Skills and Tools for Complex Adaptive Thinking to Equip Leaders in Change Initiatives

Program PIs and partners developed and delivered a 2-day SHIFT curriculum in Denver to 36 ag providers and producers.  The interactive workshop was filmed to create video content for the online course.  Multiple break-out groups tackled several exercises to practice and integrate lecture material.  Participants reported back to the whole group.

Curriculum topics and activities specific to this overarching objective included:

• What is Leadership?
• Natures Principles of Leadership
• Models of Learning
• Neuroscience of Change
• Listening
• Designing Programs for Transformation
• Patterns and Habits
• Ecology of Money
• Polarization Mapping

PIs described Peter Schulte's polarity management theory, framework and polarity map.  Polarity management focuses on recognizing and balancing two poles of an issue or situation, with the realization that neither pole is right or wrong and that there is wisdom in diverging perspectives on an issue.  Common examples of pairs of polarities include: structure AND flexibility, leading AND empowering, advocating AND being curious.  Participants broke into small groups and practiced polarity mapping on contentious topics.

Numerous topics and activities addressed how we work with ourselves and producers to achieve positive change in their lives and on their farms.  Working with producers to recognize how patterns and states of being can limit or expand options and possibilities can have a powerful impact on coaching them into change.  Ag providers will be more effective in this arena when they recognize their own ways of being.   

PIs began with styles of learning and teaching and the learning spiral which describes a progression through five stages of learning.

• Naturalization – skills become automatic with limited thought or exertion.
• Articulation – harmony and consistency used to combine 2 or more skills in one major skill sequence
• Precision- Reproduces a skill with accuracy and proportion. Generally an exact performance from original source.
• Manipulation –performs in accordance to instructions, rather than observation
• Imitation – see skills and tries to repeat

The Parable of the Boiled Frog was introduced to spur thought on the danger of being unaware of deteriorating conditions until it is too late.  Consideration was given to how folks are charmed by new technology and quick fixes.  Ultimately, learning is doing and knowledge is experience, but if we are unaware of the consequences of our actions we can not learn from direct experience.  

Educational contexts/teaching styles were presented to bring light to working alongside producers to learn and observe as opposed as being an authority figure presenting information.

Designing programs for transformation (shifting how we observe, think and act) began by looking at the trajectory of change initiatives, and, in particular, how do we move past early adoption across the chasm to a majority of adopters?  The importance of engaging thought leaders respected in their communities to be champions of change was emphasized.

PIs presented on how important our listening skills are, especially to quiet our own minds, observe, limit our inclination to speak too much and have a big heart to give and receive — people want to know you care before they care what you know. Participants practiced observing and listening. 

Producers generally are experiential learners and approaches relying only on analytical come at the cost of empathy, self-expression, creativity, emotions and spiritual connections.  Participants reflected on their ability to create trusted space for producers to share emotionally and what their automatic responses are.

One of the most well-received topics was The Rider and The Elephant, where the rational side of the brain is the rider and the elephant represents the emotional side of the brain.  The rider's strength is to think and plan, the elephant's strength is emotion, without which we lack motivation/energy to get things done.  Shifting behavior requires that we: 1) direct the rider, 2) motivate the elephant and 3) shape the path.  PIs presented on strategies to achieve this and participants practiced working scenarios in small groups. 

Participants were presented with the following set of questions to self-reflect on how they showed up as a leader.

Where did you find yourself coaching-bringing out the full self-expression for those around you.?

• When did you lead from behind and bring out others’ shining light?
• When did you feel compelled to…drive your own agenda or jump in? Give advice?
• Did you interact in a way that was familiar or business as usual?
• When did you operate from right/wrong? Or get small and dim your own light? Got confused?
• When do you interpret others stories into your own diagnostic or theoretical language?
• Where does it get hard to listen? What’s going on for YOU?
• Where do you feel/see peoples core humanity and unique essence shining through?

PIs presented on how stress influences our ability to think, hear, learn, remember and act.  People under stress also tend to react to perceived threats rather than reality.  PIs presented the Polyvagal Theory as proposed by behavioral neuroscientist, Stephen W Porges, to provide a framework to see patterns that support or impede learning. The parasympathetic nervous system has a "ventral vagal system" which supports social engagement, and a "dorsal vagal system" which supports immobilization behaviors.  Ag providers will be more successful working with producers when they recognize when stress is a limiting factor.

Participants broke into small groups to practice identifying clues and ways to gauge a producers stress level and then discussed ways to work with producers to decrease stress levels.

All of the activities described above were also designed to support ag professionals in building trust and improving conflict resolution skills.  Communication and listening skills, teaching and learning styles, self-reflection, polarity mapping, empathy, pausing to reflect on your own values, acting from love and grounding rather than from fear, judgement or comparison, and focusing on small meaningful actions you can guarantee to carry through to completion with producers all contribute to building trust and de-escalating conflict.

PIs emphasized that respecting and recognizing wherever someone is at on their journey is OK is key to building trust.

x