To live this synergy perhaps we have to surrender our die-hard attachment to our own particular way of speaking, branding, owning the change? I’ve found at the Systems Change Hive in Brighton that embracing an openness that really is inclusive to multiple different perspectives and welcomes diversity involves some chaos and confusion, periods of unknowing and extreme effort, and requires everyone to make difficult shifts out of ego, defence and personal attachment to “knowing what’s what”.
I feel like I’ve a long way to go in finding that creative balance between blazing purpose and genuine receptivity! And there is something inherently partial in operating in the world with a limited perspective and always opening up to the bigger picture.
What helps me here is a sense that true synergy is run by the earth herself and to trust in what is in front of me. Having faith in the creative flows of life and the people I work with on a foundational level makes it more possible to work with others across differences of perspectives and patterns of communication and terminology.
Conflicts always lead to learning and one thing I learn more and more is to trust that each group holds the wisdom that is needed and also that groups can include more people without breaking. And I celebrate Nora Bateson’s Warm Data training for really bringing this home to me.
I find that “thinking” the shift from competition to synergy is relatively simple, but to live it out in the world and meet the challenges of working across differences demands a kind of steadfast determination, patience and honouring and also continuous practice at relational skills. And accepting that we often get it wrong. I have found synergetic work is ever flowing between united vision and (often extreme) divergence. Whether divergences are reconcilable or not depends on the individuals involved and the practices and dedication they have for keeping in connection and tending healthy working relationships. I don’t think that synergy can work without disagreements, mistakes and forgiveness. Perhaps, inevitably, synergy is always a work in process?
