There’s a lot of activity around personal development today. There is also lots of activity around organization development. When we deep dive in into what is most commonly offered we find a variety of methods, processes, best practice, strategies, activities, coping strategies and so on to achieve a desired outcome. We see one significant risk with all these approaches. If we wish to accommodate a shift that can take us to where we not already are we need something else. If we do want a shift that is transformational. And we believe we do need a transformational shift.
To lead a transformational shift we need something else than conventional strategies and practices. If our aim is actually transform, and transcend the current, practices from within that current paradigm will simply not do the job. A wise man once said something like::”you cannot solve a problem from the same level of consciousness that created it.” This is what we see too. So, what to do about that?
"f we wish to accommodate a shift that can take us to where we not already are we need something else than conventional strategies and practices."
We have for a couple of years explored a range of new practices. Post. conventional, post cognitive practices. Practices that help us explore what it is to be human in non-cognitive ways. Where we activate, not the analytical mind and cognitive processes, but other parts of our sensory system, our body and being. Ways, not caged by the current. Not caged by the constructs we are already holding. Not caged by what we think we already know. To illustrate this I want to share two recent events we have held.
1. The intuition walk. During a three day retreat that we hosted on an island outside the Swedish west coast, we worked with different kinds of meditation, dialogue practices, and self reflection. We also worked with listening to our deeper selves. In one practice, we spent an hour and a half silently, individually in an intuition walk. Opening our hearts and minds for the subdue whispers of our deeper selves. And for the intuitive dialogue with nature. Letting our curiosity lead us.. WIth a silent mind, listening to whatever appeared. And it is truly amazing how rich these walks can be. when you have cultivated your present centered awareness for days. Most people coming back afterwards shared astonishing insights. Clarifying and life bringing new perspectives.
2. Social Presencing Theatre In our 9 months leadership program “Holistic Human Centric Leadership for the Emerging Future of Organization” we use a mix of non-cognitive practices to shape leaders able to lead into the uncertain future ahead. One of them is the social presencing theatre developed by the Precencing Institute at MIT, in which we are trained facilitators. In this case we used a practice to tap in to the collective field using embodied theatre in small groups. No verbal communication nor analysis of the situation being explored. The theatre participants are not even aware of the role they are playing, or the case in which they participate. Only the case holder knows what each theatre is about. Also here the outcomes and insights are astonishing. Almost unbelievably so. Most participants have met themselves in new facets, gained new perspectives and insights on their case, and clarity on a next step forward: a next true move, for their situations. Most also testify how strong the emotional experience was in participating. Sensing into their embodied experience. Tapping into the collective field.
So, what am I trying to say? To widen our awareness into new realms, to let emerge new paradigms, to enable truly different outcomes, we need to interact with reality in new ways. We need to widen our world. For this we need two things: A holding space, and new practices.
A holding space, in which we feel fully safe enables us to sense and connect deeper. In a deeper present cantered awareness. With ourselves. And with others. New practices are needed to explore the non-cognitive realities of being human. To explore the full richness of being human. Exploring the emergent future. And we cannot do this by applying only cognitive practices and mental models and frameworks. We need to get beyond the cognitive. Post cognition. Beyond the mind. And explore the experience of being.
"We need to get beyond the cognitive. Post cognition. Beyond the mind."
We have found that post conventional, non-cognitive practices is a key part in what we do. A key part in opening for realms beyond the concrete. realms beyond the logical. Realms beyond the three-dimensional reality. And this is a need to embrace the world as it unfolds. In greater complexity, uncertainly and speed. And we have found that these practices open up for a richer life experience. Open up for wider perspectives, shaping a new leadership. Co-creating better results. Results opening for a truly sustainable way of being. We also see that these ways of engaging with life opens up for a more joyful life. With more connection with self and others.
So, my friends. If we want to open up for a new world, we need to engage with it in new ways. Lets start to take that step. And lets start now!
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