Thanks Birgitt, I think it is called maturity- that is the process of redefining the boundaries. The “sigmoid “ curve or organisational performance show us that as we accelerate and broaden our “givens” the organisation needs to invigorate itself lest it slide into a comfort zone chocked by its own inability to explore the “risky” areas of newness. “Who stole my cheese?” Is a short exploration of some options open to those who have “plenty of cheese”. Toyota seem to have done a good job in this area since the 1950s.
“There is always something”. The wonder of actively working in complex systems. Regards Rob > On 23 Jul 2019, at 9:59 am, Birgitt Williams <birg...@dalarinternational.com> > wrote: > > Hi Rob, > I appreciate your emphasis on the 'givens' for an OST meeting. I was thinking > about your wisdom of the step by step process that is needed in an > organization. This relates to my experience of helping the organization > practice and develop its capacity for working with OST...and as you refer to, > as a way of life. > > I wish to add one observation. The original space that is open continues to > emerge. The 'givens' need to be updated regularly including asking 'is this > really a given?'. The givens thus evolve, as does the capacity for working in > a culture of leadership...and leading a culture of leadership. > > Birgitt > > > > Birgitt Williams > Supporting Next Level Leadership "Leading So People Will Lead" > Author, Senior Consultant, President Dalar International Consultancy, Inc > Founder Genuine Contact Program > Co-owner Genuine Contact Group, LLC > Founder Extraordinary Leadership Network > > Learn with us for your skill and capacity development for leading and working > in the new leadership paradigm "Leading So People Will Lead" > > Upcoming learning module: Working with Open Space Technology. Three different > learning options to learn a process for facilitating meetings that engage the > people. Self-Study + One-to-One Mentoring + Mentoring Circle; Self-Study + > Real-Time Workshop + Mentoring Circle; and Self-Study + Real-Time Workshop + > One-to-One Mentoring + Mentoring Circle with real time workshop dates three > consecutive Fridays from 9am to 12:30pm EST on October 18, 25, and November > 1st. > > PO Box 19373, Raleigh, NC, USA 27613 > Phone: 01-919-522-7750 > > >> On Sat, Jul 20, 2019 at 10:20 PM R Chaffe <rcha...@gmail.com> wrote: >> Brigitte and Thomas, >> In negotiations leading to the opening of space it is vital that the >> “givens” or “boundaries” are defined based on the authority of the manager >> to set things within their control/responsibility. Failing to do this >> results in a disaster for all involved. >> >> The governance issues arise when people step outside their level or area of >> responsibility and accountability. >> >> “We” do this all the time as we train our children to take responsibility >> for getting tasks done. Toddlers “wash up” the wooden and plastic toys and >> step by step they graduate to managing the fine Chrystal and Chinaware. >> >> Enterprises are the same they need to learn how to work with Open Space so >> that at all times all the participants are aware of the level of >> delegation/responsibility they have and are accountable for. It is a step >> by step process not an event, it moves from a process to a “way of being” by >> the way the outputs are implemented. >> >> When every person takes responsibility for their share of governance and >> action then we have the whole organism working together for success. The >> best part is that the “local networks” are primed to support collaboration >> and synergy based on success for all. >> >> Regards >> Rob >> >>> On 21 Jul 2019, at 10:33 am, Birgitt Williams via OSList >>> <oslist@lists.openspacetech.org> wrote: >>> >>> Dear Thomas, >>> Thank you for your thoughtful reply. >>> >>> You raised the following points/question and I am responding to this "One >>> thing came to mind from a managers perspective. I think of a challenge >>> regarding legal responsibility for the assets. If it’s my company, I take >>> the risk by myself. If I am hired as manager for a company owned by someone >>> else and thinking about self-management, I feel unsure about giving away >>> decision-making power while remaining legally responsible. I would like to >>> have the owners in on that conversation." >>> >>> Your concern about accountability for assets is similar to the dominant >>> concern that comes up for senior leaders. It is always the senior leader >>> that is held accountable for the performance of the organization and thus >>> the concern raised is inclusive of the concern about assets...it is about >>> the reality that their is personal accountability for performance. >>> >>> Following, I am writing as though we were having a conversation. I am not >>> certain how this will come across in email format. I invite you to imagine >>> that these are my replies within a conversation. >>> >>> The senior leader makes strategic choices, with or without the involvement >>> of the owners of the company, or in the case of the non-profit, with or >>> without the Board of Directors. If including the Board of Directors or >>> owners, I suggest presenting this as a strategy that you are recommending >>> to accomplish a particular business goal ie: increasing employee >>> engagement, increasing the health and well being of the organization, or >>> other. >>> >>> There is wisdom in keeping authority linked with responsibility and >>> accountability. In my experience, when the question of sharing decision >>> making comes up, it is helpful to consider this triumvirate of >>> authority/responsibility/accountability including whether the authority and >>> accountability can be linked appropriately with whoever already has >>> responsibility for various aspects of the organization. It starts to make >>> sense to distribute the authority and accountability to achieve alignment >>> with responsibility. In our geographic area we have a wisdom that says 'it >>> is a fools errand to take on responsibility if you don't have the authority >>> to go with it to get the job done'. >>> >>> Okay, if we are this far along in the discussion and the >>> thinking/reflecting about this topic, you may be saying "Birgitt, I get all >>> of that. Yet i still feel nervous about sharing the decision making and >>> what we have discussed doesn't really help me". >>> >>> I would then introduce the concept of "givens" to you. It is the job of the >>> senior leader to determine the "givens" or non-negotiables that the senior >>> leader has decided upon. Working at the "givens" is one side of the task of >>> figuring out how much freedom you are giving the people within which to be >>> creative, innovative, and make decisions. As one Director said to me "in my >>> decades of career, getting honest with myself about the givens has been the >>> hardest work I have ever done. And now that it is done, and the givens are >>> communicated, and everyone is figuring out what they now have authority and >>> freedom for, this is amazing. My only regret is that I didn't do this >>> sooner in my career. When I defined the givens, for the first time I >>> defined the space within which I truly want the people to be free to be >>> their best. I can be accountable for our performance within this frame of >>> 'givens' and the clarity about the space I have opened up in my >>> organization." >>> >>> Thomas, this is the best I can do to describe the ways forward beyond the >>> tension created about sharing decision making. I am not on the same page as >>> some of the others on this list about self organized systems. I experience >>> value in having formal leaders, and in having appropriate hierarchy to >>> getting the job done. I am very passionate about leadership that supports a >>> culture of leadership. >>> >>> kind regards, >>> Birgitt >>> >>> >>> >>> Birgitt Williams >>> Supporting Next Level Leadership "Leading So People Will Lead" >>> Author, Senior Consultant, President Dalar International Consultancy, Inc >>> Founder Genuine Contact Program >>> Co-owner Genuine Contact Group, LLC >>> Founder Extraordinary Leadership Network >>> >>> Learn with us for your skill and capacity development for leading and >>> working in the new leadership paradigm "Leading So People Will Lead" >>> >>> Upcoming learning module: Working with Open Space Technology. Three >>> different learning options to learn a process for facilitating meetings >>> that engage the people. Self-Study + One-to-One Mentoring + Mentoring >>> Circle; Self-Study + Real-Time Workshop + Mentoring Circle; and Self-Study >>> + Real-Time Workshop + One-to-One Mentoring + Mentoring Circle with real >>> time workshop dates three consecutive Fridays from 9am to 12:30pm EST on >>> October 18, 25, and November 1st. >>> >>> PO Box 19373, Raleigh, NC, USA 27613 >>> Phone: 01-919-522-7750 >>> >>> >>>> On Sat, Jul 20, 2019 at 11:18 AM Thomas Perret via OSList >>>> <oslist@lists.openspacetech.org> wrote: >>>> Birgitt, >>>> >>>> This seems spot on regarding lasting change, I liked it a lot. >>>> >>>> "The answer has consistently been about the leadership capacity of the >>>> leadership team to lead an organization of people who are engaged in the >>>> ways that were visible in the OST meeting. This is a vulnerable >>>> conversation to be having and I feel a lot of respect for the leaders and >>>> the discussion.” >>>> >>>> I read your whole mail aloud to a friend and this part touched me >>>> especially. >>>> >>>> One thing came to mind from a managers perspective. I think of a challenge >>>> regarding legal responsibility for the assets. If it’s my company, I take >>>> the risk by myself. If I am hired as manager for a company owned by >>>> someone else and thinking about self-management, I feel unsure about >>>> giving away decision-making power while remaining legally responsible. I >>>> would like to have the owners in on that conversation. >>>> >>>> Has something like this come up for you? If yes, will you say something >>>> about it? >>>> >>>> Kindly, >>>> Thomas Perret >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> The answer has consistently been about the leadership capacity of the >>>> leadership team to lead an organization of people who are engaged in the >>>> ways that were visible in the OST meeting. This is a vulnerable >>>> conversation to be having and I feel a lot of respect for the leaders and >>>> the discussion. >>>> >>>>> On 19 Jul 2019, at 4.07, Birgitt Williams via OSList >>>>> <oslist@lists.openspacetech.org> wrote: >>>>> >>>>> Dear friends and colleagues in Open Space, >>>>> When you facilitate an OST meeting in an organization, it is the formal >>>>> leader who opens the space inside his/her organization for this meeting >>>>> to take place. Whether the leader feels well versed in what OST is or is >>>>> simply going along with something that has been recommended, that person >>>>> has an experience that is also a big opportunity...for the single leader >>>>> and/or the leadership team. >>>>> >>>>> If you also recognize the wonderful opportunity in front of this leader >>>>> as you have discussions with the leader and leadership team, you may be >>>>> interested in the five self study modules that our team is calling our >>>>> Next Level Leadership learning track. The five modules are designed for >>>>> just such a leader to go through in a self study mode to encourage some >>>>> of the thinking that is important to lead an organization within the new >>>>> leadership paradigm within which OST fits "Leading So People Will Lead". >>>>> >>>>> Since 1992 I have been fascinated by what happens when formal leaders >>>>> including leadership teams sponsor and experience an Open Space >>>>> Technology meeting in their workplace. There are a few different story >>>>> lines that emerged. First, it is important to share with you that within >>>>> how we teach about Working with Open Space Technology in our Genuine >>>>> Contact program, we encourage facilitators of the OST meeting to have a >>>>> 'debrief meeting' with these leaders (the sponsors). The questions we ask >>>>> in the debrief meeting are kept simple and are intended for heightening >>>>> learning from the shared experience of having been in an OST meeting. >>>>> Yes, simple action-reflection learning. >>>>> >>>>> In my experience, OST always works. And always, the quality and quantity >>>>> of outcomes surpasses all expectations. So...that is part of what is >>>>> reflected on during the debrief meeting. Within an OST meeting, there is >>>>> always the experience of leadership popping up by just about everyone; >>>>> people stating that they experience a shared vision during the meeting; a >>>>> real sense of community with good communication throughout; and self >>>>> management within the container created. This is also discussed in the >>>>> debrief meeting. Then comes the question that for me is of utmost >>>>> importance. Here it is "During the OST meeting, you experienced >>>>> exceptional performance by the people who participated as you have just >>>>> discussed. If you are not getting that exceptional performance every day, >>>>> would you like to?". >>>>> >>>>> Silence is the first response. >>>>> The second response is "no, this is not our daily experience" >>>>> Then comes the discussion of "we want this in our daily experience BUT we >>>>> are not ready". I reply "you say you want exceptional performance. Your >>>>> people have shown you within the OST meeting that they are capable of >>>>> exceptional performance already. If you are not having this exceptional >>>>> performance on a daily lived basis and you want it, what is it you are >>>>> not ready for?" >>>>> >>>>> The answer has consistently been about the leadership capacity of the >>>>> leadership team to lead an organization of people who are engaged in the >>>>> ways that were visible in the OST meeting. This is a vulnerable >>>>> conversation to be having and I feel a lot of respect for the leaders and >>>>> the discussion. >>>>> >>>>> My personal favorite outcome of the discussion is the leader (leadership >>>>> team) expressing an interest in developing personal and group leadership >>>>> capacity so that they can successfully lead an organization with a >>>>> participatory architecture along the same lines as the participatory >>>>> architecture of the OST meeting. >>>>> >>>>> Initially I proceeded with these leaders by teaching them how to work >>>>> with OST to get the most harvest out of an OST meeting and to structure >>>>> their organization to allow as much freedom and choice as possible. I >>>>> realized that something was missing. I had jumped ahead too quickly. Just >>>>> because the leader (leadership team) stated willingness, there are steps >>>>> to take between that stated willingness and feeling ready and engaged in >>>>> thinking and working in a more expanded concept of leadership. >>>>> >>>>> Now when those leaders (leadership teams) say they are willing to lead >>>>> their organizations as a culture of leadership, the kind of culture that >>>>> needs a participatory architecture with lots of use of OST meetings....we >>>>> have them go through what we call our Next Level Leadership learning >>>>> track. They can do these five modules as self study with lots of >>>>> reflection about their thoughts about leadership...and then have a one to >>>>> one (or group) mentoring session to have a conversation about what they >>>>> are thinking regarding leadership. >>>>> >>>>> Placing this learning track in their hands assists them with discernment >>>>> about leading for the leadership paradigm of "Leading So People Will >>>>> Lead"; assists them in readiness and developing a plan for their >>>>> readiness; and assists them with engaging in the development needed for >>>>> what is a very challenging leadership role...well worth it, but >>>>> challenging. >>>>> >>>>> I hope that this has piqued your interest about one way to help leaders >>>>> who are interested in leading for the kind of performance they experience >>>>> in an OST meeting. This has been a passion of mine for a long long >>>>> time...and I am very pleased with what happens when leaders take the time >>>>> to go through this self study. Shift happens. >>>>> >>>>> in genuine contact, >>>>> Birgitt >>>>> >>>>> Birgitt Williams >>>>> Supporting Next Level Leadership "Leading So People Will Lead" >>>>> Author, Senior Consultant, President Dalar International Consultancy, Inc >>>>> Founder Genuine Contact Program >>>>> Co-owner Genuine Contact Group, LLC >>>>> Founder Extraordinary Leadership Network >>>>> >>>>> Learn with us for your skill and capacity development for leading and >>>>> working in the new leadership paradigm "Leading So People Will Lead" >>>>> >>>>> Upcoming learning module: Working with Open Space Technology. Three >>>>> different learning options to learn a process for facilitating meetings >>>>> that engage the people. Self-Study + One-to-One Mentoring + Mentoring >>>>> Circle; Self-Study + Real-Time Workshop + Mentoring Circle; and >>>>> Self-Study + Real-Time Workshop + One-to-One Mentoring + Mentoring Circle >>>>> with real time workshop dates three consecutive Fridays from 9am to >>>>> 12:30pm EST on October 18, 25, and November 1st. >>>>> >>>>> PO Box 19373, Raleigh, NC, USA 27613 >>>>> Phone: 01-919-522-7750 >>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>> OSList mailing list >>>>> To post send emails to OSList@lists.openspacetech.org >>>>> To unsubscribe send an email to oslist-le...@lists.openspacetech.org >>>>> To subscribe or manage your subscription click below: >>>>> http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org >>>>> Past archives can be viewed here: >>>>> http://www.mail-archive.com/oslist@lists.openspacetech.org >>>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> OSList mailing list >>>> To post send emails to OSList@lists.openspacetech.org >>>> To unsubscribe send an email to oslist-le...@lists.openspacetech.org >>>> To subscribe or manage your subscription click below: >>>> http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org >>>> Past archives can be viewed here: >>>> http://www.mail-archive.com/oslist@lists.openspacetech.org >>> _______________________________________________ >>> OSList mailing list >>> To post send emails to OSList@lists.openspacetech.org >>> To unsubscribe send an email to oslist-le...@lists.openspacetech.org >>> To subscribe or manage your subscription click below: >>> http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org >>> Past archives can be viewed here: >>> http://www.mail-archive.com/oslist@lists.openspacetech.org
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