Thoughts On Thrivability
Beyond Fight or Flight
We all know about the "fight or flight" response to threat. Sometimes "freeze" gets added to the list. But rarely do we acknowledge that nature also offers the option to "flock." This came up at a gathering this weekend hosted by Amélie Chanda and her colleagues at...
The Annual Gener(ation)al Meeting
What if the legally required AGM becomes not an Annual General Meeting but an Annual Generational Meeting, considering generations past, present and future? What if it evolves to serve generations of humans and of all living beings, as kin within the living ecologies...
Flourishing. Thrivable. Regenerative. Is there a difference?
I’m frequently asked to compare and contrast the small collection of terms that herald the shift to a more life-aligned worldview. But I usually dodge the question. If one of those terms works well for you, there’s little reason for me to try to talk you out of it....
Rethinking Self-Organization
For years, I've found it encouraging to see the concept of “self-organization” steadily gaining popularity in a wide range of business contexts. After all, my own work focuses on recognizing organizations as living systems, which are self-organizing by their nature....
You have a role to play
I’m hearing people say: this moment is a battle between good and evil. If that’s true, then we are powerless. Good and evil are forces far bigger than us, far beyond our control. We just have to keep our heads down and hope good will prevail. This perspective is...
Traveling the Two Loops
In a surprising turn of events, I find myself packing my bags for an accidental, month-long European tour. What is perhaps even more fascinating is that my itinerary has come together as an unintentional journey through Berkana's Two Loops model, a compelling theory...
The Muddied Waters of Organizational Purpose
Have you noticed how the concept of organizational purpose has become muddy and unclear? In pre-Industrial days, it was understood that a business was nested within a community as well as within a living ecosystem and, therefore, it existed to serve and enhance life...
Tourism, Hosting & The Practice of Community Wellbeing
As in so many sectors of society, the pandemic has pushed the tourism industry to a point of reckoning. While tourism brings undeniable value to communities and travellers alike, there are also harms that have not been fully acknowledged. And perhaps more importantly,...
Think Like a Mother (Or: Why Stakeholder Capitalism is a Dangerous Concept)
I've just given a short talk to a corporate audience at a daylong online conference. I was invited to help close out the day with some provocative thoughts. And still, it felt risky and brave. Here's the description of the session, as it was given to me: This...
