geelong college presentation

I started out playful … creative.

This is Geoff Brown

“I am now re-learning how to be creative and play at my work”

“My confidence doesn’t come from success … it comes from not being fearful of making mistakes!”

??So what am I going to focus on

1. Problems!

CLIMATE CHANGE

PEAK OIL

“The art of being wise is the art of knowing what to overlook”William James, US pragmatist philosopher

2. New ways of thinking

3. Solutions!

1. Problems!

CLIMATE CHANGE

PEAK OIL

Source: http://www.slideshare.net/henriquealves/nature-matters-or-how-to-save-the-planet/

Source: http://www.slideshare.net/henriquealves/nature-matters-or-how-to-save-the-planet/

Source: http://www.slideshare.net/henriquealves/nature-matters-or-how-to-save-the-planet/

98 oil producers in the world98 oil producers in the world

Is Peak Oil a theory?

It’s not a theory for It’s not a theory for these 64these 64 post peak producers post peak producers

Peak oil a theory?

Source: http://www.slideshare.net/henriquealves/nature-matters-or-how-to-save-the-planet/

MEGA-fires are causing us to rewrite the RULES

Source: http://www.slideshare.net/jbrenman/thirst/

Source: http://www.slideshare.net/jbrenman/thirst/

http://www.slideshare.net/jbrenman/thirst/

Interview each other …Interview each other …

• What’s wrong with what you’re doing?• Why are you doing so badly?• What’s the main cause of your difficulty?• Whose fault is it?• What are the other things that make it hard?• Why will it be difficult for you to do any better?

One thing about yourself that you One thing about yourself that you wish to improvewish to improve

??

To what extent do problems inspire us to change

ApproxApprox 6% 6% of the timeof the time

Source: Robinson, L. The voluntary adoption of new practices (unpub.)

What about the science and experts?

Source: http://www.slideshare.net/henriquealves/nature-matters-or-how-to-save-the-planet/

1. More Problems!

A great example of

communicating the science of

Climate Change

BUT … most of what we see & hear

is not simplesimple!

Houston, we have a problem!

"Yes, we need (carbon) pricing. I actually believe it will come country by country, and not by a global agreement.“ Jeffrey Sachs

Professor Garnaut quickly disagreed, warning that without global agreement, every country would put its own interests first.

Why can’t the experts agree!

Aaaaahh!

It’s way too complex

Even the experts don’t know what

will work

??

To what extent is Information & Science a trigger of change?

Source: Robinson, L. The voluntary adoption of new practices (unpub.)

Approx Approx

20%20%Source: Robinson, L. The voluntary adoption of new practices (unpub.)

??So what do we focus on to enable

change

… and navigate through the roadblocks?

“The art of being wise is the art of knowing what to overlook”William James, US pragmatist philosopher

2. New ways of thinking are needed

AhAh-Ha-Ha!!

IXIX“Using a single line turn this into

the number 6”

Activity 101

Testing your Assumptions

Tip: Use a pen paper to solve it

S S IXIXThe answer …

Well done if you got it!

What assumptions did you make about the “IX” if you didn’t get it?

What assumptions do you make about tackling climate change and inspiring

change in others?

Understanding Complexity is critical!Sources: http://www.cognitive-edge.com/blogs/dave/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cynefin

Known or Simple

Knowable Or Complicated

Complex

Chaotic

Cynefin Domains

Complicated

With enough research, expertise & trial & error … we can predict the outcome

ComplexEven with the best research & expertise … we can’t predict the outcome of this!

Complex

Just try & predict my next move!?

Or this guy!

Known

Knowable

Complex

Chaotic

Which Domain is your work in?

Like the butterfly effect

Can’t predict what outcomes your actions will have (even the experts don’t know)

Planning doesn’t work as intended

Rational Problem Solving doesn’t work

Work often complicated like building a car

High confidence that desired outcomes will result from your actions (experts usually helpful)

Planning usually works as intended

Rational Problem Solving can work

Work is simple, predictable and repeatable

Problems remain solved

“Best Practice” works as intended

Even Bureaucratic structures can be effective!

Don’t worry about solutions – act quickly to stablise

Each problem is unique

Structures are little help

Source: B. Dick. Complex Social Systems & their facilitation. Conference Paper – AFN 2006.

Knowable

Complexity

1Working in Complexity!

Like human behaviour & climate change

Cause-effect relationships ‘un-knowable’ ahead of time

All you can do is:Probe - Implement lots of small

actions/initiativesSense - Watch closely and notice

what’s working Respond - to support favorable

outcomes & counter the negatives

In Sum

‘let go’ of control of outcomes

probe – sense - respond

??

So what about human behaviour?

“Our Behaviour is shaped by those around us … usually subconsciously” Mark Earls. Herd.

“It’s the attributes of the Social Networks that is critical to understand … not the person it starts with” Duncan Watts. Professor of Sociology at Columbia University.

Human Behaviour is Complex too!

??Source: Robinson, L. The voluntary adoption of new practices (unpub.)

To what extent do those around us trigger change?

approxapprox74%74%Source: Robinson, L. The voluntary adoption of new practices (unpub.)

In Sum

It’s about ‘We’ not ‘I’

??

So what new approaches do we need

Read this - Clay Shirky. Here Comes Everybody

Listen to this Podcast - Unconferencing. Johnnie Moore & Chris Corrigan. 2007.

The InstitutionCoordination

Consumers ‘create’ content

Consumers ‘consume’ content

Which Way in a

Complex World?

The InstitutionCoordination

Consumers create content

Web 2.0 – Meetup, Twitter, Blogs

Self Organising systems

UnConferencing

Mass Media for consumer consumption

Web 1.0 - Websites

Controlling systems

Traditional Conferences

11

Here is 1 specific approach applicable to all groups and communities.

Open Space Open Space TechnologyTechnologyOpen Space Technology is a simple way to run

productive meetings, for five to 2000+ people, and a powerful way to lead any kind of organization, in

everyday practice and extraordinary change.

Participants create the agenda

Open Space Technology

It’s Self Organising

Open Space Technology

OS is about people taking Responsibility for their Passions

In Sum

Unconference your conferences

Invite collaborative content

Value non-experts highly

??

So what do we focus on

3. Solutions!

Focus here more

Focus here less

??

Why solutions

AgainAgain …Interview each other …Interview each other

• What are you aiming to achieve?• How will you know you’ve achieved it?• What was the best you ever did at this thing?• What went well on that occasion?• What will be the first signs that you’re getting better?• How will other people notice this improvement?

One thing about yourself that you One thing about yourself that you wish to improvewish to improve

Notice the difference your perception of yourself?

Solutions Solutions TalkTalk

Problem Talk

Diagnose the problem

Know the causes of the problem

Use this info to address the problem

Academic impulse

Solutions Talk

Recognise the solution(s)

Find “counters” – this that contribute to solutions

Build solutions and the problem vanishes

Pragmatic impulse

Source: Solutions For Change Training Notes (2008). www.thesolutionsfocus.co.uk

Solutions Solutions Focus ModelFocus Model

Find what works and do more of it …

ProblemProblemDefining

the Future

Finding what’s

workingSpotting useful qualities/skills

Finding small steps

switchover

Source: Solutions For Change Training Notes (2008). www.thesolutionsfocus.co.uk

In Sum

Focus on solutions

Unconference

“We” not “I”

Let go of outcomes

1. Problems!

2. New ways of thinking

3. Solutions!

People who have inspired meM Earls (2007). Herd – How to change mass behaviour by harnessing our true

nature. JW & Sons. L. Metcalf (1998). Solution Focused Group Therapy – Ideas for Groups in

Private Practice, Schools, Agencies & Treatment Programs. The Free Press.

P. Jackson & M.McKergow (2007). The Solutions Focus – Making Coaching & Change Simple. NB International.

C. Heath & D. Heath (2007). Made to Stick – Why Some Ideas Survive & Others Die. Random House.

G. Reynolds (2008). Presentation Zen – Simple Ideas on Presentation Design & Delivery. New Riders.

C. Shirky (2008). Here Comes Everybody – The Power or Organising Without Organisations. Penguin Press.

D. Roam (2008). The Back of the Napkin – Solving Problems & Selling Ideas with Pictures. Portfolio Group.

P. Madson (2006). Improv Wisdom: Don’t’ Prepare, Just Show Up.

Online stuff that has inspired me

D. Snowden. Cognitive Edge Website Resources and White Papers. http://www.cognitive-edge.com/blogs/dave/

C. Shirky (2008). Institutions vs. Collaboration. TED Conference Talk. Online at http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/clay_shirky_on_institutions_versus_collaboration.html

D. Watts (2008). Word of Mouth for the Real World. Avenue a Razorfish Conference. Available online at http://vid.atdmt.com/v/lp/aarf-marketing/WordofMouthfortheRealWorld.m4v

Group Processes• Open Space Technology - http://www.openspaceworld.org/• Cafe Conversations - http://www.theworldcafe.com/

THANKYOUTHANKYOU!!

Geoff BrownTangent Consulting