Daniel:
Marvelous
story. Thanks and Congratulations.
The more
techie people in the OST community have been interested for a long time about
the relationship between Agile and SCRUM with OST. I remember for instance, at
WOSonOS 2012, in London, having participated in one or two sessions on such
subjects,
convened by Harold Shinsato, if I recall well. And also two years before that
in Berlin.
We never
went so far as you did, but I am sure that you will find (are already finding) a
lot of people interested in your approach in this list.
And yes,
OST is not only a tool for having good meetings. When one understands the
“spirit”
of it, it is mainly a tool for profound change.
I find interesting that you always
mentioned mainly the change for introducing Agile methodologies – and that is a
profound change indeed. But you wrote a lot that can be applied in other
processes
of "profound change" in businesses and the society at large, and that resonated
with
some of my interests. I will refer to that in a next post.
Regards
Artur
________________________________
From: Daniel Mezick <[email protected]>
To: [email protected]
Sent: Thursday, July 25, 2013 5:38 PM
Subject: [OSList] The Open Agile Adoption story
Good morning OST-List!
I am Daniel Mezick, probably someone you never heard of.
I’m an executive & Agile coach that seeks (and
occasionally obtains) work in that section of the USA between
NYC and Boston. I
live in CT. I have a story to tell you…and an invitation…
Open and Agile
…about 4 years ago I start experimenting with Open Space, using it inside
public http://www.agileboston.org/ conference events. I study OST more. In 2010
we at Agile Boston innovate by getting the 80-page proceeding from a large
public OST event rendered to a PDF and shipped to all participants in less than
24 hours. (We employ a rapid transcription service to render the per-session
outputs to text and images, then create a WORD doc and PDF.)
I actually did not know what the hell I was doing. I just knew it was a
generally good idea to socialize Open Space in Boston.
Little do I know…
In late 2010, by Googling around I discover the free-download PDF of the SPIRIT
book by HO. Reading that changes everything for me. I realize that OST is
really about development and transformation in organizations, NOT simply for
public conferences and general education. (This is how the “Agile community”
currently uses Open Space.)
As a consultant to organizations, I realize that the SPIRIT book for some
reason is completely overlooked by the Agile community, and that this book had
the seeds of success in it. The “secret sauce”. I begin experimenting with
bringing Open Space meetings into my Agile coaching engagements. The basic
hypothesis is that the introduction of change (Agile in this case) creates
alarming levels of anxiety and worry. And, that Open Space might actually help
reduce worry and fear.
From late 2010 to the present day, I begin experimenting with using Open Space
in service to rapid and lasting Agile adoptions. By diving into this work with
willing clients, I begin to realize the power of Open Space… with them. We find
that we can reduce the anxiety of change via the power and mystery of
“invitation.” I begin to study and build upon work from Ed Seykota (“testing
for willingness”), Michael Herman (“invitation”), Harrison Owen (the SPIRIT
book), others.
In 2011 I do a few more experiments and begin pulling ideas from cultural
anthropology (Victor Turner), from positive psychology (Tony Hsieh’s
application of Martin Seligman’s work) and from the art and science of game
design (Jane McGonigal).
In 2012 I write THE CULTURE GAME (http://www.theculturegame.com/), a book about
how to help your organization get smarter. At this point I have worked with OST
in more than a few organizations. In that book I write a chapter, chapter 21,
and give it the title “Open The Space”. That chapter contains several “easter
eggs” which a few astute readers find and begin using. I start to get emails
from around the world about that chapter. In that chapter I reference many of
Harrison’s works, I disclose some of the Open Agile Adoption technique. In
that chapter, I specifically provide the link to the SPIRIT book.
By late 2012, I have confirmation of several hypotheses. The first is that
without engagement, we have nothing. That seems very obvious, yet the current
Agile literature has little or nothing to say about the role of engagement in
effective Agile adoptions. Second is that there is no engagement without
psychological safety sufficient to engage. Third, safety (and a general sense
of well-being) is a largely a function of creating an “inviting structure”. By
structure I mean: a clear goal, or purpose…and a clear set of rules…and a
great, always-on feedback system and the big one…”opt-in participation”.
I started ranting on Twitter and on my blog about how “mandated collaboration”
in Agile adoptions is at best misguided. How mandated practices may
be...harmful. Remember by this point I have my experience and case data. I am
speaking from some experience.
At first, no one seemed to hear me. But after a while, I start getting ReTweets
a lot. And people started talking back to me from around the world and there is
conversation. Questions. Insights. I start connecting with all kinds of people
around this idea. Some of the ReTweets are from people with French names who
Tweet in French AND English.
So here I am with this more-than-pretty-good technique that incorporates Open
Space. And I am kind of feeding out provocative questions about Agile coaching,
and talking a lot about invitation, and about the futility of mandates…I also
make some radical assertions. This goes on for a while.
Then I got this interesting invitation.
It’s an invite to come and keynote the Global Scrum Gathering in Paris France
in September of 2013. The invite is from some of those French people who
ReTweet my Tweets. They tell me I can talk about absolutely anything I deem
important, and ask me to “come and play” with them.
It takes me about 2 minutes to make up my mind. As soon as this happens, I know
it is one of these providential-type events that becomes a defining moment. I
gather up all my notes and start crafting the speech. I also immediately
contact Harrison Owen, and bring all my work and notes up to his place in
Camden to talk, and explain OAA with Open Space to him, and seek his guidance.
That was back in early July.
And so: here we are. I’m going over there to Paris to talk about Open Agile
Adoption with Open Space to six hundred Agile and Scrum practitioners. Many of
them are coaches. The OAA technique incorporates OST, storytelling, play, and
some ancient and proven tribal patterns for managing change, specifically the
rite of passage pattern.
There is a list of links at the bottom of this note, so you can get a sense of
what I am presenting. Over July and August I am planning to explain the whole
technique to you and everyone else, holding back the case data and the toolkit
until 9/24 in Paris, when I deliver the actual speech. On that day, the toolkit
and all the tools become free to the world via an open source license and a
free download. The intent is to provide a body of work that others can
immediately use and more importantly, improve upon.
We know that people are only 25 or 30 percent engaged at work. (see related
link below.) Open Space is a profoundly useful way to double or even triple
engagement from there. The hypothesis of Open Agile Adoption is that a safe
space is required for true group learning to take root. And that Open Space is
the primary tool for constructing that kind of place.
The keynote address is designed to resonate before and after the event. Before
the event, INFOQ.com is publishing articles, videos and interviews on Open
Agile Adoption. During the event, the speech will be transcribed, videotaped
and recorded by the Scrum Alliance. After the event these Scrum Alliance
artifacts will be available to anyone in the world via the Scrum Alliance. Also
after the event I plan to make the case data and Open Agile Adoption toolkit
free to the world, such that anyone with “a good head and a good heart” can do
it and do it well.
I’m taking a page from Harrison’s playbook, and from his ethos, choosing to
make the entire body of know-how free to the world. I’m hoping that Open Agile
Adoption (and derivatives) become the standard for implementing more rapid and
lasting Agile adoptions…
…Not everyone is likely to be happy if this comes true. The Open Space element
has the potential to radically reduce the amount of Agile coaching that is
actually needed to get a rapid and lasting Agile adoption. That reduces
billable hours!
Further (and of far more interest to you) is the idea that skilled OST
Facilitators are required to execute well with the Open Agile Adoption
technique. This has the potential to open up new demand for those here with
deep OST skills and experience.
There is clear potential for a certain “changing of the guard” in Agile
adoptions worldwide. There is potential for disruption...and maybe a little bit
of chaos.
After the Paris Scrum Gathering, I plan to offer short, plain-talk seminars in
how to do Open Agile Adoption. I do not plan to teach Open Space facilitation
in detail, because others in this community are already doing this very well,
and also because there is more to Open Agile Adoption that just Open Space.
There are elements of storytelling, elements of a passage rite, elements of
gaming, play and more. I plan to teach the overall OAA technique to people who
want to learn it. In France in September, I am teaching two ½ day seminars on
9/26 and 9/28 after the Scrum Gathering. When I return I plan to continue
teaching in the United States.
I am asking for help. Will you help me socialize the idea that Open Space is
essential for creating rapid and lasting Agile adoptions?
You can help in the following ways:
0/ Be playful, and help me refine and improve Open Agile Adoption with others
1/ Learn more about OAA via the provided links below. Then, ask me questions.
2/ Tell me if you offer Open Space training courses, and send me your info, so
I can promote your course to Open Agile Adoption practitioners. If you are a
Facilitator for hire, I want to talk to you!
3/ Examine the work, and provide feedback as I disclose it over the next
month.
4/ Sign up for the Facebook group Open Agile Adoption via this link:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/204037609756665/
5/ Help me get in front of Agile audiences to the extent you can. This year I
am speaking on Open Agile Adoption with Open Space at these events (in date
order):
8/7/13: session, Agile2013
9/24/13: keynote, Global Scrum Gathering, Paris
11/6/13: keynote, Agile Tour, Quebec City Quebec CA
I hope you like this story,
and I hope you want it to continue,
and I hope want to help write it.
I am inviting you to come and do that. Will you join me with others in writing
the next chapter of the Open Agile Adoption story?
I hope you will consider doing exactly that.
Kind Regards,
Daniel Mezick
http://www.danielmezick.com/
[email protected]
203 915 7248
Related Links:
GALLUP Link on (dis) engagement
$350 billion per year in lost productivity.
http://businessjournal.gallup.com/content/247/the-high-cost-of-disengaged-employees.aspx
SPIRIT Link (Harrison Owen book)
http://www.openspaceworld.com/Spirit.pdf
Open Agile Adoption Link
http://www.openagileadoption.com/
Mandated Collaboration Link
http://newtechusa.net/agile/the-recipe-for-botched-agile-adoptions/
Scrum Gathering Link (click ‘keynotes’ and then click “right arrow”…
http://www.scrumalliance.org/courses-events/events/global-gatherings/2013/paris-2013
Agile2013 Link
http://www.agilequebec.ca/nouvelles/agile-tour-2013-keynote/
Agile Tour Quebec City keynote Link
http://www.agilequebec.ca/nouvelles/agile-tour-2013-keynote/
Open Agile Adoption Group on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/groups/204037609756665/
--
Daniel Mezick, President
New Technology Solutions Inc.
(203) 915 7248 (cell)
Bio. Blog. Twitter.
Examine my new book: The Culture Game : Tools for the Agile Manager.
Explore Agile Team Training and Coaching.
Explore the Agile Boston Community.
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