OSI-US Board minutes – September 15, 2014

Notes for Monday September 15, 2014

Elections. Roles and non-roles. Elections.

Tricia would like to do something that serves the board but that does not need to be attached to a title.

Harold had thoughts about the authorization structure and paradigm limits we may be facing as a community related to our roles and "non-roles".

Suzanne is really enjoying bringing OST into the workplace. She's been drawn to the work Linda is doing with Bill. It feels like there are other people beside our community with whom to have our continuing conversation. Some people being exposed to OS that she is excited that they are experiencing it. Just did an OST with 17 "alpha" men in a high performing company. Someone talked to them after them to assess the event - talked to the president. They got the value of Open Space. Suzanne so powerfully wants to bring this to business and also finds she can be lost in the between space not feeling strongly to the tribe right now.

Linda knows the power of OST. "It's coming into it's own. It's in it's chrysalis state. She joined this board because she could never say no to Karen Davis as before Karen asked she wasn't drawn to the Open Space Institute. It is my first intimate role for the Institute. I don't know what's gone in the past. I don't know enough to contribute. What is the role of the institute? What is the role of the community? I am somewhat lost. That doesn't diminish my commitment to OST and doing it whenever I can, trying to understand the shift that's going on in a way that I will be able to communicate to non-profits or communities. I don't care. I sense that the leverage will be with the corporations. They are probably more aware of the trouble that they are facing. Things aren't working that well. A world where everyone is doing the work they love. Everyone. And OST has been around for 30 years and no one has really understands what the hell self-organization is. You can put them to sleep. It doesn't make sense to them. It's all coming together in a powerful way. My commitment is huge. What I can do for the Institute? I'm not sure. What can the Institute do for the community? I'm not sure. There's some feeling we're not just pushing the Institute to push the Institute. One that can serve Open Space. I would never want to see OST facilitators have the certification like they have in the coaching world or Scrum world. I'm lost. I'm not feeling called to jump in and be president. I'm lost and I don't think that leads to being a good president. I'd love to hear from Karen. She has been committed to Institute as well as the Open Space community, and some powerful milestones have happened on the way because of Karen. I've covered what is going on for me right now. I think having this honest authentic conversation without coming to a decision right now. Thank you to everyone."

Karen - "I don't know what to say. One of my early reactions to what Harold was saying. What we're doing is ok. It doesn't have to be different. There's a way as an institute we've been practicing as close as we can what OST is about, which can be frustrating and challenging. I'm comfortable hearing that someone can't say no to me - say that to Linda. I didn't realize that you had given away that much power. I'm glad you did decide to be on the board. I keep thinking of what's going on this year - accentuated by December 21 of last year - we're in that same process of transforming and rediscovering, and trying to touch the meaning for ourselves."

Suzanne - "I just feel really much better, talk about history as I know it. When Harold and I joined the board, within about 2-3 months, at an OSI retreat at her house, key players indicated they were going to leave the board. It was very unexpected. People transitioned out. I remember too going through 10 years of OSI minutes, after I became president. I noticed that they were struggling and wrestling with the same things we are struggling with. Different little projects. We should be doing more because OST is so amazing. Then we went through something in our group - WOSonOS in FL - bonding. What happens in OST, it opens up so much connection to yourself and others and the world. It's like you've been given glasses and hearing, feel, heightened awareness. Life changing for me. Once you have that you know you want others to have that. The invitation process then becomes a skill and an intention. Then you think of execution; it's why I was so drawn to Scrum and Agile. Self-organizing also has an organizing to it. Taps into the best strengths. People gravitate to leadership and they flow in and out. OST is pretty magnificent sitting in the middle of it. Without Open Space I was engaged in processes, not vibrantly aware as I am now. I'm still in the exploratory stage of OS, which is really life. And I'm not articulate to say all these things. Look at Karen, so involved with IODA, and has been recognized by them. Linda is working with Bill right now. I'm chasing after rabbits. Tricia deciding - going to do my own projects. People hosting in my home. Without the Institute, how would I be with all of you? Holding space during this tremendous period of huge transformation - maybe it's ok that we're just hanging out - we may not have the clarity or the governance structure, or whatever, but but that's it.

"And back to that client, what made me the happiest - they wanted to do an OST because they wanted to include their people and have shared leadership. They did have their OST.  They did the book of proceedings, and prioritized, and next steps. Have they done anything with it? They said no. They didn't expect that from the Open Space facilitator. What they hired, and what they got, is what they wanted. So felt good about that. They are living in the same world we are, struggling with so many demands, but they opened the space, and connected with each other, and that's what they were looking for. And that's open space when we do that. That's what it is."

Karen - "This self organizing thing which people don't really understand, it's the core of Open Space - OD community - people there don't understand systems theory and wholeness really. They are so much into tools, etc. I love what people are sharing. And it feels like it could go on for quite a while. Wondering if we could set up another call to reflect on what's been said to see where we want to go as an Institute. I know back at the meeting the face to face meeting at Suzanne's place, several people said they were on their way out. I have become more and more committed to this group and to the OST community. So I'm not ready to go yet. I'm still here. I'll do what I can. Anyway, that's it for the moment."

Suzanne - "I'm feeling so good now. Tricia, what you are doing every week [Open Space Hotline], your enthusiasm and commitment, it's like I want that to be acknowledged, to be tapped into. It's an important part, also having us reach out to people participating the most. Lots of ideas that could be pursued. We are at a juncture right now. Powerful possibility that it offers. So much happier. Felt so guilty to use this process to use it so much and not feel so connected to whatever this Institute, whatever is happening. Some voices I don't resonate with, but I don't dismiss them."

Linda - "Would you be ok with staying president?"

Harold gave thumbs up to that proposal.

Suzanne - [pause] "Yes. Just as long as we distribute roles. If it can be used as any fuel - Tricia that is doing every week - such appreciation that I feel - not recognized - what's happening right now in all of us."

Linda - "Mr. Simplicity - Bill Jensen - he's looking for a simpler way. He's interviewed 100 leaders of all ages, and looking at the patterns and future of work. What needs to happen. There will be a report by the end of October early November. What's emerging, he and I came to the same place. There's some reliability with this data. It has passion and responsibility written all over it. It's got real hard evidence, and he has language that can reach the corporate world. I don't have the language and buzzwords. I've bent over backward to analyze the data without an open space bias. Be open and look at it as anyone would look at it. When this report is available, I'm ready to market it to speak to the business world in a major way for people who appreciate and know how to open space to walk into that void that's being created. He set up all the interviews, he did most of them, and condensed them down to 10-15 minutes, and she mind mapped what she saw for 114 interviews. And Suzanne is helping pull out what she's passionate about. It's nailing it in terms of what has to happen. The shift is going on. People know that the corporate model as it exists right now is failing. Bill is a real gift, real smart. Into simplicity. He's very open. The report will be available to all of us to use it as we want to. The early adopters are the organizations that will adopt it. Bill is not well versed in OST. I liken him to someone like Harrison, very smart, very much into simplicity, that has the ability to talk to the business world."

Suzanne - "Bill speaks his mind, really direct, cut the crap. These 114 interviews, are very exciting, with different people at different levels of organizations, not all at the top.  They're all people that genuinely are adopting or gravitating toward more inclusion and transparency. Very heartening because they are real people speaking authentically what they are searching and hunting for, by letting go of their control - they speak their struggles. When we think of Dan Mezick, find the companies that are in that mojo - in Tricia's language, we see many people going in that direction. Knowing how to help."

Linda - "Most of these are on YouTube. Anyone could go on as see the interviews, look for Bill Jensen. They are from all over the world. They are global and all ages, including great young people. It's very hart warming to know they are out there."

Harold - "This meeting was a great success because we accomplished the #1 on the bin - 'Bigger Vision Big Inclusion World Wide'"

One Word Check-out: Yes, Love, Life, Opportunity, Passion!