Changing how we think about change
“The way we are trying to change the world is not going to work, and it’s never going to work”
This is the bold statement Deborah Frieze offers as she opens her TEDx talk.
In this wonderful video, Deborah offers us a map for navigating the potential for transformative change in big systems like health care, education and business.
Two loops: How systems change
Deborah suggests that all dominant systems rise to their peak before turbulence starts to show and then move into decline. When this happens, dominant systems will try to innovate and remain resilient. But here’s the thing; you can’t fundamentally fix or transform big systems. You can only walk out of them and wisely walk onto emerging alternatives.
When systems start to decline and signs of turbulent show, new alternatives appear. Initially these new alternatives are created by a diverse group of trailblazers who have the courage to experiment with the future today.
Over time these communities name the common change they are working towards, connect with each other, nourish their collective efforts and illuminate their stories so others can find them.
New transformative paradigms are created, not by changing the existing system, but by creating communities of practise who courageously walk out of their limiting beliefs to take control of their own future.
“You’ll never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete” — Buckminster Fuller
This trailblazing work can be challenging, because as new alternatives emerge the powerful within the dominant system tend to ignore or crush them in the interests of self-preservation. But if the alternatives band together in well organised communities of practise and exchange information, they can disrupt the declining system by co-creating a healthier new system.
The four roles we can play
To create healthy new systems, Debora highlights four roles we can play. This includes;
- Trailblazers — People who are eager to be free and experiment with a healthier and more resilient future. Our pioneering path finders.
- Hospice workers — People who compassionately stay within the collapsing systems and guide its people through the transition to the emerging alternatives.
- Illuminators — People who tell the stories of the emerging system so others can find them and make wiser choices about their future.
- Protectors — People who have the power in the dominant system to create space for innovation and experimentation.
Without these roles, the systems we belong to run the risk of declining without a healthier future to walk onto. Arguably this decline is happening to many big systems today — such as education, healthcare and business. In turn, the declining systems are contributing to a broad range of health and resilience challenges for the people living and working within them.
Being mindful of our realities
Our wellbeing is inseparable from the health of our systems. Therefore, it’s vital we have a range of these roles within our local communities and organisations to steward the generative potential of the systems we belong.
At the Benefit Mindset project, we think Deborah’s two loops map offers vital insights on how we can navigate the decline of our systems and seed the potential for transformative change.
Interested in finding out more about how you can take a transformative approach to wellbeing? Check out our latest report Becoming Wellbeings.
