Good day,
I posted this query to Harrison earlier today and am posting now to the
larger community. I appreciate your insight...
Thanks,
Jeff
I recently pitched an OS Event for a community transformation project.
The customer is well versed in Complexity Theory as applied to large
scale change and has a negative opinion of OST.
His argument is with the tenant that 'whomever show up are the right
people'. He feels that for much of the work we need to do - the right
people will NOT show up - simply to prevent a real solution from being
created...
Thoughts?
Harrison's reply
Actually I think this is a great question for OSLIST and I might suggest
that you post it, along with my two bits just to see if there is not more
and better wisdom out there...
But to your question about the "right" people. Your sponsor may well be
correct, but if the "right" people don't show up that is almost inevitably a
function of the Invitation -- Does it describe a real, juicy issue in terms
that folks will understand? And of equal importance was it sent out as
broadly as possible so that the "right" people might see it?
Then I guess we come to the heart of the matter. Who are The Right People?
If by "right" one means (mostly) the ones who hold power and authority --
mayors and such, then I think there is a potential difficulty. But that
would not be my understanding of the "Right" people. For me the right people
are all those who care. The fact that they may care in multiple and
different ways is actually a plus, because from this diversity of point of
view comes the possibility of truly robust solutions. But "caring" is the
real ticket of admission, from where I sit. Give me 10 people who really
care, as opposed to the 50 that "should" be there and I think we are off to
a great start.
Tell you a story. I once did an OS is a small East Texas town. Theme was,
"Creating a town we all want to live in." The invitation went all across
town, and the Mayor did not care to come. Some folks thought this was a
problem, but eventually they came to understand. Before we did the Open
Space it was the standard wisdom that NOTHING COULD HAPPEN without the
mayor's permission. After the Open Space, the people just went ahead and
then informed the Mayor what they had done. Next time they did an Open
Space, you better believe the mayor cared to come.
Harrison
Thoughts???
Warmest Regards,
Jeffrey Edwards
Alchemists Intl
904.276.0067
SKYPE NPDICoach
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