Why Unstitution is [mostly] agnostic
While we care deeply about the social, environmental and economic issues that underlie many of the world’s and humanity’s serious challenges (the meta-poly-perma-omni crises) and we are guided by a moral compass — we don’t have a vested interest in any one particular issue or set of solutions.
We do not assume fixed ideological or subject expert positions.
This is intentional.
To build bridges across any and all divides, we work from the relatively neutral space between. Omni-partiality better captures our tempered nuanced meaning as defined in an excellent article by Andy Paice, unpacking the challenges and pathways toward realizing aspirations that underlie deep democracy:
…”neutrality, the stance of “not taking sides”, may not be possible, however an attitude of omni-partiality may be a useful guiding value for participatory process. Omni-partiality means “being in favour of and biased towards the success of everyone and the whole.” It is a concept that comes from the field of mediation and was coined by Kenneth Cloke.”
…Omni-partiality is about ‘becoming equally biased’ towards all parties in a discussion or conflict. It goes beyond merely eliciting people’s positions or arguments and involves being emotionally available and connected to all parties, recognising the underlying interests and human experiences that may have shaped their positions.~ Andy Paice — The Holistic Paradigm as Democracy’s Evolutionary Frontier (part 2) — May 2024
There are no lack of organizations and people who adopt staunch advocacy roles and whose technical and professional expertise adheres to certain perspectives, positions and standards. We appreciate and value much of this important work and the contextual lenses and framing that shape strong positions.
Our need to hold relatively neutral space is of paramount importance to our strategic bridging capacity. Fulfilling transcontextual, systemic and catalytic roles, we are better able to navigate with considerable fluidity across any and all divides because of our omni-partiality.
Looking widely across and deeply into systemic root issues enables us to open and widen navigational pathways, as we work with and among business, government, NGOs, practicing professionals, academia, activists, students, cultural creatives and artists and people from all walks-of-life, anywhere in the world.
We take care to resist binary positions, belief systems, and politics that widen divides and impede ability to gain understanding of the monsters that lurk.
Limiting for-or-against patterns often box people into positions that preclude possibilities from the outset. We are better able to uncover common ground, straddling diverse perspectives. Together we can cultivate the readiness conditions that are conducive, opening the way for regenerative progress.
Sometimes as individuals, with our own world views, we might feel the pinch…tempted to express our opinions. However, we work very hard to walk that fine line, maintaining relative neutrality and tapping the ample expertise and perspectives that reside within diverse stakeholder groups.
We recognize that this is another paradoxical dance…that striking a careful balance means holding and honouring inherent tensions and polarities.
Another perspective on loosening up the rigid dividing lines…
“It’s entirely possible that the Great Sorting Hat at the End of Time won’t give a damn which side we thought we were on — Rebel or stormtrooper, Red Pill or Blue — but only our intentions. Which flag we flew, which uniform we wore will yield to something much simpler. Were we coming from fear or love? Were we standing for all of us or only some of us? Were we playing Team Finite, or Team Infinite?” ~ Jamie Wheal, Recapture the Rapture: Rethinking, God, Sex and Death in a World That’s Lost it’s Mind
We envision a future without pervasive dysfunctional polarization.
Walking that omni-partial line is one of the ways we ensure we can navigate effectively from the space between, always mindful of our roles and working diligently to be congruent— walking-the-talk-and-listening-while-we-walk.
Why we are also mostly methodology agnostic
While we have proven methodologies within our Evolutionary Navigation System that guide coalition work and fundamental guiding principles that mustn’t be skipped or overlooked, we acknowledge that there are potentially varied capabilities, methods and tools that can be deployed to meet specific needs.
In fact, that is a strength of our WorkNet of Unstitutionists, Coalitionists and Activationists. Collectively we have a wide reservoir of methodologies and processes from which to draw. Together, we are always co-creating, learning and adapting. Being primarily context-based and seeking common ground toward meaningful progress and ongoing multimodal learning, we do not adopt an airtight approach
We adopt an adaptable partnership approach of joint enquiry, learning and action — building (and regularly reviewing) safeguards and practices for healthy transparent mutually beneficial relationships…and the ongoing transcontextual capacity to apply learnings.
Through participatory action learning and research, we are guided by a wide reservoir of sound social science and cultural knowledge. Action research seeks to understand the patterns of human systems — organizational and cultural life and change. Carried out effectively and with humility, this work is always open to reciprocal learning and exchange, engaging and drawing from multiple sources.
There are no silver bullets, or lock step linear processes that people must follow.
And sometimes our beloved methodologies and processes can create barriers that trip us up or get in the way of simpler or novel approaches and ideas that might actually work better.
Sometimes less is more…more agile…more spontaneous…more spirited…and more human!
*This article was lightly updated May 2024, reflecting additional perspectives and ongoing action research, as we continue to observe, listen, assimilate, curate and adapt — a learning journey for us all.
Unstitution was birthed as a collective creative commons and nested ecosystem. We (co-)catalyze and support collaborative communities, initiatives and coalitions where people from across sectors, disciplines, cultures, generations and walks-of-life work together on mission critical issues. From readiness through to regenerative progress — moving beyond polarization — is how we roll. The links embedded throughout this article are a warm invitation to go a bit deeper, at any time. For more insights reflecting our ongoing journey, our suite of Unstitution articles are published on Medium. They portray a small sample of the ways we are adapting and contributing among ever-expanding commons-based communities and initiatives inspired and fuelled by citizens — perhaps better described as denizens — anywhere in the world — living into the principles and spirit that govern our collaborative work.
You can follow Unstitution and engage with us on LinkedIn. Many of our posts and perspectives also pop up under hashtags #messyhumanness and #wisdomwithteeth.
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