Principles to Get to Emergence

April 12, 2008

Debbie Frieze is among many things, Co-President of The Berkana Institute. She and Tim Merry and I co-hosted a recent Art of Hosting training in Boston. One unique aspect of this AoH was the deliberate weaving of Berkana Exchange stories, maps, and models with AoH stories, maps, and models. I was very moved by one piece in particular -- the change model that Debbie shared (S-curve) and the framing of what helps us get to emergence. Debbie spoke several stories of people working with little to nothing to create vibrant local communities, and, connect into global community of practice. For me this was also a strong framing about creating systems of influence.

I asked Debbie what she has learned are some of those key principles (and the stories are really moving). I'm finding myself telling these quite a bit since our event. She shared the following:

· Start anywhere, follow it everywhere. (Courtesy of Myron Kellner-Rogers.)
· The leaders we need are already here. (Meg Wheatley)
· We have what we need.
· We make our path by walking it.
· We walk at the pace of the slowest. (Zapatistas)
· We are learning how to live the future now. (We are creating the worlds we want today.)
· We listen, even to the whispers.