Navigating Ambiguity (1/6): Grow Together

Ambiguity is the new normal. Every day we face more uncertainty with things that we simply can’t control: where (or if) we work, how we get to interact with loved ones, what qualifies as news and truth, the list goes on and on.

How might we find a direction in this confusion? How do we avoid getting lost?

Ambiguity navigation is rarely a solo sport. Fortunately, there are things that we can control, it is possible to develop a mindset for facing ambiguity with these secret ingredients: togetherness, hope, and agency. 

This is the first of a six-part series on our principles for #AmbiguityActivism. 

CoCreACT® Principles

Now more than ever we need to adopt new ways of being. We need to find simple and powerful approaches to ambiguity that reveal the possibilities of new worlds. The key pillars of ambiguity activism that we outline in our CoCreACT® approach aim to do precisely that: 

Co - new ways of feeling: We are in this together. Shared purpose gives us strength and direction and connection. Owning our collective uncertainty inspires us to deeper understanding and new perspectives.

Cre - new ways of thinking: In the unknown, our understanding and imagination must have fertile space to grow so that we can co-create new knowledge and solutions. This is only possible when we are able to communicate the ambiguous in experiential ways that foster compassion and creativity.

Act - new ways of doing: Trailblazing does not follow a straight and predetermined path, so we prototype forward. Our progress comes from iterative cycles of experimenting and learning. We can’t evolve through control, but through lifting each other up and being better together than we could ever be alone. 

Developing an ambiguity activist mindset requires feeling, thinking and doing in new ways. To illuminate the path forward, we have developed six essential principles for finding the big possibilities in ambiguity.

This series will explore each of the principles more deeply. In this post, we focus on what it means to GROW TOGETHER. 

Let’s connect 

We humans are connected through purpose and direction, even more so in times of uncertainty. Alignment around shared values provides an anchor, something to hold on to when everything else is moving in unexpected directions. It also provides a remedy against the biggest obstacle to innovation in many large organizations: No alignment.

True change cannot be mandated by a few, rather it must be a choice of the many. Positive transformation doesn’t happen when an exclusive circle makes the decision to do so. It can’t be forced on people or pushed down their throats. On the contrary: In such a complex world, we must think more broadly in systems and interconnected relationships to achieve change. 

Momentum is generated by people who share a common purpose and are committed to the same cause. This alignment generates the energy required for seeking new worlds. To overcome complex challenges, we need more than shared responsibility, we need meaningful engagement to co-create the paths forward.

#GrowTogether means that we acknowledge we are in this (mess) together and that, with hope and agency, we can activate profound change.

Participation by Design

The GROW TOGETHER principle may feel familiar given the prevalence of human-centered design, design thinking and other popular approaches that champion empathy for people as an essential component of innovation.These methods are typically described and applied as a focus on those who are experiencing the problem, including consumers, end users, community members and stakeholders. While this focus on people is certainly valuable in the design of solutions, it can ignore other key people who bring great value to and benefit from the impact of such innovation processes. 

The world we live in is complex and characterized by endlessly overlapping systems. Choosing to focus on a narrowly defined group cannot reasonably address the network of needs for the entire system. It’s imperative that we cast a wider net when considering which humans we focus on in our efforts to address complex challenges. We must consider who is involved (directly) as well as those who will influence and be influenced by our efforts. Those whose lives and work may be impacted, either directly and indirectly, deserve an opportunity to participate. It is also helpful to consider those who might be touched by unintended consequences. 

#GrowTogether means practicing human-centricity as an expansive and compassionate act of inclusion.

Let’s get growing!

Ambiguous situations are usually complex so they demand input from diverse perspectives, experts, industries, etc. Ambiguity navigation is rarely a solo sport. As we’ve described elsewhere ambiguity activism is a commitment to taking actions in uncertainty that produce positive change. 

It begins with hope for a better alternative or future. Hope is a catalyst that triggers action and mobilizes intent. It is a magnet that creates a gravitational pull, bringing into alignment people who support a common cause. Hope reveals beautiful possible futures and purpose inspires us to pursue them through deliberate, collective action.

#GrowTogether means there is no movement without collaboration and there is no collaboration without purpose. 

An open space?

“Whoever comes are the right people.”

“Whatever happens is the only thing that could have.”

Open Space Principles

If you have ever attended an event using Open Space Technology then these sentiments probably sound familiar. Imagine an event organized entirely through principles of self-organization and passion for a common theme. Attendees create, pitch and manage their own parallel sessions and share back results. Thousands of such meetings and conferences around the globe have proven the power of this approach. 

In order to make this happen in the real world, the shared purpose has to be the organizing principle and vehicle for "recruiting" involvement. It might start with a few who identify with the purpose and understand its meaning. When you are purposeful in your actions, it will attract more people. 

#GrowTogether means that collaboration works well when everyone can freely choose to engage because they care about the cause. 

Examples, please...

Need to make it concrete? Let’s explore a wildly inspiring, real-life example of the Grow Together principle…

Greta Thunberg started what has become the worldwide “Fridays for Future” movement alone. She began in 2018 by skipping school to sit in front of the Swedish parliament with her “SKOLSTREJK FÖR KLIMATET“ sign. Since then she has spread hope that it is possible to successfully fight climate change. She has also proven that young people have agency because, together with millions of youth activists, she triggered a global movement that now impacts the thinking and decision making of leaders all over the world.

Another example that is quite familiar to us and close to home: our CoCreACT® co-founder Katrin co-founded play4agile in 2010. It’s an un-conference that inspires people to discover how to play and share games that help agile teams and organizations. From there, more play un-conferences spread. Play4agile now takes place on three continents, organized by committed volunteer teams of people who share a common purpose: spread playful approaches that help us work together in a better way.

Movements happen on a lot of different levels: in a classroom, at work, in a community. Anyone can start a movement. It may be initiated by a thoughtful child or an inspired co-worker. The distance between an idea and a movement is bridged through collective pursuit. 

#GrowTogether means we have the courage to make hope visible, to prioritize togetherness and to embolden human agency.

Want to learn more about principles for #AmbiguityActivism? Follow us on twitter, instagram or facebook and we will keep you posted.