reply to: Emergence of learning-org LO25863
Rick wrote:
> In summary:
> (1) What has enabled the emergence that has occurred here
> (learning-org)
> (2) What might SoL do to facilitate emergence of wonderful things
> around the world concerning organizational learning?
2000 subscribers and over 25.000 messages is a lot and is an impressive
result compared with how it started in 1996 with a small but highly
engaged group. But how relevant is the quantity of these messages compared
to what emerged?
'Giving and Taking' is the First Principle of a Learning Organization. The
'give' and 'take' balance was in those days I think a 40 - 60 % . If we
have today around 2000 more or less anonymous subscribers and perhaps 40
(regular) contributors we can easily conclude that this give and take
balance has changed. The thought that all the 2500 subscribers would
contribute in a 50-50% give and take balance gives me the shivers, so
that's not something I would encourage as a future goal, because it is not
necessary for the intended achievements of this Forum. Fact is, that in
every growing organization (such as this forum) there will always be a
minority who sets the tone so to speak. Who is this minority? What are the
characteristics of these people? What makes this list so attractive?
All listmembers are like goldseekers who have put up their shelter on the
banks of a streaming river of which was told that gold could be found. The
word was spread and five years later a true goldrush is going on. All
subscribers sift the LO-river for gold, each using their own sieve.
Goldseekers came and went, some stayed a short while and left, perhaps
disappointed, because they were not able to find the gold they were
seeking, or it didn't come soon enough, or because they used a lame sieve.
Others came but never left the riverside. Some who were lucky to find
goldgrains, gave -depending their background- something in return to the
river and to the community that was emerging around it.
LO-gold is important, but more important are the sieves-in-use. The
stones, dust, mud and dirt that came and comes with the gold-ore hasn't
changed so much over the past five years, but my sieve has, and so have
the sieves of many others!
I passed many of the goldgrains I found on to other people. I melted and
reworked these small goldgrains into useful and wonderful things. But
those things are gone, I have transformed them and I wouldn't be able to
reshape them in their original form. Who cares? It is not important. But I
still have my sieve! I have improved it, made it more useful and
purposeful.
The emergence that has occurred on this list was enabled by the growing
notion of its members that the gold we pass on to eachother is merely a
means to help ourselves and others to improve the sieve-in-use.
In a way this list is an example of how free exchange can be profitable. A
minority that shares its wealth with many without pecuniary profit or
other intentions of gain for themselves.
> (2) What might SoL do to facilitate emergence of wonderful things
> around the world concerning organizational learning?
Don't try to change the course of this river, let it meander
wherever it wants to;
Don't put dams around it;
Don't advertise it in the media, let the word be spread from
mouth to mouth;
Nurture and encourage the idea of a free market (exchange)
Understand and accept that wealth for everyone is always made
possible by few;
Keep the archives open to everyone;
Organize conferences for people to meet in person in different
parts of the world.
greetings
Winfried Deijmann
--Mr. Winfried M. Deijmann - Zutphen - The Netherlands Artist, Consultant and Facilitator for Organizational Learning, Leadership and Action Learning Events <deijmann@dialoog.net> Phone + Fax: +31-(0)575-522076 personal websites: International: <http://dialoog.net/deijmann> Dutch:<http://dialoog.net/deijmann/pinforma.html>
Corporate website: HORIZONGROEP - BUNNIK - HOLLAND: <http://www.horizongroep.nl> corporate email: <deijmann@horizongroep.nl>
"An educated mind is useless without a focussed will and dangerous without a loving heart."
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