The central thread of “Cutting Through Complexity” was a five phase framework, or process of engagement. The five phases are Entering, Exploring, Acting, Completing, and Letting Go. This framework is useful in any complex situation or circumstance, and is adaptable to any scale (a single conversation, working with a team or organization or community). To operate within this framework requires that we have an intent to learn, to benefit ourselves and others, and to forward the basic goodness in the situation.
Exploring is the beginning of engagement. The Exploring phase involves getting curious about several things, including who else we might wish to invite into this work. We can also be curious about how we construct the world, and what habits kick in when we are in a complex situation. People tend to either under- or over-explore. Neither is helpful. When we under-explore, we move too soon to action. Probably a reactive habit has kicked in. Fear of seeing what we’d rather not see can motivate us to rapid action. Unintended consequences often result. Over-exploring can prevent us from ever moving to action.
Michael Chender talked to us about four ways of knowing, as part of our awareness of Exploring. First is knowing through analysis, which is about numbers and planning and linear thinking. Second is systemic knowing, through
systems thinking and related disciplines. This realm is where we practice inquiry, asking open and clean questions. The quality of our questions and our genuine inquiry are themselves enriching, and we can notice this in our work. Third is knowing through our body and our intuition – what does our gut say? And fourth is knowing by noticing synchronicity and reading patterns emerging in the world.
Barbara Bash helped us in a focusing exercise that involved dropping down into our bodies as we held the issue or situation we were working with in the track. I can’t describe how we did that, but I did it. Then, in pairs, we took turns talking and listening, then talking and mirroring. My feeling after this experience was that I had a greater sense of the whole.