Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing Worlds

by Adrienne Maree Brown

Loretta Ross teaches us that, “When people think the same idea and move in the same direction, that’s a cult. When people think many different ideas and move in one direction, that’s a movement.”116

I love to innovate in isolation, but when I try to exert those isolated concepts on others, I can become oppressive and controlling pretty quickly.

The main resistance I hear to transparency is that it takes time to get the systems in place, and that people have their own ways of managing their work. What I usually find is that people resist because they don’t have systems or don’t have effective systems for tracking their work. They just react to what’s right in front of them. And they don’t want others to know that. Been there, done that! That approach to life works pretty well if you are working alone and don’t have any ambition. But if you are working in a group and want to have impact, eventually it will be important to create well-used systems of shared work. It’s about the group being able to have enough information and contact to experience interdependence and adaptation.

Capacity Assessment My Ruckus coworker Megan Swoboda once had us compute the number of work hours we collectively had to apply to the upcoming year of work. We prioritized the program work we had to do and distributed our hours accordingly.

Brag and Swag Wall At the beginning of a gathering of people after some time apart—particularly in an alliance or network setting, particularly if it’s a regular meeting (annual, biannual), do a Brag and Swag Wall. The Brag Wall can be filled up with post-it notes from the people in the room. It should include good news and celebrations related to the work that has brought everyone together. This should also include lessons (things that could be interpreted as failures, but are lessons for the group). In my experience the most successful walls also include major personal achievements like falling in love, or a transformative breakup, or a graduation. Looks like this: Name Location/Organization Achievement Links for more information (if relevant, available)

I have also done events where I added a Wall of Opportunity in the future section, also populated with post-it notes, but on these post-it notes people put projects and campaigns that they want to invite people in the room to learn about and participate in. These post-its can be formatted like this: Name Location/Organization Opportunity Contact information to get involved

Talking/Peace Circle This might be one of the earliest tools ever developed by humans for deepening relationship and resolving conflict. I have participated in circles that overtly traced their methods to Indigenous peoples around the world, using a talking item to hold the sacred intention of the circle, passing it around to indicate whose turn it was to speak. I have also been a part of circles that came together organically out of a need for people to listen to each other and be heard. I think this one is in us, and the simple act of forming a circle, a wholeness, together, then putting our truths in the center of that circle, is strengthening, clarifying, and can be healing. The basic form is to sit in a circle with as little as possible between you (if you have a circle without a table in the middle, or without a bunch of technology and personal belongings, that helps. Clear space, a clear circle to hold whatever is spoken). Imbue an item with the power of words—the item can be an object of meaning for the group (a stone from the community garden you started), or something the group gives meaning to for the circle (in my facilitation bag, I keep a few stones and crystals—mostly turquoise and rose quartz—which have their own qualities for calming or energizing a conversation).

I was in a moment of tension with a loved one recently and our mediator actually had us just feel each other, past all the words. Sometimes we talk to move away from the truth.