JF, thank you for your thoughtful answer to my question. I have asked a number of our clients over the years why they didn't make use of OST sooner. The common answer was because they themselves weren't ready. A completely different leadership capacity needed to be developed within themselves and their organizations to support an organization making the best use of frequent OST meetings and the resultant cultural shift. There was a period of time that several of the leaders I spoke with quit their jobs to take some time for themselves to develop their leadership capacity to then go on and take on a different job in which they could engage in their leadership differently.
Others can speak up about trainings in working with OST that they are aware of. My offer at present is a training that includes three phases: a self study portion to be done at your own pace, preferably after you have participated in an OST meeting; then one with one mentoring with me of two three hour online sessions as we process your learning; and finally some months later, participating in an online mentoring circle of peers to explore what has come up for each person as a result of application of the learning. It is an intense process and my focus is on working with OST for maximum benefit before and after the OST meeting. I include teaching about what happens when an organization makes use of frequent OST meetings...the benefits and the pitfalls. I also smiled when you spoke about engineers. In my experience, they are often some of the most enthusiastic participants in an OST meeting, more so that people who pride themselves on being good with touchy-feely processes 😂 I wish you joy on your learning journey, Birgitt [image: Picture] *Birgitt Williams* *Senior consultant-author-mentor to leaders and consultants * *Specialist in organizational and systemic transformation, leadership development, and the power of nourishing a culture of leadership.* www.dalarinternational.com >> Learn More & Register <http://www.dalarinternational.com/upcoming-workshops/> for any of our upcoming workshops here. PO Box 19373, Raleigh, NC, USA 27613 Phone: 01-919-522-7750 Like us on Facebook <https://dalarinternational.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=35ed818c946a88ba7344da05f&id=6677c35b38&e=e7zyhHfiqG> Connect on LinkedIn <https://dalarinternational.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=35ed818c946a88ba7344da05f&id=c26173f86b&e=e7zyhHfiqG> On Thu, Sep 8, 2022 at 5:18 PM JF <[email protected]> wrote: > Thank you Catherine, for your message, it sounds like a transformative > experience and really looking forward to it > > Birgitt, about your question. While I did not use OST, I did incorporate > innovative structures and collaborative practices within the groups that I > could control. It was rather successful and got a wonderful response > especially from the younger generation. I did something simple but > transformative which was to setup governance meetings (inspired by > holacracy) where we would decide how we would work together and which was > a platform to raise and resolve tensions. We also shared and rotated > responsibilities around various tasks. The young engineers loved that and > it was incredible to see how quickly they adopted this system. It did not > exactly appeal to my peers (i.e. the other managers) though. > Why didn't I learn and use OST earlier? That is a question I ask myself. > I did propose the methodology to projects I was involved with and went as > far as getting in touch with some facilitator. I really felt that was what > the project needed to get ahead but I was unable to gather interest. There > was definitely no reluctance on my side on the contrary but maybe lacking a > direct experience I probably did not carry the proposal with sufficient > assertiveness to convince the management team. I felt it was an uphill > battle because you need to explain what OST is about and the corporate > types find the concept "fuzzy". This is out of ignorance of course but in > my former industry (heavy industry engineering) most people do have a > reluctance to practices that may appear "touchy - feely". I am not saying > that this is the case for OST (even though imo touchy feely can be good) > but that can be the perception. The paradox is that they need such > practices as OST and are even aware that they should. They are trying to > develop more collaborative approaches but they are not ready to let go of > control. To be fair, when you are engineering an underground mine, you need > very clear responsibility and accountability as well as some serious > controls. For many this would be incompatible with collaborative self > organised systems. So in my opinion the reluctance is a) out of ignorance. > They cannot imagine that such an open approach could work. They would need > to experience it first hand to change their mind and b) they may not admit > it but they would be scared of loosing control. After all they understand > that in a self organising group a traditional manager becomes redundant. > They would need to understand that on the contrary a self organised group > would liberate them so that they can focus on where they can bring value. > In the particular case of engineering it would be important to demonstrate > that you can maintain accountability. To break through you would need the > support of someone pretty high up the food chain. > > I agree with your point, I always thought that OST would be > a great starting point to let the organisation define its structure > together with some coaching / training on what exists out there besides the > traditional pyramid / matrix. > About further training, do you have any suggestion? > Cheers for now, > JF > > On Thu, Sep 8, 2022 at 9:12 PM Birgitt Williams < > [email protected]> wrote: > >> DearJean-François, >> To develop your understanding of OST, to participate in an OST is a great >> beginning. However, to further develop yourself and working with OST, I >> recommend taking a multi-day training after you have had the experience as >> a participant. While I understand that it is possible to facilitate OST >> even by simply reading OST: a User's Guide by Harrison Owen, there is more >> to learn about working with OST for maximum harvest and impact within an >> organization. OST is a key process and in my experience one of the best >> processes for building collective intelligence capacity and for determining >> the best innovative organizational structures. Your investment in attending >> the WOSONOS, and then furthering your development with training is going to >> be one of the best investments you make towards the goal you have for your >> work. >> >> I hope very much that you will answer the question I have for you because >> I am really really curious. You wrote that you had been aware of OST for >> some time when you were a manager in a large engineering firm and only now >> that you are becoming self employed are you choosing to get more >> acquainted with OST. My question is "why didn't you use OST and focus on >> collective intelligence/innovative organisational structures when you were >> in that management role? Your answer could assist those of us who work with >> leaders and managers to better understand the 'reluctance'. >> >> With appreciation, >> Birgitt >> >> [image: Picture] >> >> >> *Birgitt Williams* >> *Senior consultant-author-mentor to leaders and consultants * >> *Specialist in organizational and systemic transformation, leadership >> development, and the power of nourishing a culture of leadership.* >> www.dalarinternational.com >> >> >> >> Learn More & Register >> <http://www.dalarinternational.com/upcoming-workshops/> for any of our >> upcoming workshops here. >> >> >> PO Box 19373, Raleigh, NC, USA 27613 >> Phone: 01-919-522-7750 >> Like us on Facebook >> <https://dalarinternational.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=35ed818c946a88ba7344da05f&id=6677c35b38&e=e7zyhHfiqG> >> >> Connect on LinkedIn >> <https://dalarinternational.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=35ed818c946a88ba7344da05f&id=c26173f86b&e=e7zyhHfiqG> >> >> >> >> On Thu, Sep 8, 2022 at 8:56 AM JF <[email protected]> wrote: >> >>> Hello All, >>> I have been on this list and be interested in OST for many years. Yet I >>> have never (until now) taken the opportunity to develop this interest >>> further and actually participate and be involved with OST events. >>> I am currently in a professional transition from being a manager in a >>> large engineering firm to becoming self employed project manager with a >>> view to help build collective intelligence in organisations through >>> innovative organisational structures (e.g. holacracy) and various practices >>> such as OST. >>> I would like to learn and experience more and I have been told before >>> that the best and only way to learn about OST is to experience it first >>> hand. That makes a lot of sense and I think that this would be a great eye >>> opener for me as well as a growing opportunity. Therefore I am >>> contemplating participating in the next OSonOS in Bilbao (I live in the >>> south of France) but I want to make sure that this is appropriate for >>> someone who want to get initiated in OST. >>> Thanks in advance for your comments and / or advice. >>> Regads, >>> >>> Jean-François (JF) >>> >>> >>> On Tue, Aug 23, 2022 at 7:49 PM Michael M Pannwitz <[email protected]> >>> wrote: >>> >>>> Dear Gentza Eleder, >>>> >>>> you might tell them that ost is an approach to expand time and space >>>> for the unfolding of selforganisation. It is not an intention of ost to >>>> change business culture, have better meetings or all the other things one >>>> might find important. >>>> It has been noticed however, that ost events bring about amazing stuff >>>> every time those gatherings are convened and that folks find that these >>>> were the best meetings they ever experienced. How that happens has never >>>> been grasped. And participants are regularily simply not interested to >>>> research this, they just want to get going. The important observation is >>>> that it works. And if it is used regularily in an organisation those >>>> organisations change all by themselves (see the decade long experiment in >>>> the Agency for Youth in Europe). >>>> Selforganisation has never been grasped but it is the central force in >>>> the unfolding of everything that has happened on this planet for billions >>>> of year. >>>> It has been observed that some very few prerequisites need to be in >>>> place to get the the right conditions for getting this experiment in >>>> selforganisation to unfold: sticky problem, high complexity of the matter, >>>> large diversity of participants, high conflict and high urgency to act and, >>>> not to forget, voluntarty participation. >>>> >>>> Everyone attending our event in Bilbao is an expert, even experts in >>>> attendance that are zoologists, psychologists, anthropologists, medicine >>>> men, sociologists, cooks, gardeners, plumbers, architects, teachers, >>>> mothers and very important: children. If you have children and youngsters >>>> at the event among all the others you will find that an amazing ingredient >>>> for the diversity soup. Nobody knows why and it needs not to be researched, >>>> we have seen it. >>>> >>>> Hope you get a great film that is shown in all cinemas around the world. >>>> >>>> Greetings from Berlin >>>> Love and Peace >>>> mmp >>>> >>>> >>>> Am 23.08.2022 um 18:09 schrieb Gentza Eleder: >>>> >>>> Hi friends, how are you? >>>> We are having since July some converations with GoodHabitz >>>> Documentaries >>>> <https://www.goodhabitz.com/en-gb/why-goodhabitz/doing-things-differently/goodhabitz-moments/> >>>> . >>>> They are very interested in OST and are planning to come to Bilbao to >>>> film and make some interviews during the 28th World Open Space on Open >>>> Space. >>>> >>>> Now, they asked something that I thought would be best to spread >>>> through the OSLIST, as follows: >>>> >>>> .... >>>> >>>> >>>> *For the film we are still looking for anybody who is a >>>> psychologist/anthropologist/sociologist or business culture expert. Or >>>> someone with a lot of knowledge in this field. We would like to interview >>>> such an expert about how you can change the business culture or the >>>> approach in order to have better meetings. * >>>> >>>> *.... * >>>> >>>> >>>> *Do you know if there are more experts who are attending the event? * >>>> >>>> >>>> Would you, please, specially if planning to join as in Bilbao in >>>> September, take some time to answer Marije (you can add us, as cc)? >>>> >>>> I've proposed her to join herself the OSLIST to take part directly in >>>> the conversation or open new questions. >>>> >>>> >>>> Best of all, >>>> >>>> >>>> Gentza Eleder >>>> >>>> BuM_31 unJobbing >>>> >>>> Mundaka >>>> >>>> (+0034) 638.733.223 >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> ------- Original Message ------- >>>> Em terça-feira, 23 de agosto de 2022 às 10:10, Marije Kuipers >>>> <[email protected]> <[email protected]> escreveu: >>>> >>>> Hi Gentza, good morning! >>>> >>>> How are you? Thanks for your email. Great answers! >>>> >>>> I forgot to ask, have you been filmed before? And is it online? Just to >>>> get an idea :) >>>> >>>> .... >>>> >>>> For the film we are still looking for anybody who is a >>>> psychologist/anthropologist/sociologist or business culture expert. Or >>>> someone with a lot of knowledge in this field. We would like to interview >>>> such an expert about how you can change the business culture or the >>>> approach in order to have better meetings. >>>> .... >>>> >>>> Do you know if there are more experts who are attending the event? >>>> >>>> Hope to hear from you. >>>> >>>> Thanks for your time and efforts! >>>> >>>> Have a good day, >>>> Marije >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> OSList mailing list -- [email protected] >>>> To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] >>>> >>>> >>>> Michael M Pannwitz >>>> Draisweg 1, 12209 Berlin >>>> +49 30 7728000 [email protected] >>>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> OSList mailing list -- [email protected] >>>> To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] >>>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> OSList mailing list -- [email protected] >>> To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] >>> >>
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