Resources

May 5, 2022 Two things sustain a complex system: Similarity and difference. The similarity holds the system together with coherence and identity. Difference introduces the potential energy of tension and possibility. Most tools of applied social sciences focus on “common ground.”  Similarity becomes the platform for building a shared future. We avoid difference. We fear it because we don’t know how to capture and channel its power. In HSD, we recognize difference as a source of energy. It is the driver of change. It is the root for learning and growth. It is full of promise and possibility—if we just let ourselves use it. In this LVW, Glenda Eoyang shares tools from HSD to help us recognize and leverage the possibility in difference. Bring your most wicked issues and leave with a plan to see and leverage the possibilities that hide in the differences you dread.

April 7, 2022 In a complex, uncertain world time does not flow in a straight, unbroken line. We can reflect on and learn from the past. We can imagine a smooth path into the future, but in the moment of change, anything can happen. And to make matters worse, any moment can be a moment of change. The challenge we face is to be present as change emerges, to be curious to explore options, and find the courage to act, even when the future is unknowable. In this Live Virtual Workshop, Glenda Eoyang talks about how HSD can help you build the Adaptive Capacity you need to thrive in such unpredictable change. Leave with tools to access and leverage your memories and imagination to step off the tightwire and see time as the safety net below you.

September 5, 2019 You solve problems every day. You help others solve problems every day. You know about multiple decision-making and problem-solving models you can use in different situations. You find, however, that it’s sometimes difficult to be sure which model to use as you deal with the complex challenges you face in today’s world. Sometimes you follow a decision-making model into a rabbit hole, only to get stuck in the confusing swirl of data, meaning making, and possible actions. Historically, most decision models come down to gathering data, analyzing data, making a choice, and acting. The differences from one model to the next have to do with how they collect data, what kind of data they collect, what questions they use to make sense of those data, and ways they move the decision to action. On the other hand, Human Systems Dynamics uses Adaptive Action, in all situations. This iterative cycle of observation, reflection, and action builds on previous learning in each iteration. Pattern Logic and Adaptive Action allow you to focus on the underlying dynamics that shape your challenge or opportunity to move beyond the surface  symptoms of any situation. In this month’s Live Virtual Workshop, Glenda Eoyang shares some of the insights and “tips and traps” she has learned through her rich and varied career using Adaptive Action and Pattern Logic.