As Our Systems Stagger, Something Revolutionary Emerges

The Phenomenon of “Paradigm-Shifting Leaders”

On the frontlines of change, there is a phenomenon worth tracking: A growing number of individuals are stepping forward to tend to a crisis of humanity. Unshackling themselves from outdated constructs for how we operate, these individuals are meaningfully addressing some of our greatest challenges in ways that revolutionize what’s possible. I refer to these pioneering first responders as “Paradigm-Shifting Leaders.”

Robust Systems are Starting to Falter

Robust systems are systems that survive by not being changed (whereas resilient systems are systems that survive by being changed by change).[1] Up until recently, our modern society has been humming along through the support of robust institutions. Such systems were charged with regulating the elements of society (ie, education, food, healthcare, finance, law, politics, etc.) and keeping “business as usual” functioning smoothly.

However ~ in the disruption of exponential change ~ there is little “usual” remaining in any business, and our once robust structures are starting to falter.

The Human Side of System Failure

Many of our institutions have grown so big they can feel impersonal. But the lives of humans are inextricably intertwined with these systems. These institutions are composed of people, and tasked with serving people.

Therefore, as such systems struggle, people everywhere are being profoundly impacted ~ physically, mentally, emotionally, socially and spiritually. The challenge is this:

“Robust systems are incredibly stable for long periods of time … but when they change, they change catastrophically.” Chris Corrigan, The Cynefin Framework and Robust vs Resilient Systems

The warning signs are here. How do we prepare for the catastrophe…Mitigate the fallout…Tend to the suffering…As we simultaneously develop more resilient systems capable of adapting to rapid change? These are the questions “Paradigm-Shifting Leaders” are working on.

Paradigm-Shifting Leaders: What’s in a Name?

Words matter. “Words are only secondarily the means by which we communicate; they’re primarily the means by which we think.”[2] The language we’re using “doesn’t just code reality, it determines the reality we see.”[3] Therefore, when I say “Paradigm-Shifting Leaders,” I want to be very clear about who I’m drawing your attention towards.

“Paradigm-Shifting Leaders” describes a way of being, more than a role. It illuminates a way of showing up to ourselves and others that deepens our connection to the heart of what matters[4], reminds us of our freedom[5], and invites us into a deeper sense of responsibility and care for the whole[6].

Driven by a keen sensitivity to suffering and a deep awareness of all that is at stake at this moment in history, Paradigm-Shifting Leaders humble themselves before Uncertainty. They embody a learning stance and invite others to step in to discover together, “What really works in our new world?”.

Paradigm-Shifting Leaders are a subset of leaders who’ve stepped beyond the love-of-power and are reaching into the power-of-love. Full of grace, they wisely use whatever privledge and position they have to help humans develop into the highest form of themselves, as they simultaneously move the dial on meaningful change.

There are many people with role authority who are not acting as Paradigm-Shifting Leaders, and many without titles who are. To be clear, this term can include ~ but is not limited to ~ people in formal positions of power.

Changing the Rules, Changing the World

“OK,” you might be thinking. “I’m kind of tracking Laureen … but not really. Why ‘Paradigm-Shifting’ to describe these leaders. What’s a ‘paradigm’ anyway?”

“A paradigm is a set of rules and regulations, written or unwritten, that do two things: It establishes or defines boundaries, and tells you how to behave inside the boundaries in order to be successful.” ~Joel Barker, Paradigms:The Business of Discovering the Future

If the term “paradigm” feels a bit too abstract, it can be helpful to think of paradigms as being like a game: “A paradigm, in a sense, tells you that there is a game, what the game is, and how to play it successfully.”[7] (For example, tennis and football are two different paradigms, or systems of information. They each define a distinct objective, expectations of behavior, and tools and skills necessary for success.)

Once you understand that a paradigm is like a game, then a “paradigm shift” can be simply described as “a change to a new game, a new set of rules.”[8]

Like fish in water, the rules and regulations we swim in are often hidden in plain sight. Understanding paradigms enables us to better see forces influencing human behavior that have long been invisible.

Paradigm Shifting Professionals are worth tracking because they’re changing the rules for how we show up and work together. Why does this matter? Because “when the rules change, the whole world can change!”[9]

Footnotes…

1. “Robust systems are incredibly stable for long periods of time… but when they change, they change catastrophically.” Chris Corrigan, “The Cynefin Framework and Robust vs Resilient Systems”
2. Dee Hock (founder of Visa), The Art of Chaordic Leadership
3. François Knuchel, in a “Collegial Conversation” May 3, 2020
4. “Leadership is about living our purpose while engaging deeply with others.” Richard Strozzi-Heckler, The Leadership Dojo
5. Peter Block describes a style of “leadership that confronts people with their freedom…to assemble, lead, in a way that says the choice resides in all of us. What greater gift can you give somebody than the experience of their own power, the experience that they have the capacity to create the world?” Peter Block, “Servant Leadership”
6. My thinking around this has been influenced by this conversation with Stephanie Nestlerode of 7th Generation Labs and Ted Rau of Sociocracy for All. Key highlights include “Leadership is not so much what you do, but where your attention is.” “A leader is one who takes responsibility for the health and survival of the whole.”
7. Joel Barker, Paradigms:The Business of Discovering the Future
8. Joel Barker, Paradigms:The Business of Discovering the Future
9. Joel Barker, Paradigms:The Business of Discovering the Future