Nice reflection Harrison. You've unfortunately created too many loose ends to inspire a neat reply. So here is a messy one.
Regards the simplest recipe for Open Space, to what degree have the Law and N Principles (and the animals) been critically tested? To be honest, these have never really resonated for me and I've always used a different variation each time searching for something that feels right (and no longer than it needs to be). I think it's a long bow to describe Open Space as mainstream, or anywhere near it. It has spread to all corners of the globe perhaps, but it is still the System A alternative, islands within a System B world. I would hazard 90% of those who have been to conferences and meetings and like gatherings have not heard of it... (speaking at a conference on cocreation and placemaking recently, I requested a hands-up and had a whole TWO of hundreds confess to acquaintance) and even if 90% had, I'm sure less than 1% of the gatherings they attend are consciously designed to unlock self organisation. What you describe of the permutations of the practice matches what I see (though I'm too new to know differently), but I can't see how this could be because of a tipping point as the practice is mainstreamed. Maybe that's just where I participate. Regards the permutations and combinations... bring them on! This thread could quickly follow all sorts of rabbit holes on this one, so I might save those thoughts for another day. Cheers *John Baxter* *Cocreation Consultant & CoCreate Adelaide Facilitator* jsbaxter.com.au <http://www.jsbaxter.com.au/> | CoCreateADL.com 0405 447 829 | @jsbaxter_ <http://twitter.com/jsbaxter_> *Thank you to everyone who came, helped or spread the good word about City Grill!* *Summary and links: cocreateadl.com/localgov/grill-summary/ <http://cocreateadl.com/localgov/grill-summary/>* On Fri, Nov 14, 2014 at 5:37 AM, paul levy via OSList < [email protected]> wrote: > The problem with sticking with things is you might just end up stuck. > > Ho hum. > > Paul Levy > > > > > On 13 Nov 2014, at 18:14, Harrison Owen via OSList < > [email protected]> wrote: > > Open Space, in its “original” form is sparse simplicity to say the least. > Ten to fifteen minutes introduction, and it is off the races, or in my > case, off to take a nap. The evolution of this format followed a simple > dictum: “Think of one more thing NOT to do.” Over time in my practice I > simply removed one more element. The first to go were so called, “warm up > exercises.” But it went down from there. My surprise was that the less I > did, the better it got... which seemed to be the exact opposite of many of > my colleagues’ experience with the methods and approaches they had created. > Their simple guide books gave way to 400 page Manuals with additions and > extensions. Of course, there were times when people remarked to me that OS > was so simple it couldn’t possibly work. But it did. Simply sit in a > circle, create a bulletin board, acknowledge the 5 principles and the Law – > and Go to Work! That’s it. That’s all. > > > > I confess that I do love elegant simplicity, and so there is a large part > of me that would stick with the “original” for that reason alone. To this > may be added the fact that this “elegant simplicity” apparently violated > essentially all the principles and practices of management that I knew > about. To some extent this was a source of no small amount of > embarrassment, for after all when what you see, do, and think is at odds > with the Received Wisdom there are obvious questions about your grasp of > reality. But, the disparity between what I was witnessing and what (I was > told) I should be experiencing has led to a marvelous quest into the > strange new world of self organizing systems. Rich and rewarding indeed. > > > > Now it seems that the world is changing (or at least our perception of > that world) such that the strange environment of self organization is no > longer so strange. What appeared odd, counter-intuitive, impossible is now > almost mainstream. Not quite but getting there. And if so, perhaps it is > now time to let go of that old “elegant simplicity” in all of its appealing > purity... and plunge into the marvelous world of combinations and > permutations. And why not? It could be a lot of fun. > > > > I can see the possibilities, but I doubt seriously I would change. Senile > sentimentality for sure, AND I actually have another concern which I think > may be determinative. I suspect that OST (simple version) may be the best > Training Program going when it comes to the introduction of folks to the > High Arts of navigating a self organizing world. And best of all it is > Experiential Learning from the start. Training and Doing are absolutely > united. It is not talking about self organization it is being intentionally > in that mode. And any added complexity/parallel program will tend to > obscure the central mind bending fact – It’s happening all by itself. > > > > We have talked about this “ training” function before, usually under the > heading of Chris Corrigan’s notion of Training Wheels. That is definitely > good start, but only a start. We can do more, and it could be a real kick. > > > > So I plan to stick with the original – with the hope and intent that lots > of new people will drop by to experience the incredible, productive freedom > of losing control, and then come to understand that it is actually their > birthright. They only have to claim it. > > > > Harrison > > > > > > > > Winter Address > > 7808 River Falls Drive > > Potomac, MD 20854 > > 301-365-2093 > > > > Summer Address > > 189 Beaucaire Ave. > > Camden, ME 04843 > > 207-763-3261 > > > > Websites > > www.openspaceworld.com <http://%20www.openspaceworld.com> > > www.ho-image.com > > OSLIST To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives > of OSLIST Go to: > http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org > > > > _______________________________________________ > OSList mailing list > To post send emails to [email protected] > To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] > To subscribe or manage your subscription click below: > http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org > > > _______________________________________________ > OSList mailing list > To post send emails to [email protected] > To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] > To subscribe or manage your subscription click below: > http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org > >
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