Thoughts On Thrivability
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...
Preparing the Ground for a More Perfect Union
Just over half the US population and much of the rest of the world is puzzling over one question: why would anyone (much less 70 million people) continue to support Trump, given everything he and those associated with him have said and done? In fact, a growing number...
The Need for Practice Grounds
[This is an excerpt of a chapter in The Age of Thrivability: Vital Perspectives and Practices for a Better World] How do we actively embrace our organizations and communities as living systems and work to cultivate thriving within them? How do we move forward into the...
Singing in the Dusk
Last week, I facilitated a virtual summit on the need and opportunity for profound change in how our society cares for its elderly. And as so often happens in my work, there were lessons for all of us, as we look for wiser, more compassionate ways to care for each...
