Whilst Googling himself, Harrison Owen came across an old interview he gave to a German journalist on Open Space, leadership and self-organization back in 1998. It’s a neat summary of Harrison’s thinking at the time, and still refreshingly current to me even now. Here’s a taste: I found out that one of the most interested things about “Open Space” gatherings is that dialogue is a sort of – formally considered – intense listening, this seems to be the coin of the realm, that is what happens. I suppose a whole mass of other behaviors, if you will, we may spend …
We celebrated Pete’s life yesterday at the First Nations Longhouse at the University of BC. It was a lovely time, just the kind of party that Pete wanted, with stories, music, and food. There were prayers offered in the Secewpmec, Buddhist and Catholic traditions, a slide show of Pete’s life and the whole thing ended in a big drum circle facilitated by Pete’s partner in rhthym, Lyle Povah. It was a kick to see family, colleagues, students, and Scottish country dancers in full kilts pounding away on djembes while Pete’s wife Nola, my partner Caitlin and our son Finn pounded …
I’ve been working with the Sliammon First Nation up the coast a little ways for over a year now. Sliammon is in the process of reviving traditional governance structures and practices but they are giving them a modern day tweak to work with the existing Indian Act governance structures and the realities of governing a modern community in a resource rich territory. The process we have been animating is called “Sijitus” which means “advisory” in the Tla’amon language. Traditionally Sijitus was a gathering of family heads who met to provide direction and advice for the community’s leadership. Sliammon has revived …
Peter Frost 1939-2004, teacher, friend and my father in law. My father-in-law passed away early this morning after a battle with melanoma. It’s very hard right now to write about him as I risk getting a shock from the tears falling on my keyboard. You may have known or heard of him through his professional work and exceptional teaching at the University of British Columbia in the Sauder School of Business. Most recently he had devoted his professional life to the development of the idea of toxin handlers in organizations. He was immensely proud of the book he wrote last …
“I found my way to you” Just a few words I want to record here. Probably more to report on that later.