kaiten stonehouse niederhumer thesis summary - the magic canoe - large scale collaboration

7/30/2019 Kaiten Stonehouse Niederhumer Thesis Summary - The Magic Canoe - Large Scale Collaboration

1/11

DEAR

READERS

Thisdocumentservesasanintroductionandsummaryofconceptsandkeyfindingsofour

mastersthesis:LargeScaleCollaborationtowardsSustainableDevelopment,andtheMagic

Canoetoolitresultedin.

Ourintentionwiththisdocumentistogiveyouanattractiveandeasilyaccessibleoverviewof

ourkeyfindingsanddata,withoutneedingtoworkthroughthefullacademicdocument.

However,shouldyouwishtoexplorefurther,thefullthesiswillprovideamuchricher

understandingofourwork.

Duetothenewlyemergingnatureofthisfield,manyoftheconceptsandideasexploredhere

offer initialbroadbrushstrokesinworkingwithlargescalecollaboration.Thedatais

theoreticalinnatureandstillrequirestestinginthefield.

Wehopeyouenjoythisjourneywithus.

JuanCarlos,KaraandSonja

September2010


2/11

IMMIGRANTSTOANEWTIME:

THEOPPORTUNITY,THECHALLENGE,ANDTHECHOICEAs the world has become increasingly

interconnectedand

interdependent,

humanity

is

rapidly entering a new phase where cultures,

people, and countries are intertwined in a

commonglobaldestiny.

Whenweconsiderthevastwealthofknowledge,technologiesandexpertisedistributed

throughoutourplanet,thepotentialisstaggering. Forthefirsttimeinourhistory,the

emergenceofanenvironmentallysustainable,justandspirituallyfulfillingplanetarysociety

standsbeforeusasanachievablereality.

Ashumanityhasaccelerated in its interconnection,

and generative potential, the challenges have

grown in equal magnitude. At no time in human

historyhavewefacedchallengesofthismagnitude

and complexity climate change, crop failures,

depleting oil reserves, financial crises, mass

poverty,terrorism,speciesextinctionsandsystemic

impactswehavenotyetimagined.

Theprognosis

offered

by

scientists

around

the

globe, should we continue on our current

trajectory,paintsableakpictureforourfuturesurvivalasaspecies.Simplystated,humanity

isgoingtoneedtolearntoworktogether,intelligently,andenmasse,verysoonDanielGoleman,

EcologicalIntelligence

Humanityhasreachedacrossroads.

Atimeofcollectivechoiceandaction.

Andasmallwindowoftimeinwhichthatactionmaybetaken.

need


3/11

COLLECTIVEWILL ANDCURRENTATTEMPTS

Currently, people all over the world are

exhibitingthewilltochange.Therearemillions

ofnonprofitendeavourssteppingforwardand

beginning to engage with the multiple

symptomsofourunsustainableglobal society.

Currently,these

pioneering

efforts

remain

disconnected, and lack a strategic whole

systems perspective, thus remaining largely

ineffective.

Social change agents, inspired by living systems theories and quantum mechanics, have

realizedthatthekeytoallowingthisnewsocietytoemergeistoconnect avarietyofpeople

workingforsocialchange,insupportivedialogueandlearning.

Innature,changeneverhappensasaresultoftopdown,preconceivedstrategicplans,or

fromthe

mandate

of

any

single

individual

or

boss.

Change

begins

as

local

actions

spring

up

simultaneouslyinmanydifferentareas.Ifthesechangesremaindisconnected,nothing

happensbeyondeachlocale.However,whentheybecomeconnected,localactionscan

emergeasapowerfulsystemwithinfluenceatamoreglobalorcomprehensivelevel.Magaret Wheatley,

BerkanaInsistutue

COLLABORATIONisanessentialpartofthis

neededconnection:

Interdependence:Oursustainabilitychallengeissystemicandrequiresgovernments,businesses,expertsandcitizenstowork

togethertochangeourcurrentsystems.

Complexity:Facingthesustainabilitychallengerequiresadiversityofperspectives,

resourcesandexpertisetoproperly

understandanddevelopeffectivesystemic solutions.Allholddifferentpiecesofthepuzzle.

Restoringsocial

fabrics:

We

cannot

have

environmental

sustainability

until

we

have

social

sustainability.Theprocessofdialogueandworkingtogetherimbeddedincollaborationhelps

peopletobuildtrust and supportsthe

strengtheningofsocieties onceagain.

Authors such as Peter Russell suggest that

through the process of large scale

collaboration, a new whole of higher

complexitymayemerge. Inthisresearchwe

refertothisnewemergingwholeasa social

body,withindividuals,organizationalgroups,

networks, and communities of practice all

existing as different types of participation

withinthislargerbody.


4/11

STRATEGICSUSTAINABLEDEVELOPMENT(SSD)

In order to ensure the actions taken in the complex system are not accidentally counter

productive,astrategicapproachtosustainabledevelopmentcanbeundertaken.

The concept of backcasting from basic sustainability principles using

systems

thinking

is

the

core

of

strategic

sustainable

development,

and

canbecanbeappliedtothecollaborativebody.

This research attempts to further the

body of knowledge for collaboration in

complexsocialsystems,aswellaslinkit

directly to Strategic Sustainable

Development.

RESEARCHQUESTION

Howdowefostereffectivecollaborationforsystemicsustainabledevelopment?

SubQuestion1: Whataretheconditionsofsuccessforcollaboration?

SubQuestion2: Howcanaprocessofcollaborationbedescribed?

SubQuestion

3:

Based

on

the

process,

what

guidelines

lead

to

success?

METHODS

Themethodsusedtoanswertheresearchquestionswereliteraturereview,interviewsand

casestudies.Theliteraturereviewwasusedtodevelopanunderstandingofsuccess

conditionsofcollaborationandformedthebasisoftheprocessofcollaboration.

Interviewswereconductedwithpractitioners

workingwithinthefieldsofcollaborationand

sustainability. These interviews helpeddevelop an understanding of the process as

wellasguidelinesforsuccessfulcollaboration.

Case studies with the

NetherlandsCentreforHuman

Emergence Meshwork,

Amsterdam Hub and Reos

Partners Change Lab helped

ustounderstandcollaboration

atthe

complexity

level

of

a

socialbody.


5/11

RESULTS

THEMAGICCANOE

Themagiccanoeisastoryabouta

collaborationprocessthatmagicallyexpandsin

sizeto

include

any

participants

wanting

to

help

intheefforttowardsachievingacommongoal.

BUILDINGAMAGICCANOE

We use the magic canoe metaphor as an

image thathelps to contain and contextualize

the findings of our research. Each subset of

results contributes to a piece of the canoe as

follows:

1.Conditionsforsuccess buildingaboatthatfloatsinallweather2.Collaborativeprocessdevelopingacrewscohesion,andskill3.Collaborativephasesthedetailedstepsofbecomingasuccessfulcrew4.Guidelinesandtoolspickinguptherightoarsandrowing5.Journeyofthemagiccanoesuccessfulnavigationandgrowingourcrewnumbers

Resultscanoemetaphore

HowtobuildaMAGICcanoe......


6/11

1. CONDITIONS FORSUCCESS

Throughourliteraturereview,

interviewsandcasestudies

variousconditions

under

which

humangroupsand

organizationalsystemsflourish

ordeterioratewerefound.

Basedonthisunderstanding,the

followingconditionsforsuccess

incollaborationwerefound:

1.HigherPurpose

Stronghigherpurposeallowstranscendingofhumandifferences,andnewcollective

capacitiesthataregreaterthatthesumofindividualcapacities.

2.Awareness

OnlywhenIamconsciouslyawareofsomething,doIhavethechoicetoconsciously

respondtoit.Thisappliestothedynamicsofacollaboratinggroup,aswellasthesystem

theyintervenein.

3.Wholeness

Toaddressaprobleminacollaboratingsystem,weneedtounderstanditsparts,

interrelationshipsandcontextwithinalltheparticipationtypes.

4.Interior/exterior

Interiorstoryofsuccess,worldview,mentalandemotionalpatterns,directlyaffects

externalactionsandbehavioursonanindividualandinthecollectivebody.

5.Love/Power

Relational

processes

build

group

energy

(Love),

strategic

processes

direct

that

energy

towardsthepurpose(Power).

6.Order/Chaos

Useasonlyasmuchstructureasneededtosettheselforganizingenergyofgroupsin

motion.Allowtherestof theprocesstoemerge.

7.Rhythm

Collaborationisenergizedbychangeanddiversity,whenheldwithinappropriaterhythms

oforderandstructure.


7/11

2.PROCESSOFCOLLABORATION

Energycurve

Theupwardmovingcurveofwarmcoloursrepresentthegroupsemotionalandphysical

energies.

Relationalelement:developsthegroupscohesiveness,sharedpurposeandunderstandingthroughtrustandrelationshipbuilding.Itcreatesenthusiasm,

commitment,emotionalandphysicalenergy.

Strategicelement:efficientlyandeffectivelydirectsthisgroupenergy,withintimeandresourceconstraints,toachieveitssharedpurpose.

Structuralelements:processes,systems,proceduresandstructures,whichholdandsupportrelationalandstrategicfunctionsinachievingtheirpurpose

Thedownwardmovingcurveofcoolcoloursrepresentsthedeepeningintellectualand

intuitiveunderstandingofacomplexsystem.Asthegrouptravelsdownthecurveof

understanding,itcollectsdatafrommultipleperspectives,themassofwhichmayleadto

confusionanddiscomfortineverfindingasolution.However,ifthegroupsemotionaland

physicalenergies

are

building

together,

the

growing

strength

of

the

group

container

can

toleratethediscomfortofthisambiguity.

Asthegroupcontinuestodeepenandholdthisambiguity,itwilleventuallyreachaspace

whereaclearunderstandingemerges.Atthissamemoment,thegroupspurposeandvision

isclarifiedinrelationtothenewlyemergedclarityoftheneed.Thisrespectivepeakand

troughofthecurvesrepresentsthekeymomentoftruthandchoice,andsetsupadynamic

creativetension,where(hopefully)collectiveenergy,clarityofpurpose,visionand

understandingturntodeepcommitment,andbridgeintostrategicaction.


8/11

3.PHASESOFCOLLABORATION

BothEnergyandDiscoverycurvescanbedividedintospecificphases,eachofwhichcreatesa

specificoutcome,andlaysthefoundationforthenextphase.(Thephasesofthelower

Discoverycurvearenotoutlinedhere,astheyarewellcoveredbyliteratureonTheoryUand

ReosPartnersChangeLabs).

TheCall

Everycollaborativejourneybeginswithasensingofsomeneedintheenvironment,anda

correspondingcalltoaction.Thequalityofactionwillbedirectlyimpactedbytheperceived

qualityandsincerityofthissensedneed.

Convene

Thecoreteamdrawspeopleintoaconversationabouthowtocreateevents,initiativesand

structurestosupportlargescalecollaborationinaspecificcontext.

Energize

Inordertocreateanewlevelofcollaboration,alotofhumanenergyisrequired. Thisenergy

canbeobtainedbybuildingauthenticandtruerelationshipsandcreatingasharedvision.

EmergentVision

Oncetheparticipantsinacollaborationprocesshaveadeepunderstandingofeachotherand

thesystem,aprocessofidentifyingasharedvisionispartofbuildingthecreativetensionof

thegrouptoprepareittomoveforward.

StrategizeOncethecreativetensionisbuiltup,itistimetofocustheenergyintoconcreteactions.At

thispointclearleadership,committedworkingteams,strategyandimplementationplansare

requiredtomovetowardsthevision.

ActionLearn

Workinggroupsimplementprojectsandlearnaboutwhatworksandwhatdoesnotina

certaincontext,andcontinuetryingnewideas.

Celebrate,Reflectandshare

Celebrating

small

wins

and

drawing

learning

from

successes

and

setbacks

build

energy

in

the

group,inpreparationforanothercollaborativecycle,whichmayincludecollaborationata

largerscale.


9/11

4.GUIDELINES,TOOLSANDRESOURCESThesesupportthe implementation

ofeachphase.

ENERGISEPHASE:exampleofguidelines,toolsandresources

TOOLS

Play,Games,Bodywork(Danceetc),Circlecommunication,WorkshoponDeep

Listening,AgreetoCommunicationGuidelines,SystemsMaps.

RESOURCES

ArtofHostingpractitioners,16WaysDance,etc.

PARTICIPATIONTYPE GUIDELINESAlltypesofparticipation

AuthentictrustingspaceSafecontainer tohold tensionandconflictNamingandworkingwiththeenergyandshadows(buriedtreasure)ofthegroup.Fluidrolesand responsibilitiestopreventstatusandpowerblockages

Individual Individualpurposeishonouredandencouraged.Group Rhythm offacetoface andonlinemeetingsNetwork

FostergenerativeconnectionsCommunityofPractice

Be the change as a community embody theoutcomesyouwishtosee

SocialBody Fosterholoptic view(everyonecanseethewhole)

PARTICIPATIONTYPE GUIDELINESAlltypesofparticipation

AuthentictrustingspaceSafecontainer tohold tensionandconflictNamingandworkingwiththeenergyandshadows(buriedtreasure)ofthegroup.Fluidrolesand responsibilitiestopreventstatusandpowerblockages

Individual Individualpurposeishonouredandencouraged.Group Rhythm offacetoface andonlinemeetingsNetwork

FostergenerativeconnectionsCommunityofPractice

Be the change as a community embody theoutcomesyouwishtosee

SocialBody Fosterholoptic view(everyonecanseethewhole)


10/11

5.JOURNEYOFTHEMAGICCANOE

The Journey of the Magic Canoe is the

application of the Life cycle of

EmergencefromtheBerkanaInstituteto

the collaborative process. The Journey

consists

of

four

phases:

Name:bringsvisibilitytoallstakeholders

Connect: supports similar efforts around

theworld indevelopingrelationshipsand

sharedexperiences

Nourish:groupscommittoworktogether

for a common goal, share knowledge,

learn togetherandsupporteachother in

the implementation of their owninitiatives.

Illuminate:spreadawarenessofachievements,bringinginspirationtoothernetworksand

communitieswiththepossibilityofbringingsocialchangetoscale.

Onlinesocialmediaandsocialnetworkplatformshelpname,connect,nourishandilluminate

acrossgeographicaldistances.

USEOFTHEMAGICCANOETOOL

Thegiftofthemagiccanoetothepractitioner,isitsabilitycategorizeandorderotherwise

overwhelmingamountsofinformation.

Thistool,oncefullydeveloped,couldbeusedtoaiddesignandplanningofcollaborative

processesatvariousscales,aswellasadiagnostictooltohelprestorehealthtoastruggling

collaborativeprocess.

Asanonlineplatform,thefullframeworkhasthepotentialtoserveasanopensource

knowledge

garden

(a

type

of

wiki),

in

which

practitioners

may

collectively

build

up

best

practicesaspertaintothevariousaspectsofthecanoe.

NEXTDEVELOPMENTSTEPS

TheMagicCanoetoolrequiresfurtherexpertfeedback.Guidelines,toolsandresources(as

outlinedinthefullthesis)areinitialsuggestions,whichcanbecollaborativelypolishedby

furtherinterviewsandexpertfeedback.

Thecanoe

also

requires

testing

in

the

field,

through

design

and

implementation

of

the

process

inlargescalecollaborativeforumsandevents.Thisrequires,ideally,theinvolvementaswell

asfeedbackofexperiencedpractitionersinthefield.


11/11

CONCLUSIONS: CATCHINGTHEWAVE

Societyistransitingthroughturbulentstormsandaimstofindsaferefuge.However,thereis

stillatsunamiofchangesandtransformationcomingourway.Itisimperativethatsociety

learntoactcollectivelyinordertomasterfullyridethroughthewaveofglobalchallengesand

transformation.Nosinglepersonororganizationcandoitbythemselves.

Themaps,processesandtoolsdevelopedinthisthesisarethepreliminarycontributionstoa

setofnavigationtoolsthatmayaidthesteeringofsuchacanoeofcollaboration.

Thejourneyofthemagiccanoeisajourneyofhealing,restorationandtrustamongstpeople

fromallnations.Itisajourneyoflearningtocareforoneanotheraswedesignthenewworld

infrastructureandlearntoactasacohesive,generativeandbeautifulwhole.

THANKYOUTOALLOURCOLLABORATORS:

INTERVIEWS:

SheriHerndon,TokeMoeller,TimMerry,PeterMerry,TatianaGlad,MarilynHamilton,Carlos

Mota,JonathanDawson,FernandaIbara,CraigHenen,MohanBagwandas,ManuelManga,

JamesReader,ChantelleWyley,DumisaniMagdlela,BridgetAnnWoods,BobStilger,Juan

Pablo Rico,ReginaRowland,DeborahFrieze,AnneMarieArcher,BenjaminAaronDegenhart,

TomAtleeandDominiqueHermans.

CASESTUDYORGANIZATIONS:

TheNetherlandsCentreforHumanEmergence,ReosPartners andTheAmsterdamHub

kaiten stonehouse niederhumer thesis summary - the magic canoe - large scale collaboration

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