Dan -- I think I see the source of your dilemma (stuckness).
"Equivalence of authorization" (or non-equivalence) is a valid
consideration in the traditional organization, characterized by
pre-determined hierarchy, authority, control, and all the rest. The
situation in Open Space is of a radically different sort -- where
those words and concepts simply don't apply. Sort of like arguing for
the presence/absence of 4 footed creatures in the world of centipedes.
I can understand how you would start down this path if you were trying
to "explain" the experience of Open Space (self organization) to the
Traditional Folks, or even more difficult, rationalize the use of Open
Space in a traditional model. Apples and oranges, oil and water, cats
and dogs ...I think. Which is why I have just given up trying to
explain it...Just do it.
Well, of course, I do fabricate a bit... and you might legitimately
point to the several books I have written, which do sound something
like an explanation. Guilty as charged, but with extenuating
circumstances, I think. It is true I do try to describe/explain Open
Space, but always in a particular context -- the world of self
organizing systems. I have never tried to justify or rationalize Open
Space in the "standard" world view. Which truth be told, I find rather
delusional, but don't tell a soul. The reason is very simple; I really
couldn't do it. And in fact I don't think anybody can... And when they
make the effort, they usually find themselves stuck. Sound familiar?
Of course there is another alternative. Simply cut Open Space down to
a size that will fit -- View it (OS) as just one more tool for the
tool box, and you can usually get by. For a while, at least.
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]] *On Behalf Of *Daniel
Mezick
*Sent:* Monday, March 31, 2014 10:06 AM
*To:* [email protected]
*Subject:* Re: [OSList] Open Space and Authority
This is very helpful for helping me understand your thinking. Thanks
for sending the rich detail and disclosure.
I am stuck. I continue to hold the belief that (quoting myself here...)
"Everyone...Sponsor included, has 100% equivalent authorization (100%
equivalent "right to do work" in the Open Space) as of the moment of
opening of the Bulletin Board and/or the opening of the Marketplace."
I wonder: if this is NOT actually true, how can the space be said to
be truly open? I wonder who has more "right to do work" than anyone
else... as of the opening of the Bulletin Board, and/or the opening of
the Marketplace, in an Open Space meeting.
Maybe there is no equivalence of authorization whatsoever in Open
Space, and I am simply barking up the wrong tree.
Daniel
On 3/31/14 9:41 AM, Michael M Pannwitz wrote:
Dear Dan,
as mostly, there is none or very little detailed thinking behind
me expressing the idea, that authority does not disappear just
because an os-event is taking place, and there is no levelling of
authority, which I assume you meant, when using the expression
"equal standing".
This is all observation and experience, data I have taken in. In
my world, thats pretty important and utterly valid even if the
stuff I observe might be seen completely different by other
observers.
Looking at myself, I have lots of authority of the kind that sort
of oozes out of me when standing in a circle, looking every one in
the eye, even if there are thousands and asking them to look
around, at the person to the right and to the left of them, behind
them, at the other side of the circcle, all the time slowly
walking around the circle... after I have done that twice everyone
is smiling, looking, focusing on each other away from me... and
then my authority shifts as I say nothing about open space but
talk about the facts of life (the principles) etc... and later I
move in the authority of invisibilty and presence...
I am not sure what happens to the participants but I have no data
that would indicate them reaching equal standing as far as
authority is concerned or that others will ignore the different
kinds and levels of authority that is associated with others
representing those, regardless of whether just assumed or in fact
fact.
There have been experiential settings in which I have
participated, such as the desert game where the folks claiming to
be authorities on how to survive in a desert lead the group to
certain death, or Tavistock Laboratories where participants, me
included, even though we had all the space and freedom we wanted
to take, used their various authorities in intricate manners to
re-create exactly the kinds of organisational strutures they came
from. So, authorities are simply a fact of life, more or less
useful, especially if adaptable in the face of surprises.
What I do find very interesting, is your quest investigating
my thinking! I have pretty much given up investigating my own
thinking, let alone that of others. Seems to me that the only
thing that works for my passion to have the forces of
selforganisation do their thing (expanding time and space, if that
is at all possible) is to concentrate on the things I can somehow
control: set up a circle of chairs, etc.
Have a great day
mmp
On 30.03.2014 16:17, Daniel Mezick wrote:
Michael,
I am asking for help. May I investigate your thinking?
"...there is no such thing as an equal standing in authority terms."
Will you expose your detailed thinking behind your expression of this
one idea?
On 3/30/14 8:34 AM, Michael M Pannwitz wrote:
Dear Dan and everyone,
here are some bits from my experience:
---When I get a call or an email from someone asking me to facilitate
an ost-event I tell them to please arrange a "contact" meeting that
needs to be attended also by the person that will have the authority
to say yes or no at the end (usually the person that would pay my
fee). The purpose of the contact meeting is for the sponsor to find
out, whether the prerequisites for an OST event are sufficiently in
place. This meeting takes 60 to 90 minutes, no fee charged.
This process has nothing to do with OST, its simply what is needed
for
any kind of intervention of any kind of man-made organisation that is
embarking on such a venture.
---Participants in an OST event do not leave the authority
bestowed on
them in the wardrobe, there is no such thing as an equal standing in
authority terms. What does happen is that folks differently bestowed
with authority will, in contrast to what they usually do, follow
more
freely their "passion and responsibility" which, it seems, in some
way
increases their non-bestowed authority... the expanded space for the
forces of selforganisation, the real motor in an OST event, seems to
have this effect. Everyone, all participants, fully well know the
limitations that they will have to deal with "back in the asylum"
when
they follow their passion... and very often they are amazingly
elegant
and cunning in seeing their project through (responsible). That is
why
I encourage the folks in charge not to make any kind of promises
regarding what they will do to encourage projects emerging from the
ost event. Participants will get the conditions in place to see their
projects through.
---Yes, again my experience, coercion, control and such do shut down
open space, not completely though: I have seen the force in a dormant
stage and becoming quite alive when the conditions are right
(prerequisites in place)... isn't it our experience that big CONTROL
seems to shut down just about anything? In OST events I have actually
seen efforts of BiG control being met by counter-activity (this is
sometimes the effect of facilitator intervention when a space-invader
tries his stuff or, and even more effective, the "group" grappling
with space invasion/attempts at control... these observations I have
made when there is a really burning business issue and absolutely
nobody has the foggiest idea regarding the solution, least the folks
with "authority".
I really impress myself with your passion, Daniel. Maybe because I
also have been trying to refine my understanding, find precise
language, get my hands onto, etc. what it is that happens in
os-events
or even in os-organisations. In my os-facilitator-career, I have
increasingly given up trying to understand it and focus more on
what I
see happening... which has increased my faible for stories. By now, I
know that stories are fact, right, my facts.
Have a great Sunday,
cheers
mmp
On 30.03.2014 13:45, Daniel Mezick wrote:
Hi Michael, Everyone,
I'm sorry there are coercive mandates happening in Berlin, and
that you
have to experience them.
Regarding the Sponsor for an OST meeting,
I am saying that I believe this person must have enough formal
authority
("sufficient+1") to be able to actually arrange, budget and
convene the
meeting. And that the authority that the Sponsor holds is
conferred to
him or her by the organization. Is this true in OST?
Regarding the Participants,
I am saying that I believe that after the Marketplace opens, the
intention and in fact the reality of OST is that everyone has an
equal
standing in authority terms. At the start, no one person or group has
any more authorization to act than any other person, regardless of
their
formally authorized role in the organization. Is this true in OST?
For the record, I am not at all in favor of mandates. I am
allergic to
them. I believe mandates and other forms of coercion strongly
discourage
self-organization by the imposition of external authority over the
person or group. Self-organization is impossible in scenarios where
individuals and groups are not free to choose. Is this true in OST?
This places out routinely EVERY SINGLE DAY in Agile adoptions.
Formally
authorized leadership imposes Agile practices on teams while at
the same
time encouraging teams to "self-organize". I for one have seldom
if ever
seen it actually work that way.
And so I have my questions about authority in Open Space.
I'm not being cute here: I'm hoping someone can help me
break/refine my
model of OST as it pertains to formal and informal authority, in the
Open Space. I'm trying to use more precise language to explain what I
think is going on in OST. In my view, the 1 Law and the 5 Principles
make it clear everyone has equal informal authorization in OST,
regardless of their formal title. I some ways the formal titles are
suspended, as the space is held open for inquiry and dialogue.
This is my current belief. I asking for help in determining if this
belief is close to truth.
Related Links:
http://newtechusa.net/agile/authority-and-power/
http://newtechusa.net/agile/authority-explained/
Regards,
Daniel
On 3/30/14 5:23 AM, Michael M Pannwitz wrote:
Dear Dan, Jamie and Paul,
is there a new (5th or 6th) principle emerging?
Such as:
"Whoever is authorized is the right people?"
Or
"Whoever is mandated is the right people?"
Or is there a new prerequisite for the unfolding of the forces of
selforganisation in sight?
In addition to the 4,5 or 6 that we are often concerned about?
Such as:
"High level of authorisation"
or
"High level of mandation" (Palines for mandate, have a look at this
link
http://de.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Mandation
Or are these thoughts simply a manifestation of "old-paradigm",
remnants of the realm of control?
Control? Wasn't that the effort to shut down selforganisation towards
zero?
Heavy stuff for a sundrenched Sunday morning in Berlin where I and
the
entire population (including dogs and cats and other pets kept in
human housing) are suffering from having been robbed of an hours time
by authorities that are mandated to do such stuff.
Oh yes, before I forget, there was the notion that "passion and
responsibility" is all that is needed for "authorisation" (with the
nagging suspicion that folks driven by passion and responsibility and
even taking action under those influences walk through the walls and
obstacles set up by those authorized to raise them as if they were
thin air).
Greetings from Berlin
mmp
On 29.03.2014 21:57, Daniel Mezick wrote:
I am asking for help. Will you help me clarify my thinking?
I'm wondering if 100% equivalence in authorization for all
participants
is actually a key/defining characteristic of any genuine and
authentic
Open Space event...
First things first. Definitions:
Authority: The right to do specific work
Authorization: The conferring of authority
Formal Authority: Authorization conferred from the formal
organization
to a person. Example: "the CEO".
Informal Authority: Authorization conferred from peers, colleagues
and
co-workers. Example: "emergent leadership".
Now let's get into it. I currently think, and believe, that:
1. For an Open Space event inside an organization, the Sponsor must
occupy a role with substantial formal authorization, definitely more
than enough to actually authorize that OST event. The higher the
level
of formal authorization of the Sponsor, the better it is for the
event
overall.
2. The Sponsor authorizes the participants- the "invitees"-- to meet
together, and do the specific work of exploring and investigating the
Theme. This "authorized work" is done in "authorized space"...in that
specific place, for a specific period of time. The Sponsor explicitly
authorizes all of the above and conveys this message after they stand
up, and before they sit down, at the opening.
2. The Facilitator is formally authorized by the Sponsor to do the
specific work of OST event. Absent this authorization, the
Facilitator
has no standing.
3. This is the big one: Everyone else, Sponsor included, has 100%
equivalent authorization (100% equivalent "right to do work") as of
the
moment of opening of the Bulletin Board and/or the opening of the
Marketplace.
4. As the event progresses, authorization dynamics are in play. These
"informal authorization" dynamics occur continuously throughout the
day
in real time, moment by moment. Those who experience net increases in
levels of informal authorization as of the end of the meeting have
membership in the "emergent leadership" group.
I am very interested in what experienced folks think about the
validity
of the assertion in (3) above.
Ex the Facilitator, does everyone else actually have 100% equivalent
authorization in an OST meeting? Why or why not?
Is this 100% equivalence of authorization actually a key/defining
characteristic of any genuine and authentic Open Space event?
Thanks for any insight you may be able to provide, and
Kind Regards,
Daniel
--
Daniel Mezick, President
New Technology Solutions Inc.
(203) 915 7248 (cell)
Bio <http://newtechusa.net/dan-mezick/>
<http://newtechusa.net/dan-mezick/>. Blog
<http://newtechusa.net/blog/> <http://newtechusa.net/blog/>. Twitter
<http://twitter.com/#%21/danmezick/>
<http://twitter.com/#%21/danmezick/>.
Examine my new book:The Culture Game
<http://newtechusa.net/about/the-culture-game-book/>
<http://newtechusa.net/about/the-culture-game-book/>: Tools for the
Agile Manager.
Explore Agile Team Training
<http://newtechusa.net/services/agile-scrum-training/>
<http://newtechusa.net/services/agile-scrum-training/> and Coaching.
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Bio <http://newtechusa.net/dan-mezick/>
<http://newtechusa.net/dan-mezick/>. Blog
<http://newtechusa.net/blog/> <http://newtechusa.net/blog/>. Twitter
<http://twitter.com/#%21/danmezick/>
<http://twitter.com/#%21/danmezick/>.
Examine my new book:The Culture Game
<http://newtechusa.net/about/the-culture-game-book/>
<http://newtechusa.net/about/the-culture-game-book/>: Tools for the
Agile Manager.
Explore Agile Team Training
<http://newtechusa.net/services/agile-scrum-training/>
<http://newtechusa.net/services/agile-scrum-training/> and Coaching.
<http://newtechusa.net/services/agile-scrum-coaching/>
<http://newtechusa.net/services/agile-scrum-coaching/>
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New Technology Solutions Inc.
(203) 915 7248 (cell)
Bio <http://newtechusa.net/dan-mezick/>
<http://newtechusa.net/dan-mezick/>. Blog
<http://newtechusa.net/blog/> <http://newtechusa.net/blog/>.
Twitter <http://twitter.com/#%21/danmezick/>
<http://twitter.com/#%21/danmezick/>.
Examine my new book:The Culture Game
<http://newtechusa.net/about/the-culture-game-book/>
<http://newtechusa.net/about/the-culture-game-book/>: Tools for the
Agile Manager.
Explore Agile Team Training
<http://newtechusa.net/services/agile-scrum-training/>
<http://newtechusa.net/services/agile-scrum-training/> and Coaching.
<http://newtechusa.net/services/agile-scrum-coaching/>
<http://newtechusa.net/services/agile-scrum-coaching/>
Explore the Agile Boston <http://newtechusa.net//user-groups/ma/>
<http://newtechusa.net/user-groups/ma/>Community.
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New Technology Solutions Inc.
(203) 915 7248 (cell)
Bio <http://newtechusa.net/dan-mezick/>. Blog
<http://newtechusa.net/blog/>. Twitter
<http://twitter.com/#%21/danmezick/>.
Examine my new book:The Culture Game
<http://newtechusa.net/about/the-culture-game-book/>: Tools for the
Agile Manager.
Explore Agile Team Training
<http://newtechusa.net/services/agile-scrum-training/> and Coaching.
<http://newtechusa.net/services/agile-scrum-coaching/>
Explore the Agile Boston <http://newtechusa.net/user-groups/ma/>Community.
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