a></a>
<br>
Book: The OpenSpace Agility Handbook. <br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.amazon.com/OpenSpace-Agility-Handbook-Daniel-Mezick/dp/0984875336"
target="_blank"><http://www.amazon.com/OpenSpace-Agility-Handbook-Daniel-Mezick/dp/0984875336></a>
<br>
<br>
<br>
</blockquote>
<br>
-- <br>
Daniel Mezick <br>
Culture Strategist. Author. Keynoter. <br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="tel:%28203%29%20915%207248"
value="+12039157248" target="_blank">(203) 915
7248</a>. Bio. <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.DanielMezick.com/"
target="_blank"><http://www.DanielMezick.com/></a>
Blog. <br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.NewTechUSA.net/blog/"
target="_blank"><http://www.NewTechUSA.net/blog/></a>
Twitter. <br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="https://twitter.com/DanielMezick"
target="_blank"><https://twitter.com/DanielMezick></a>
<br>
Book: The Culture Game. <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://theculturegame.com/"
target="_blank"><http://theculturegame.com/></a>
<br>
Book: The OpenSpace Agility Handbook. <br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.amazon.com/OpenSpace-Agility-Handbook-Daniel-Mezick/dp/0984875336"
target="_blank"><http://www.amazon.com/OpenSpace-Agility-Handbook-Daniel-Mezick/dp/0984875336></a>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
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<div class="h5">-- <br>
Daniel Mezick<br>
Culture Strategist. Author. Keynoter.<br>
</div>
</div>
<span class=""><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="tel:%28203%29%20915%207248"
value="+12039157248" target="_blank">(203) 915 7248</a>.
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
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<br>
<div class="moz-signature">-- <br>
Daniel Mezick<br>
Culture Strategist. Author. Keynoter.<br>
(203) 915 7248.
<a href="http://www.DanielMezick.com/"> Bio.</a>
<a href="http://www.NewTechUSA.net/blog/">Blog.</a>
<a href="https://twitter.com/DanielMezick">Twitter.</a>
<br>
Book: <a href="http://theculturegame.com/">The Culture Game.</a>
<br>
Book: <a
href="http://www.amazon.com/OpenSpace-Agility-Handbook-Daniel-Mezick/dp/0984875336">The
OpenSpace Agility Handbook.</a>
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