New Tools, A New Approach to Complexity and Climate Change 13-19 July 2008

New Tools, A New Approach to Complexity and Climate Change 13-19 July 2008

Concerned about our Environment and Climate Change? To change the world, we need to change our thinking, and if you are from business, government or the NGO world, you’ll come away from this week-long intensive with solid skills and methods to address the complexity that seems to be handcuffing intelligent people of conscience. Industry-specific challenges will be explored, from dairy to manufacturing. Bring your industry’s issues, and we’ll weave them into our work together! We will also directly address the communication challenges of sustainability leadership.

Trying to attain sustainability without systemic thinking and complexity science is like trying to change the battery of your watch with a hammer. We need specialized tools that can be learned, practised, and taken with you back into whatever part of the challenge you are facing. The culture that this course will support: a loving and rigorous week of getting down to business, working with people who are passionate about this work, and experienced teachers.

Jane Lorand, J.D., M.A., Co-founder and lead instructor of the GreenMBA, Dominican University of California and Julian Still, CEO turn-around, Consultant on complexity and systemic development for the European Commission, Brussels.

Learning Outcomes:

• Learn to use the Sense-Making Framework to isolate “complexity” and its characteristics (D. Snowden, Harvard Business Review, Nov. 2007)
• Learn diverse methods of building “rich pictures” of the complexity
• Develop the qualities of buoyancy and mobility in identifying emergent issues/themes from the rich picture
• Build transformative statements and build probes to test them
• Play with the Elements of Reasoning, as criteria to determine if an idea that you are considering is a “good” idea
• Build a model of the idea, as it plays out within an organization (need driven)
• Take the model back into the original rich pictures and explore for new options.
• Do a WindTunnel on an issue of concern – learn to frame the future so it can be approached effectively
• Grasp the deep concept of intellectual humility and its role in complexity and leadership
• The basics of Sustainability Design Principles: Leaders as designers, and designers as leaders: Cradle to Cradle Design Principles; the Natural Step in Action
• Basic facts about today’s Environmental Condition: 10 Basic Facts to bring into the exploration of issues in your community, company, and government
• Knowledge Mapping is a way of bringing complex issues into focus. Story-telling and sculpture will also be used to help us bring our thinking, feeling, and will into this work

Tuition £315, Accommodation £96, All Meals £96 (Camping £42, Lunches only £45)

For more information and to subscribe see www.emerson.org.uk