Transformative Scenario Planning: Working Together to Change the Future [Standard Large Print 16 Pt Edition]

by Adam Kahane

Questo libro straordinario offre una prospettiva illuminante sul potente metodo degli Scenari Trasformativi, un approccio innovativo per affrontare situazioni problematiche, gestire conflitti e navigare la complessità del mondo odierno.
In questi contesti, anche le persone con le migliori competenze si ritrovano bloccate dalla sfiducia reciproca o da apparenti insanabili disaccordi tra le parti coinvolte. Questo senso di impotenza, aggravato dai conflitti di interesse e dalle incertezze sul futuro, sta inaridendo, anche nelle democrazie più solide, la capacità di iniziativa per il bene comune dei singoli e delle comunità.
Con la spiegazione di principi facilmente applicabili e il racconto di esperienze coinvolgenti, Adam Kahane guida alla comprensione di un processo da attuare in cinque fasi, con il quale è possibile favorire un cambiamento significativo anche nelle circostanze più difficili, e ottenere risultati sorprendenti con il pieno consenso di tutti gli attori in causa.
Un viaggio emozionante che ci aiuterà a trasformare noi stessi, le nostre relazioni e i sistemi di cui facciamo parte, ispirando gli altri a fare lo stesso, per costruire insieme il futuro migliore per tutti.

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Adam Kahane, è considerato su scala globale uno dei principali facilitatori di processi attraverso i quali i leader di governi, organizzazioni e aziende internazionali possono lavorare insieme per il bene comune. È direttore di Reos Partners, un'impresa sociale internazionale che aiuta le persone a lavorare insieme per affrontare i loro problemi più importanti e irrisolvibili.
Adam ha facilitato team dirigenziali di aziende, governi, istituzioni educative, partiti politici e organizzazioni senza scopo di lucro. Ha svolto questo lavoro in più di cinquanta paesi, in tutto il mondo, facilitando diversi team di leader di sistemi sociali a livello locale, statale, internazionale e globale. Ha facilitato una varietà di processi collaborativi, alcuni di pochi giorni e altri che hanno richiesto, per la loro complessità, mesi o anni. Ha aiutato i gruppi a lavorare insieme sulle sfide più critiche del nostro cambiamenti climatici, equità, governance democratica, diritti degli indigeni, salute, cibo, energia, acqua, istruzione, giustizia e sicurezza. Ha aiutato le persone a superare le loro divisioni negli Stati Uniti, in Canada, Colombia, Haiti, Irlanda del Nord, Israele, Zimbabwe, Etiopia, Myanmar, Thailandia e così via.
Adam ha conseguito una laurea in fisica presso la McGill University, un master in energia e risorse presso l'Università di Berkeley, e un master in scienze comportamentali applicate presso la Bastyr University. Prima di co-fondare Reos Partners, è stato responsabile degli scenari sociali, politici, economici, ambientali e tecnologici globali presso la Shell a Londra. Ha ricoperto incarichi di ricerca presso università e istituti in Nord America, Europa, Giappone e Sudafrica, anche come ricercatore associato presso la Saïd School of Business dell'Università di Oxford.
È autore di bestseller internazionali di Solving Tough Problems (che Nelson Mandela definì “un libro rivoluzionario”); Potere e Amore, Usa il tuo Nemico e Facilitare la Svolta.
Adam e sua moglie Dorothy hanno quattro figli e dieci nipoti. Vivono a Montreal e Città del Capo.

Genres: Nonfiction, Business, Leadership, Politics

208 pages, Paperback

First published October 15, 2012

About the author

Adam Kahane is a Director of Reos Partners, an international social enterprise that helps people move forward together on their most important and intractable issues.

Adam is a leading organizer, designer and facilitator of processes through which business, government, and civil society leaders can work together to address such challenges. He has worked in more than fifty countries, in every part of the world, with executives and politicians, generals and guerrillas, civil servants and trade unionists, community activists and United Nations officials, clergy and artists.


Adam is a Member of the Order of Canada. In 2022 he was named a Schwab Foundation Social Innovation Thought Leader of the Year at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Reviews

[Sergio Ledward · Rating 5 out of 5]

Me asombró. No lo esperaba tan profundo, esperanzador, honesto, y además fácil de leer. Es una poderosa apuesta por el diálogo aún en las situaciones más complejas. Lectura obligada para todos los que estén interesados en transformaciones sociales.
Leí una edición de la CNDH México, aplaudo su esfuerzo aunque el prólogo casi logra hacerme no leer el resto.

[Martin Gilbraith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Transformative Scenario Planning takes a narrative approach. Kahane tells the story of the Mont Fleur Scenario exercise, and how it helped a diverse group of South African leaders from across the many divisions of that society to talk through what was happening, what could happen and what needed to happen in their country – and then to act on what they had learned, so contributing to some peaceful forward progress in a situation that had seemed violently stuck.

Drawing on another 20 years of subsequent practice with scenarios, Kahane goes on to outline his conclusions on when and how such planning works best – namely, in situations seen to be unacceptable or unsustainable, that cannot be transformed directly or by people working only with those close to them, and by means of a five stage process detailed in subsequent chapters.

[Fabrice · Rating 4 out of 5]

An inspiring story of how it’s possible to change societies

Adam retells the successful and less successful stories of trying to change society using scenario planning. By bringing a diverse group of leaders together to plan the future, Adam has helped some countries move forward probably in a bit better direction a bit faster.

Inspiring if you didn’t believe change is possible at that scale.

[Kelly Matias · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adam made it easy to understand what Transformative Scenario Planning is all about.
This book makes it possible for anyone to understand what scenarios are and what steps need to be taken in order for anyone to start getting to them.
I really enjoyed reading the examples of previous scenarios writing experiences and I love how Adam even showed us how this process can also be unsuccessful.

[D.Prasanna Bhagwan · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is a very well written book , crisp clear and the author has written alot of his experience and his effort to see problem from various perspectives and solve it step by step is really worth a praise.

[Brenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read for school.

[Vikrama Dhiman · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have been looking for a book on Scenario Planning. This book does not end the search.

This is the nth book mentioning South Africa, Shell, and Latin America. The book is more an account of authors own work. It is not bad and in some ways, it is engrossing as well. However, it is not a book on scenario planning and how to use it in your organization.

[Bufo Calvin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Certainly, Adam Kahane has been involved in some remarkable working groups. The basic idea of transformative scenario planning can get disparate, even opposing, groups working together towards a common goal.

Unfortunately, the "basic idea" is about what there is in this particular book. For example, it's amazing that you can get people who have been in violent conflicts with each other, even (as is mentioned in the book), specifically trying to kill each other as individuals, and have them share ideas. How you get them to do that, though, is not covered...just the fact that it happened.

Another element which makes it not work as a practical "how to" guide (and it may not be intended as that) is that the author honestly says that the conditions have to be right for it to succeed...and mentions times when it didn't. It's a bit like saying, "So, you want to eat pizza tonight? First, you need to have a pizza..." Well, yes...if you don't have a pizza, and you aren't told how to get one (either making it yourself or perhaps having it delivered), that doesn't do you much good.

Kahane is clearly a person to be admired, but I can't recommend the book for people who are hoping to learn how to get their own communities "unstuck".

[Josh Patrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

The best part of this book is the method of referring to various scenarios as stories. When you have stories about what could happen, then they are just that, stories.

The author points out that many of the scenario planning activities that happened didn't work out. This shows how scenario planning by itself can't foster huge change. There has to be an inner commitment that goes along with planning change. If both don't happen, there is little chance any of the positive stories will take root.

In some cases the negative scenarios had to play out before countries got around to working on positive scenarios where they changed belief systems as well as actions.

The book is worth a read in that there are some good ideas in it.

[Colin]

The book was an easy-to-read and useful introduction to the world of scenario planning. Kahane's examples, which draw on his experiences, such as the South African Mont Fleur project, were pertinent in portraying the processes of scenario planning. These case studies of national-level scenario planning initiatives were also engaging. A good book for beginners looking to understand what is scenario planning and how it is conducted.

[Tomas Chaigneau · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very well written, but I was definitely not sold on the idea of transformative scenario planning. I felt the author was not critical enough of this approach and focused mostly on the advantages. I would have preferred a more honest account of the merits and pitfalls of this (supposedly wonderful) methodological approach.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

A refreshingly different perspective on Scenarios here.
The obvious learning point here is that transformative scenarios are the products of stories knitted -weft and warp - with brutal the truth(s). And for such stories to emerge, everyone that is a part of the problem(s) must be part of crafting the solution.

[Etienne Beaulieu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Comme dans ses autres livres Kahane documente les concepts avec pleins d'exemples titrés de sa pratique... en prime c'est synthèse et pertinent! J'aime

[Tonya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness! A new facilitation technique! Love this technique. So easy to read and apply to my work right now. I really recommend this one to my Process Facilitating friends.

[Elsbeth Kwant · Rating 4 out of 5]

A concise and measured book, that describes the possibilities and impossibilities of changing things that matter.