Christine -- sorry for my English, and even worse, my American
English. And I do tend to play with words and joke which can and does
get me in trouble. But I am not really sure that your difficulty has
much to do with language, neither yours nor mine. I suspect this may
be a classic case of working much too hard. Indeed, I would predict
that the harder you tried to understand self organization, the less
likely you are to succeed. Nothing magical here -- just my observation
of folks such as yourself. Very bright, well trained, disciplined, and
logical to a fault who when confronted with a problem WILL find a
solution and develop understanding. This approach can work in lots of
situations, but in the case of our relationship to self-organization
in ourselves and our organizations -- I find it usually leads to
frustration and one might say failure.
I can say all this with some authority because that was precisely my
own situation. When I was confronted with what was happening in Open
Space (25 years ago) it made absolutely no sense to me at all. And
what makes no sense does not lend itself to understanding. I "knew,"
as did everybody else of my age, background and training -- that what
seemed to be taking place in Open Space simply could not happen.
Organization was something that we created, managed, and controlled.
Meetings could only be effective with carefully prepared agendas,
great attention to detail, finely tuned management and facilitation.
That was the "gospel" and I did believe. More than that, people told
me that I was very good at doing all those things, and I chose to
believe that too. And if what seemed to be going on in Open Space was
actually going on, then just about everything I believed, took to be
self evident, and practiced with a vengeance -- was not only open to
question: It simply wasn't true. Shocking!
Worse yet, the harder I tried to understand how Open Space fit into
the "boxes" I thought I was supposed to be using, the harder it all
became. I knew what a good manager was supposed to do (Make the plan,
manage to the plan, meet the plan). I knew how to run good meetings
(create the agenda, make a design, follow the plan, control the
participants). But in Open Space, none of that applied. And the more I
tried, the worse things got. Been there!
Things started to change when I relaxed, although it may well be that
my relaxation was due to exhaustion. But in any event I found myself
giving up on my efforts to "do" something, while simultaneously
engaging in what the poet Coleridge called, "A willing suspension of
disbelief." In a word I just threw in the towel (Americanism for
"quitting") on any attempt to understand. Instead I spent a lot of
time just noticing what was going on, even (or maybe most especially)
when I just couldn't believe it. I paid particular attention to
striking anomalies -- those situations where something happened which
totally violated everything I knew to be true. Some folks might call
such moments "counterintuitive" -- but for me they were just crazy. I
remember saying to a friend one time, "What sort of story would we
have to tell so that what is obviously crazy comes out looking sane?"
Over the years, that story has taken shape, partially by my own
telling, but mostly with the aid and assistance of multiple people. We
now have working titles: Complex Adaptive Systems, Emergence, Chaos
Theory, and more. I suspect that most people still think it is crazy,
which is why most people find Open Space rather hard to take, But for
myself, insanity looks much more rational every day.
Harrison
Harrison Owen
7808 River Falls Dr.
Potomac, MD 20854
USA
189 Beaucaire Ave. (summer)
Camden, Maine 04843
Phone 301-365-2093
(summer) 207-763-3261
www.openspaceworld.com <www.openspaceworld.com%20>
www.ho-image.com <www.ho-image.com%20>(Personal Website)
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*From:*[email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>
[mailto:[email protected]] *On Behalf Of *Christine
*Sent:* Thursday, January 09, 2014 6:18 PM
*To:* World wide Open Space Technology email list
*Subject:* Re: [OSList] From linkedin today
Harrison
The difficulty of not being a native English speaker is not to be
able to understand subtilities such as humor. So I am not quite sure
whether you are being slightly "moqueur" (kindly making fun of me) or
not. ;)
However indeed i am willing to make public my struggle to understand
as I truly believe that self-organization is something that is drawing
more and more interest , in the public and in myself. And I have found
it very difficult to understand. And also as an open space
facilitator, to be completely honest, I don't know what to do with "be
as invisible as possible" when not in an open space event. Before.
After. That´s where we are supposed to "prepare " the system for self
organisation. If I don't understand fully what it is, how can I help
prepare for it ? Or after it ?
If I want to take things easier, then I can see open space technology
as a tool. We don't know why it works but it works, like you say it.
But if I see it as a way to help a group "better" self-organise, ie
for me become more lively and healthy, then.. Well. What shall I do ?
If i have a baby and want him to grow healthy and lively, i'll create
a nurturing environment. But without love it won ´t work. I have very
few things I can control to raise him, except myself. If he gets sick,
in many cases I will look for acurate help and take care of him.
Are we as open space facilitators the helpers that people look for
when the system is sick ? (this looks like what i am experiencing
right now) or are we gardeners of gardens that are already growing
well and need a little help for becoming a bit more beautiful ?
Christine
Le 9 janv. 2014 à 23:24, "Harrison Owen" <[email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>> a écrit :
Christine You are wonderful! The concerns you express are those of
many (myself) and your willingness to "go public" is fantastic. In
fact that "willingness" is what makes our electronic community
(OSLIST) so wonderful.
You said: "Then there is something that I don't understand about
self-org. : if we want to keep the system healthy and alive, what
should we do ?"
And my thought is "Nothing" and "A Lot -- but subtly." The System
will do what it does, and we will never control it. And who says
that our idea of "fairness" is fair? To whom, what? Why?
All that said... I believe there is a whole, uncharted world of
things we can bring "to the party." Those "things" have little to
do with what we have previously learned as the "right and proper
things to do." And Great Thanks to you for raising the Question
that opens the door to what I believe is/are the central concerns
and "growth points" along our collective journey in Open Space.
More...More...More...
Harrison
Harrison Owen
7808 River Falls Dr.
Potomac, MD 20854
USA
189 Beaucaire Ave. (summer)
Camden, Maine 04843
Phone 301-365-2093
(summer) 207-763-3261
www.openspaceworld.com <www.openspaceworld.com%20>
www.ho-image.com <www.ho-image.com%20> (Personal Website)
To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives
of OSLIST Go
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*From:*[email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>
[mailto:[email protected]] *On Behalf Of
*Christine
*Sent:* Thursday, January 09, 2014 4:48 PM
*To:* World wide Open Space Technology email list
*Cc:* World wide Open Space Technology email list
*Subject:* Re: [OSList] From linkedin today
Hi David
Very interesting, that makes sense to me. Does it mean that
supporting coherence of the system as a whole should be an
organizing principle ?
But then Harrison will say I guess that it is not necessary, as
self org. will take care of the system itself.
Then there is something that I don't understand about self-org. :
if we want to keep the system healthy and alive, what should we do ?
Christine Koehler
06 13 28 71 38
Le 9 janv. 2014 à 22:20, David Osborne <[email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>> a écrit :
I found the questions about how do you keep a system as a
coherent whole fascinating.
Part of the dance is the back and forth between coherence and
fragmentation. Chaos offers both opportunity and threat, new
life and death. Coherence leads to new life patterns emerging,
fragmentation leads towards death and the cycle toward new
life continues. In my experience there is lot's that can be
done to reinforce, nurture and support coherence. Holding the
space is one aspect. Drawing attention and building consensus
around what is emerging is another, supporting parts of the
system through conflict in a manner that continues to increase
the likelihood of coherence is a third. There are many
more...and those are some quick thoughts for now. All of this
can and is done with in the context of self-organization and
someone having the passion and taking the initiative to do it.
The two are not mutually exclusive.
Cheers to all.
David
On Thu, Jan 9, 2014 at 4:06 PM, christine koehler
<[email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote:
Peggy
If I simplify what you say (and I apologize for it), I
understand that you say that what keep a self-organized
system coherent as a whole is coming regularly together as a
whole, following our two feet to sessions called around we
love, coming back as a whole, dispersing again for the
evening. Of course I would tend to agree with that. But then
how do you do with very large systems ? Or does it mean that
any system that is too large to come regularly together as a
whole is oversized ? should split into several smaller systems
to keep its good health ?
and what about decision making ?
Christine
On Thu, Jan 9, 2014 at 9:24 PM, Peggy Holman
<[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>> wrote:
I'd add to what Harrison is saying about what keeps a social
system coherent without someone in charge. It's something
built into the practice of Open Space Technology: coming
together as a whole, following our two feet to sessions called
around we love, coming back as a whole, dispersing again for
the evening. Like breathing.
There's a power in coming together to reflect that connects
us, helps us see ourselves in context, creates a coherent
sense of "us" that complements all of the "I's". So without
the need to make decisions or come to consensus, I suspect
that long-lived self-organizing social systems create a rhythm
in which the whole (or a sufficient subset of it) comes
together periodically.
As an example, a few years back, I learned of a group of
African Americans that met informally for Saturday breakfast
in Tacoma, Washington once a week for thirty-five years. This
gathering became the backbone of the African American
community in that city. It was the place to connect, to learn
what was happening, to share ideas, to find partners, etc. No
one in charge, just part of the rhythm of the community. And
lots of activities emerged from it.
Peggy
__________________________________
Peggy Holman
Journalism that Matters
15347 SE 49th Place
Bellevue, WA 98006
425-746-6274 <tel:425-746-6274>
www.journalismthatmatters.org
<http://www.journalismthatmatters.org>
www.peggyholman.com <http://www.peggyholman.com>
Twitter: @peggyholman
JTM Twitter: @JTMStream
*Enjoy the award winning* Engaging Emergence: Turning Upheaval
into Opportunity
<http://peggyholman.com/papers/engaging-emergence/>
Check out my series on what's emerging in the news &
information ecosystem
<http://www.journalismthatmatters.net/the_emerging_news_and_information_eco_system>
On Jan 9, 2014, at 11:50 AM, Christine <
[email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote:
Hi Harrison,
Thank you for your answer
What do you mean exactely with the law of 2 feet ?
Christine Koehler
06 13 28 71 38 <tel:06%2013%2028%2071%2038>
Le 9 janv. 2014 à 17:27, "Harrison Owen" < [email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>> a écrit :
I'm awake now (Thank you Michael). And Christine -- to
your questions and my thoughts.
"In a self -organized system, how do you keep the
organization coherent as a whole ?
How do you make decisions that concern the whole
organization ?"
I think the simple answer may be, "You don't (make
decisions or maintain coherency). The System does -- which
is in a way the essence of self-organization. I think one
way of understanding self organization is that it is the
systemic response to a changing environment in order to
maintain internal and external coherence... a complicated
way of saying that the system wants to get along in the
world in a positive fashion. Part of maintaining that
systemic coherence is by making a whole bunch of decisions
-- none, or few, of which are made by a vote or executive
dictate. A powerful mechanism in this regard is our old
friend, "The Law of Two feet." -- I think.
ho
Harrison Owen
7808 River Falls Dr.
Potomac, MD 20854
USA
189 Beaucaire Ave. (summer)
Camden, Maine 04843
Phone 301-365-2093 <tel:301-365-2093>
(summer) 207-763-3261 <tel:207-763-3261>
www.openspaceworld.com <http://www.openspaceworld.com>
www.ho-image.com <http://www.ho-image.com>(Personal Website)
To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the
archives of OSLIST Go
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*From:*[email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>
[mailto:[email protected]] *On Behalf
Of *christine koehler
*Sent:* Wednesday, January 08, 2014 5:30 PM
*To:* World wide Open Space Technology email list
*Subject:* Re: [OSList] From linkedin today
Harrison,
In a self -organized system, how do you keep the
organization coherent as a whole ?
How do you make decisions that concern the whole
organization ?
Christine
On Tue, Jan 7, 2014 at 8:27 PM, Harrison Owen
<[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>> wrote:
Paul -- This piece from Zappos is interesting indeed.
Though I must say I do wonder why the Zapposites feel it
necessary to organize a self organizing system? As they
say, "In a city, people and businesses are
self-organizing." I agree, and why not just follow the
beaten path? Holarchy is a wonderful concept, and a good
description of what I think I experience in a self
organizing system. But why go for a knock-off when you can
have the original? Just let (invite) the system to self
organize. It will work better, and costs a lot less
effort. As Stuart Kauffman might say, "order for free."
Harrison
Harrison Owen
7808 River Falls Dr.
Potomac, MD 20854
USA
189 Beaucaire Ave. (summer)
Camden, Maine 04843
Phone 301-365-2093 <tel:301-365-2093>
(summer) 207-763-3261 <tel:207-763-3261>
www.openspaceworld.com <http://www.openspaceworld.com%20/>
www.ho-image.com <http://www.ho-image.com%20/> (Personal
Website)
To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the
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*From:*[email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>
[mailto:[email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>] *On
Behalf Of *Paul Nunesdea
*Sent:* Monday, January 06, 2014 4:51 PM
*To:* World wide Open Space Technology email list
*Subject:* [OSList] From linkedin today
Research shows that every time the size of a city
doubles, innovation or productivity per resident
increases by 15 percent. But when companies get
bigger, innovation or productivity per employee
generally goes down. So we're trying to figure out how
to structure Zappos more like a city, and less like a
bureaucratic corporation. In a city, people and
businesses are self-organizing. We're trying to do the
same thing by switching from a normal hierarchical
structure to a system called Holacracy, which enables
employees to act more like entrepreneurs and
self-direct their work instead of reporting to a
manager who tells them what to do.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/pam-ross/workplace-reinvention_b_4541805.html#
<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/pam-ross/workplace-reinvention_b_4541805.html>!
From my iPad
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