EMERGENT STRATEGY

emergent strategy:

shaping change, changing worlds

background information

elements of emergent strategy

applications

adrienne maree brown

background info

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Who is adrienne maree brown

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octavia butler & afrofuturism

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what is emergent strategy

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principles of emergent strategy

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meet the author adrienne maree brown

awe. liberation. pleasure.

adrienne maree brown is a multidisciplinary facilitator and speaker who has worked toward founding the practices of emergent strategy in response to the conflicts she has faced in the field of leadership and social justice.

• pleasure activist
• healer
• doula
• writer
• artist
• facilitator

+ learn more

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afrofuturism

the practices of octavia butler

all successful life is adaptable, opportunistic, tenacious, interconnected, and fecund. understand this. use it. shape god.

AFROFUTURISM

the practice of imagining new worlds and better futures that defy the systems of oppression and are centered on Black artistry, creativity, and imagination. foundational in the creation of emergent strategy.

OCTAVIA BUTLER

iconic Afro-Futurist and defining figure in the creation of the science fiction literary genre, Butler's work encourages her readers to be critical about society, imagine changes, and then make them. To take charge of their own destiny in spite of the social systems that stand in their way.

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defining ideas what is emergent strategy?

emergent strategy is how we intentionally change in ways that grow our capacity to embody the just and liberated worlds we long for

EMERGENCE the way complex systems and patterns arise out of a multiplicity of relatively simple interaction

beginning as a way to describe adaptive and relational leadership model, emergent strategy has grown into a plan of action, personal practices, and collective organizing tools that account for constant change and use the strength of relationships to adapt. emergence is beyond what the sum of its parts could even imagine emphasizes:

• critical connection
• building authentic relationships
• listening with all the senses

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principles

the ideas that make up emergent strategy

Small is good, small is all.

Change is constant.

STUDY & PRACTICE the core principles that have emerged and guide the use of emergent strategy in the world. core ideas to grow your leadership method.

Never a failure, always a lesson.

Trust the people.

Move at the speed of trust.

Less prep, more presence.

What you pay attention to grows.

There is a conversation in the room that only these people at this moment can have. Find it.

elements of emergent strategy

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fractals

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adaptive

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INTERDEPENDENCES & Decentralization

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non-linear & iterative

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resilience & transformative justice

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creating more possibilities

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fractals

the relationship between large & small

key takeaways

FRACTAL A never-ending pattern, infinitely complex. created by repeating a process over and over in an ongoing feedback loop

what we practice at the small scale sets the patterns for the whole system

The patterns that exist on the basis of two ideas: 1. there are shapes and patterns fundamental to our universe 2. what we practice at a small scale can reverberate to the largest scaleEmphasis on a shift in mindset from 'competitive' to 'collaborative'. Create patterns that cycle upwards instead of downwards

transform yourself to transform the world

your personal life is the front line for practicing justice. liberation, and alignment with your environment

"and to be transformed in the service of the work" - Hooks

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intentional adaptation

how we change

ADAPTATION the process of changing to fit some purpose or situation: the process of adapting INTENTION an aim or purpose

octavia butler's teachings

The only lasting truth is change

• how we live and grow and stay purposeful in the face of constant change determines both the quality of our lives and the impact that we have when we move into action.
• the process of changing while staying in touch with our deeper purpose and longing
• adaptation reduces exhaustion
• be intentional with where you put your energy

'A victim of God may, through learning adaptation, become a partner of God."

"We are the Earthseed. The life that perceives itself changing."

'my miraculous irreplaceable body is in a dynamic and outstanding system of life moving towards life.'

+ instability

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interdependence & decentralization

who we are and how we share

INTERDEPENDENCE the mutual dependence between things, the quality or condition of being mutually reliant DECENTRALIZATION the dispersion or distribution of functions or powers, the delegation of power

PRINCIPLES OF INTERDEPENDENCE

BE SEEN initially with defensiveness, then without agency.

BE WRONG the easier 'being wrong' is, the faster you can adapt to changing circumstances. There isn't a definitive truth.

• the idea of interdependence is that can meet each other's needs in a variety of ways, that we can truly lean on others and they can lean on us
• work to decentralize ideas about where solutions and ideas can come from
• cultivate mutual reliance and shared leadership
• differentiating generosity (giving what you have without strings) and vulnerability (showing your needs).

ACCEPT INNER MULTITUDES I am not turning against myself, I am multitudes. Be vulnerable with inner contradiction.

ASK FOR, AND RECEIVE, WHAT YOU NEED the support that you have and will offer balances you're own requests for support

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nonlinear & iterative

the pace and pathways of change

NONLINEAR not denoting, involving, or arranged in a straight line ITERATIVE involving repetition, relating to the iteration of an operation or procedure

teachings

WE ARE ALL LEARNING WHAT IT MEANS TO BE SOMEBODIES WHO SHAPE THE FUTURE, TO OPERATE AT THE SCALE OF TRANSFORMATION.

• transformation happens in cycles, convergences, and explosions
• as we transform, we see more things that need transformation, within ourselves and the world
• cultivate your patience and thoughtfulness
• be willing to slow down
• seek the wisdom of others
• regenerate your curiosity
• cooperate, sustain, and grow from conflict

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resilience

how we recover and transform

RESILIENCE the ability of something to return to its original shape after being pulled, stretched, or bent; an ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change

TRANSFORMATIVE JUSTICE

1. acknowledges the reality of state harm2. looks for alternative ways to address/interrupt harm 3. relies on organic, creative strategies that are community-created and sustained 4. transforms the root causes of violence, not only the individual experience

• justice yields deeper trust, resilience, and interdependence
• take responsibility for your own feelings and act accordingly
• set boundaries and stick to them
• acknowledge that we have no idea what we are doing, then birth a new collective consciousness
• build a peace that is built on truth, accountability, and equity
• nothing in nature is disposable, the cycle of life ultimately makes use of everything

SAFETY, HEALING, AND AGENCY FOR ALL

accountability, transformation of social conditions, community action, and healing.

+ liberation

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creating more possibilities

how we move towards life

CREATE to cause to come into being, to evolve from one's own thoughts or imagination POSSIBILITY that may or can exist, happen, be done, be used,

connecting to butler

"all that you touch, you change. all that you change, changes you."

• creating possibilities is where we shape tomorrow towards abundance
• recognize a multitude of realities have, do, and will exist
• collaborative ideation - the process of birthing new ideas, the practice of sharing those ideas as early as possible
• meaningful collaboration- relies on and deepens relationships, the stronger the bond the more possibilities you hold
• notice who challenges you, who makes the edges of your ideas grow or fortify
• imagine the future as a place of justice and pleasure

the spirit of emergent strategy is making ourselves vulnerable to be changed. we are creating a world that's never been seen.

applications

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EMERGENT STRATEGY IN CONVERSATION

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TOOLS & TIPS

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STRATEGY IN PRACTICE

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SELF ASSESMENT

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MAKING CONNECTIONS

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CONCLUSION

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in conversation

jodie tonita

• increase impact by creating cycles of aligning, acting, and learning which results in in better ideas, strategies, and ways of working
• in the face of challenge, we must summon the courage to believe that we are the ones that we have been waiting for, take risks, and experiment towards solutions
• i trust myself in the face of the unknown

autumn meghan brown

• we are born into relationships of dependence and interdependence
• transparency and understanding of status in terms of social framework and oppression are essential to creating equal voice
• status and rank are not accidental nor individual

dani mcclain

grace lee boggs

Q: What time is it on the clock of the world? A: Time to close the gap between vision and practice. Time for those of us who seek justice and liberation to BE just and liberated, to be of this place fully.

• our minds are not real, so we project things that are not real. differentiate between what is noise and what is important
• finding a practice community that you feel connected to is crucial
• be able to bring you back to yourself in the midst of feelings, opinions, attitudes

conversation is a crucial way to explore what we believe and to make new understandings and ideas possible.

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tools for emergent strategy

democratic organizing

1. Be Inclusive2. Emphasis on Bottom Up Organizing 3. Let the People Speak for Themselves 4. Work Together In Solidarity and Mutuality 5. Build Just Relationships Among Ourselves 6. Commitment to Self-Transformation

trust the people

1. Goal Setting & Intention - why are we meeting? what can this group uniquely accomplish? 2. Invite the Right People 3. Individual Participants Articulation 4. A Living Agenda - develop a spacious, adaptable agenda that allows for participant shaping 5. Listen with Love 6. Know When to Say Yes and No 7. Don't Hover 8. What Are You Gonna Do? - move forward with awareness. the next, most elegant step

• Strategic Intentions
• Individual & Collective Reflection
• Succession Planning
• Capacity Assessment
• Organizational Alignment with Vision
• Dialectal Thinking

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in practice

curiosity

our lives are our life's work. what matters is being authentic in our questions, our belief in the power of the answers, and that we listen.

coevolution

present and intentional

the change or a biological object triggered by the change of a related object

life is not happening to us. we are learning to be in the actual current movement, to recognize we have choice.

vulnerable reflection

ask others to be mirrors for us at our most vulnerable places, so we can see what we are learning, see new possibilities in our lives

self-transformation

pattern disrupting

we are microcosms of the world and must work to shift oppressive patterns in our bodies, minds, hearts, speech, and intentions.

stand in your wholeness, be honest about your wants and who you are, apply pressure, make change.

somatics

visionary fiction

transformation that understands the process of change not only from thinking differently. it shifts what we understand, feel, and practice

art is not neutral, it either upholds or disrupts status. visionary fiction is a way to practice the future in our minds

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self assesment

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vocational connections

how to be an emergent strategist stage manager

Thinking about principles of social justice activism and leadership in the realm of theatre is interesting because much of what Brown discusses in her strategy is community-oriented and founded in imagining and building better futures. this work can very easily be translated into theatre practices because it is a field that is deeply rooted in community and art is inherently about imagining the ways that the world could be different. In terms of being an emergent strategist as a stage manager, some of the biggest themes that I see connecting are dismantling the 'charismatic leader' archetype and working towards enhancing collaboration.

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conclusion

“Change is the one unavoidable, irresistible, ongoing reality of the universe. To us, that makes it the most powerful reality, and just another word for God."

you are the one that you are waiting for

emergent strategy affirms that the justice and liberation that you are longing for is valid, possible, and within reach. you just need to be strong enough to take the first step. and to remember that there are no constants in life, you must always be open to changing and adapting in the face of conflict and change. and above all, you are not alone. the futures that you are striving for, is not

yours alone, so you can lean on others, find your community, identify the shared goals and take action towards them. taking care of yourself allows you to take care of others. your voice matters. you have the power to change the systems of oppression and build the future that you long for.b

if you answered mostly 'I DON'T KNOW'

learn! pay attention to how you lead, how you move through the world, the way that you think. by being more self-aware you are able to put emergent strategy into practice and act with intention.

liberated relationships

• radical honesty - ask the questions you really want answered, speak your truth, build relationships inside reality
• acknowledge the dynamics, then keep growing - be in the complexity of living inside constructs while evolving beyond them through building relationships
• relinquish frankenstein - stop trying to make and fix others, be curious about what they have made of themselves

• capitalism - we must contort to ensure continues belonging. our value is in what we can produce
• the oppression of supremacy - our truths don't matter, 'be seen and not heard'
• the oppression of false peace - our truths are disruptive, disruption is a negative act, we should remain complacent

oppressions

empowerment

• how do we prepare not just for suffering, but for sharing innovation?
• how do we experience our beauty and humanity in every condition?
• what do we need to imagine as we prepare for oncoming change?

Questions such as these sustain and motivate leaders.

PATTERNS THAT CREATE CONFLICT

The way that we are programmed to think about leadership idolizes the 'charismatic leader'. This perpetuates a culture that values and places emphasis on the achievement of the individual. This leads to patterns such as:

• burn out
• organizational splitting
• personal drama
• mission drift
• stagnation

SHIFTING THE SCOPE OF LEADERSHIP

if you answered mostly 'YES'

congratulations! you are an emergent strategist. keep striving towards more ethical and just work. teach your practice to others!

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if you answered mostly 'NO'

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every no is an opportunity for growth. evaluate your personal practices and identify what you can do to evolve into an effective emergent strategist.

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how do we respond when instability has become a defining feature of our times? these disruptions can be classified into two categories

shocks

slides

shocks are acute moments of disruption. these happen quickly and unexpectedly.

slides occur incrementally, happening over time and steadily building in impact.

conclusions

In order to create impactful change, we must harness the shocks and direct the slides - all toward achieving the systemic, cultural, and psychic shifts we need in order to navigate the changes with the greatest equity, resilience, and ecological restoration possible