If you are like me, you’ve been glued to the news for some time watching our turbulent world unfold. From the events in Ottawa and across Canada to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the divisions and aggression within our relationships are erupting wherever we look and demonstrating once again that belonging matters. I can’t help but wonder, after two years of sheltering in place, is this really our next collective step?
In times of global upheaval, I like to discern what is the key question to get at the heart of the matter. From there, I identify what is in my sphere of influence and then, as my friend and colleague Michael Quinn Patton likes to say, I start where I am, use what I have and do what I can.
In times of global upheaval, I like to discern what is the key question to get at the heart of the matter. From there, I identify what is in my sphere of influence and then, as my friend and colleague Michael Quinn Patton likes to say, I start where I am, use what I have and do what I can.
3 Key Touchstones For A Turbulent World
There are three key touchstones that guide me in deciding on the best question to ask at this particular threshold in time. All are connected to the role human values play in:
#1: The rise and fall of cultures and civilizations
Many scholars who have studied the cyclical nature of the rise and fall of civilizations and cultures throughout time and around the world explain that prior to the rise of a new era, violence increases and people tend to respond to stress, conflict and change with less creativity and more rigidity. In addition, people experience a pervasive disconnectedness from nature. It is only when a creative minority re-examine values, they become the catalyst for a new way forward.
#2: Promising practices for transcending victim/offender cycles
In my experience, a key way to build bridges across polarized differences is to identify the values at stake. And instead of fighting each other, together we grow the values at stake in how we live our lives, treat each other and address our common problems. (See how I used this approach here.)
#3: Cultural resilience
Kalpana Das, the founder of Montreal’s Intercultural Institute, uses a tree metaphor as an analogy to understand the different aspects of any given culture. For Das, the roots of the tree symbolize the worldview and values of a given culture; the trunk symbolizes the structural dimensions (like our institutions) and the foliage represent the visible aspects of culture (like language, clothing, food).
In this analogy, the values and worldviews (the roots) are the most important part of culture as they feed a society’s institutions and give meaning to the more visible part of a given culture. In other words, feed the values and you’ll bear some delicious fruit. Gather root rot and know it’s time for re-potting!
In this analogy, the values and worldviews (the roots) are the most important part of culture as they feed a society’s institutions and give meaning to the more visible part of a given culture. In other words, feed the values and you’ll bear some delicious fruit. Gather root rot and know it’s time for re-potting!
Whenever the going gets tough, it can be easy to feel buffeted by the “storms of our times.” I believe the most effective response to our turbulent world is to dig deep, identify the values at stake and base our actions from those values.
I believe the burning individual and collective question of our times is…What values do we stand for?
Once we get clear on that. We can then start where we are, use what we have, and do what we can.
Belonging Matters Conversations For Leaders
For me, I have been thinking of more ways I can support leaders facilitating change. In February, I launched Belonging Matters Conversations For Leaders to provide a safe space for leaders facilitating change so they can connect with themselves, other leaders and find their footing again to move forward with more energy and confidence in their next best step.
In this series of customized, facilitated conversations, leaders come together in small cohorts to use a collaborative, problem-solving approach to address their priority challenges. I am excited to share some of the insights February’s cohort generated together.
After they shared their experiences of difficult situations over the last two years where they felt their own belonging was eroded (e.g. people being angry at them for following public health orders, gaslighting and much more), they identified their priority challenges as:
- Building belonging within oneself in difficult situations
- Building belonging with others in difficult situations
I loved this focus! It reminded me of the tree analogy where they are taking care of themselves (and their roots) and strengthening their relationships as a key way to weather our collective storm as well as nourish the foundation of more resilient cultures.
Visuals for Building Belonging in a Turbulent World
As a group, we turned individual and group insights into visual legacies. I thought I’d share some here…
The first meme provides a compass to where we are heading—finding and building a sense of home:
The first meme provides a compass to where we are heading—finding and building a sense of home:
The next two memes provide specific guidance on how to belong more fully to ourselves in turbulent times:
And finally, the last two memes offer practical tips for leaders faced with difficult situations with others like gaslighting, polarization and more:
Each leader in this intimate cohort also created their own visual legacies. Some chose to create inspiration boards, others drew or created collages.
I truly believe our common yearning for a sense of home and belonging is a potentially unifying force across all of our diversity. Our values are like a rudder to guide our decisions, attitudes, and action. And our relationships are the people power necessary to get us there.
I’m curious, what values do you stand for? How can you start with where you are, use what you have, and do what you can?
If you would like to join our next intimate cohort of leaders, click the image to find out more below:
I truly believe our common yearning for a sense of home and belonging is a potentially unifying force across all of our diversity. Our values are like a rudder to guide our decisions, attitudes, and action. And our relationships are the people power necessary to get us there.
I’m curious, what values do you stand for? How can you start with where you are, use what you have, and do what you can?
If you would like to join our next intimate cohort of leaders, click the image to find out more below:
