Celebrating the messiness of the evolving field of systems change practices
At the School we believe that there is no one way to do systems change and that the field and practice of systems change is both rich and evolving. This is why we take a multi-method approach to systems change learning and practice, lifting up the growing number of experienced practitioners across the world who are designing and offering their experience, frameworks, approaches and thus helping change makers navigate this field and learn to apply the tools that are most relevant to their work. Over the last eight years we have cultivated a spirited contributor network of many different people who contribute to our programmes, work with us on curating resources and where provide a platform for their experiences and work, hopefully enriching the change ecosystem, to value practice, multiple methods and ways of knowing.
We invited our over 90 contributors to a session to meet each other, cross-pollinate learning, spark new connections and inquire into what is emerging in our individual and collective practice and what is the world calling for in this time? A lovely group of about 18 of us showed up — to be in conversation together…. Here are a few of my reflections drawing from the gifts and sharing of those who attended:
What we noticed was there is a huge amount of richness and not necessarily coherence between us; how the field of practices of systems change are becoming more diverse and a beautiful messy configuration — with the only certainty being that we cannot have the same and need to change. How might we lean into the richness — as we deal with what is going on in the world, working with change and uncertainty? Is this a time of pre-paradigmatic messiness before the emergence of the next? The primordial soup…
Some of the themes of our emerging practices included those of liberation and liberatory practices, healing justice, collective healing including therapeutic, psychological, nervous systems, long-term view practices and slowing down as a radical act. Working with democratic organising, relationships, repair and care and the spaces for conversations; working with the inner and the outer, seeking into the wholeness of a wider community, which includes the role of mystery and spirit, calling back in indigenous wisdom systems and finding ways to connect with the new in tools like artificial intelligence as a collective intelligence.
We noticed that the systems change field eight years ago, when the School started, was a lot more clear in what it was and concrete about what systems change is. We also noticed we can see it, with all it’s beauty, much more alive in its messiness of the different practices that are part of it — a shift of not just focusing on the cognitive (the analytical) but also the existential convening of what life and meaning is and a wider wholism.
We noticed how we were really talking about ways of being reintegrated with ways of thinking and doing — as they are often fragmented in our world. That the messiness of systems practices, as we were seeing, might support us is a world of separation, the world we experience now. Allowing this messiness to be a, likely experienced as uncomfortable, portal towards this wholeness. That this might be the cultural revolution and deeper narrative shift we are and could further cultivate.
Here are some (adapted) questions that we/I were leaving with:
- How can we find spaciousness for plurality in our alignment?
- Will our work (individually and collectively) make enough of a difference to matter?
- If the answer to that might be no, then how might we need to change
- How might we continue to show up, embody the transformation, navigate this moment, evolve, continue to bring in the multiple ways of knowing and being, whilst being in the murky waters we are currently in?
Appreciation to all the 90+ contributors we have worked with over the last eight years bringing their rich tapestry of experience to this work, and those who shared their reflections this week. We would love to explore how to continue to weave across, evolve what we understand as the fields of systems change practice, as well as nurture narrative change around how change happens based on this plurality — if you would like to connect with us on this more or simply want accompaniment in navigating these fields to meet the context you find yourself in then get in touch.
