Divided we fail, in dialogue we create the future 

While we are facing climate change, geopolitical and military conflicts, and rapidly emerging technology such as AI - we're suffering from polarization and individualism. In this time of increasing challenges and uncertainty we need dialogue, joint solutions, and efforts - but that seems further away than ever before. Inside and outside of organizations.

That worries me - especially with the elections in Europe, the US, and India this year. Polarization may be in the political interest of those searching for (more) power. It serves the interests of our enemies to divide and conquer, to destabilize our societies and communities. But polarization is also spontaneously emerging as a side effect of the VUCA world (and the algorithms that cage us in our bubbles). The more volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity the more anxiety, the more differences of opinion, and the more disagreement. 

Pro or contra? Choose!

That makes sense: no one has seen some of the challenges before, so it may be harder to judge what we are looking at. Are these real challenges or hypes that will pass? Fake news or facts?
Conflicts about “fake or fact” and “pro or contra” divide families, communities, and workplaces. Issues of politics, society, religion, and climate commute to the office. At work, you must take a stand. Are you pro or against..??

That leaves you with a choice of two answers. Where's the nuance, the middle ground? The yes, but..? The no, unless..?. The dilemma?
If you don't agree to 100% you might be canceled. You might be judged and ex-communicated as an outsider. Or, worse, seen as the enemy.

These dynamics don't foster a dialogue. Not even a discussion with proper arguments. It happens all the time. Most people like people who think the same. Maybe we've become used to our echo chambers on social media - trained as we are by the algorithms.
We might not even be aware of our bubbles. We are no longer used to discussing an issue, let alone to engaging in a dialogue where we listen and all parties gain new insights.

Dialogue develops relationships and solutions

That's why I picked up Peter Block's book “Community - The Structure of Belonging” again. Block might refresh our minds and hearts. Let's remember what we want to keep to be ready for this VUCA time of transition toward the future.

Block's work has inspired my writing and consulting over the years. His books promote working bottom-up, including and engaging people, tapping into collective intelligence, asking for their solutions, co-creating a plan for how to change, and doing it together. It builds on people's agency and ownership, their actionable ideas, energy, and enthusiasm. Even though he focuses on citizens and communities, you can apply this approach to organizations as well. Replace the word citizens with colleagues - and there you go..?!
Block's work is based on systems theory, large group methodology, appreciative inquiry, and group learning. It resonates with positive psychology (and my work on developing a positive culture at work).

Block's dialogue approach is what you need to make culture and organization development work. This is what you need to make your organization future-fit, agile, and resilient. This also counts for our societies. Dialogue builds community and belonging - honoring our interdependence, instead of our individualism. Working toward solutions instead of dividing us.

If you know my culture work, you know:

• Every change starts with and succeeds thanks to dialogue in small groups (culture workshops).
• Dialogue means community, connection, social capital, and becoming smarter thanks to collective intelligence. 
• The dialogue, and every interaction, shape the culture.
• The culture is the process - the “way we do things around here” - all the actions and interactions.
• The quality of the process determines the quality of the results.
• The quality of your solutions - your performance - your strategy, your future..?

Develop social capital 

Let me share some inspiring paragraphs from Block. You can use them for reflection, discussion and dialogue. Some will resonate more than others. If you allow yourself to be playful, you don't have to read them all. Just think about the one that jumps out at you. Or the one that triggers you. Go crisscross, don't be linear. Don't be complete and perfect. Let go of the order. Follow your gut feeling. Progress over perfection. There are no right or wrong answers. Here speaks Peter Block (unless you see MB, that’s me).

Social capital is about acting on and valuing our interdependence and sense of belonging. It is measured by how much we trust each other and how much we cooperate to make a place better. It is the extent to which we extend hospitality and affection to one another.

MB: I summarize this as relationships come before results, in the alphabet as well as in real life. Build social capital before you can achieve sustainable positive results. Do you? Most of us focus on tasks and goals..?

The essential work is to build social fabric, both for its own sake and to enable chosen accountability among citizens. When citizens care for each other, they become accountable to each other. Care and accountability create a productive community. 

Co-create the future

The most organizing conversation starter is "What do we want to create together?" 

The key to gathering citizens, leaders, and stakeholders is to create in the room a living example of how we want the future to be. This means we need as much diversity in the room as possible. The more strangers the better. One of the principles is that all voices need to be heard, but not necessarily all at one time or by everybody.
What makes this succeed is that almost everything important happens in a small group. This expresses another principle, that peer-to-peer interaction is where most learning takes place; it is the fertile earth out of which something new is produced. In this small group, you place the maximum mix of people's stories, values, and viewpoints, and in this way, each group of six to twelve brings the whole system into that space.

The context that restores community is one of possibility, generosity, and gifts, rather than one of problem-solving, fear, and retribution. A new context acknowledges that we have all the capacity, expertise, and resources that an alternative future requires.
The small group is the unit of transformation and the container for the experience of belonging. Conversations that focus on stories about the past become a limitation to the community; ones that focus on the future restore community.

Restoration comes from the choice to value possibility and relatedness over problems, needs, and self-interest. It hinges on the accountability chosen by citizens and their willingness to connect with each other around promises they make to each other.
Restoration is created by the kinds of conversations we initiate with each other. These conversations are the leverage point for an alternative future. The core question that underlies each conversation is "What can we create together?" 
Shifting the context from retribution to restoration will occur through the use of language
that moves in the following directions: from problems to possibility; from fear and fault to gifts, generosity, and abundance; from law and oversight to social capital and chosen accountability; from the dominance of corporations and systems to the centrality of associational life; and from leaders to citizens.

Leadership is the art of hosting

Community building requires a concept of the leader as one who designs experiences for others, experiences that in themselves are examples of our desired future. 
Create a context that nurtures an alternative future, one based on gifts, generosity, accountability, and commitment.
Initiate and convene conversations that shift people's experience, which occurs through the way people are brought together and the nature of the questions used to engage them.
Questions are more transforming than answers.
Listen and pay attention. Be able to say "I don't know."

The Small Group Is the Unit of Transformation

The future is created one room at a time, one gathering at a time. Large-scale transformation occurs when enough small groups are aggregated to lead to a larger change. Small groups have the most leverage when they meet as part of a larger gathering or movement.

Thank you, Peter Block!

Ask more questions

MB: If you want to co-create the future with your organization or community, consider reading Block's book. He discusses six conversations that you need to have to co-create a better future: the conversations of Invitation, Possibility, Ownership, Dissent, Commitment, and Gifts. Each dialogue has its own powerful questions. Block's book is useful for every citizen who wants to start a movement, but also for every leader or consultant who wants to develop a more positive organization. It's applicable in any context if you are open to this dialogue-oriented approach. 

I have found that if you want sustainable results, there is no quick bypass. You cannot skip the dialogue. 
The small group is the unit of transformation and successful change. Relationships truly come before results. Let's unite. Let's tap into our collective intelligence. Let's do dialogue. 

Let's not be played by the trolls, the algorithms, the shady interests, the power-seekers, the deep-fakes - anything or anyone that doesn't honor the common good.
That goes for your organization as well. Divided we fail, in dialogue, we can solve our challenges and create the future.

© Marcella Bremer, 2024

The time for a positive transition is now. This decade until 2030 determines the future. Let's help people and organizations become future-fit.

Learn from positivity research and practices to develop resilience and collaboration skills. Just enroll in the online Positive Culture Academy. Join today!

Buy The Positive Culture Book and develop a positive organization.

Check out the next online Culture Change Leadership workshop! Registration is open - places are limited to guarantee interaction and quality.