Inter-Connection
Flourishing regions are interconnected. We leverage relationships and technology to overlap networks and lubricate transformation. Below are frameworks, not prescriptions, on nurturing inter-connection.
“The main actor on the stage of lasting culture change is the Dense Network." -John Seel, Network Power
Social Network Science
The natural world, whether it's the human body, a jungle, a garden, etc. is an ecosystem of complex interconnected networks. "Network Science" seeks to decode these complex systems.
We are practitioners of "social network science" with the goal densify inter-connected social networks within a region for healing and flourishing. We work towards social suffering stats decreasing. We want to see more people in the game and collaboration increase. How do we do this? By building network density.
Density-Building: Eye-Ball to Eye-Ball
Like a sports team coming in for a huddle and like soldiers briefing between missions, reliable and high-impact gatherings give teams connectivity to carry-out their aligned mission as individuals with a high-degree of role clarity. We call this "Connection over Content". As relationships deepen and trust increases, collaboration and coordination increases, decreasing waste and increasing impact. Below are example of how networks can increase the density of their networks.
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Cause Leaders gather champions monthly, rotating between in-person and virtual. Encourage individuals to connect between gatherings.
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Network Leaders gather government, church, non-profit and other leaders monthly, in-person.
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Workplace & Industry Networks:
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Network Leaders creatively gather in-or-between organizations and connected to a national association if available. Rhythms from daily to annually are deployed to create cohesiveness of engagement and onboarding.
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Affinity Networks:​
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Very dependent on context
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All-Regional Networks:
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Bi-Annual Gathering of all Network Leaders.
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Annual Celebration: Largest gathering that highlights all network leaders and allows every person to explore and self-select where they invest their time, talent, and treasure to increase network impact.
Density-Building: with Technology
Technology greases the skids to increased relational density-building. It does not replace the relational work. That is the hard work. A myriad of tech builders are working to extract data-points, connect nodes, strengthen teams, and inter-connect networks.
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Increasing network density occurs very slowly in the analog. It's sped-up with the wise stewarding of technology. Let us know if you are a techie interested in being a part of the solution.
Messy, Until
Connection and Collaboration is messy and always will be. All humans are messy. But don't be mistaken, it's The Work that moves us all forward.
"Ultimately, every relationship is inherently conflictual." said a conflict-mediation coach. Each tension-point is an opportunity to lean-out or lean-in and embody what Love is asking of us in a given moment. It is deep work that has everything to do with our family of origin, attachment style, the wounds and lies we carry, and the level of healing we've experienced. This work is about individual and communal transformation in a variety of overlapping contexts. We'll rustle each others feathers, be intentionally or unintentionally harmful to each other, and do things that gain and lose trust, whether perceived or real.
We use tools and guides like Rooting for Rivals, Divided We Stand, Until Unity, Swing, TrustEdge, Difficult Conversations, Dayton Mediation Center, Not In It to Win It, the Enneagram, Working Genius, Cloverleaf, StrengthsFinder, Saboteurs, Brene' Brown's work and other resources to help us navigate relational messiness with an enduring hope and commitment to showing up to each other.
To ignore this reality is asking for trouble. To acknowledge and press into this reality is to show up. Again, this is messy. The way I see it, the world will not know the deep of Love of God until we Love each other. Getting better at Loving each other is how Heaven comes to earth. In (your context) as it is in Heaven.
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Let's Do This.