Lovely report here on the use of the Art of Hosting apaproach, Theory U and others of our social technologies in health care renewal in Nova Scotia. Within the report is a lovely little quote from My dear friend Toke Moeller: “Purpose is the invisible leader.” Given some of the work I’m doing in the next couple of weeks, that is a very good motto for me.
Meetings reflect the basic operating system of a group of people. In organizations where power dynamics are heavily at play you will see lots of meetings chaired by those with the power. In flat organizations, circles and open space events are probably more the norm. Communities meet in all kinds of different ways, but essentially a meeting is a good way to make the operating system visible. A great deal of the work I do involves helping organizations and communities shift to more participatory meeting processes. It isn’t always easy, and today I had one of those days when the …
Please consider joining us on Bowen Island, BC, Canada for an Art of Hosting learning retreat, October 3-6, 2010. On the hosting team will be Teresa Posakony, Caitlin Frost and Tenneson Woolf, me. Pass along to your networks or to anyone you know interested in this opportunity. As well as working with and learning about participatory process, living systems, and chaordic design, in this Art of Hosting retreat we will be working extensively with harvesting, with change models currently being developed by the Berkana Institute, with Byron Katie’s inquiry work, with improv theatre exercises and probably some Warrior of the …
Harrison Owen periodically restates his invitation to the world to not only join in Open Space but to go as far as you can in Open Space and see where it takes you. I feel like my work of late has been about this in many ways, and Harrison’s recent post to the OSLIST came at just the right time for me. Here is what he says: A long time ago a good friend, Ralph Copleman, was to be found in the middle of a large circle of peers dressed in a flowing cape and repeating the words, “Everything is …
There is never a time when we are not a participant in this world. Our mere presence in any place makes us a participant. So rule number one is “there is no outside.” In fact I think the very idea that we can somehow be separate from what is going on around is is actually a delusion and it causes great problems. It blinds us to our own influence in a field and it actually hides our own gifts and brilliance and denies them from being used as people find their way. In most indigenous cultures work with, there is …